TSA Union Lauds Senate Passage of Helping Heroes Fly Act

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Federation of Government Employees today applauded the Senate's passage of the Helping Heroes Fly Act, introduced by Sens. Mark Pryor and Kelly Ayotte. This bill, spearheaded by Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, had wide bipartisan support in both the House and Senate. AFGE supported the bill since its inception because of its language that addresses the needs of America's veterans while traveling through airport security and the training opportunities it provides for Transportation Security Officers (TSOs).

"TSOs are committed to protecting the safety and security of the flying public, especially our nation's veterans," said AFGE National President J. David Cox Sr., who is also the chairman of the AFL-CIO's Union Veterans Council. "About one-quarter of the TSO workforce is comprised of veterans--many of them veterans of the recent military conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. They continued their service to the public by working on the front lines of air security at the Transportation Security Administration. With the passage of the Helping Heroes Fly Act they look forward to ensuring that the wounded warriors they encounter at checkpoint are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve during the screening process."

AFGE is the exclusive representative of the more than 45,000 TSOs nationwide and looks forward to working with the agency to ensure the proper implementation of the training procedures associated with this legislation.

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 670,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia. For the latest AFGE news and information, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

SOURCE American Federation of Government Employees