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Weighing TSA decision to allow small knives on planes

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    Will policy be overturned?

  • Duration 3:36
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TSA administrator John pistol is heading to Capitol Hill today he is set to testify before the house homeland security committee.

On his decision to allow some small knives back on airplanes.

-- already says he is not backing down after some airlines and groups representing pilots and flight attendants criticize that move.

But all this comes as we get word of a troubling incident at JFK airport -- rape suspect was arrested.

After getting past security.

While carrying a band stun -- Tom blank is former deputy director of the Transportation Security Administration -- is now executive vice president of Gephardt government affairs.

And joins us now so give us the explanation as to why all of a sudden the TSA has decided.

And -- letting some small -- back on airplanes as well as things like you know baseball bats and so forth is a good idea.

Well I'm not sure it is a good idea and I think it should be reevaluated right -- -- -- process I'm just try to get your explanation of why they they say it's a good idea.

They have done a risk analysis date is part of their risk based security program.

And they believe that they want they TSA officers.

Focus on it bomb devices and explosives.

Rather than on things that cannot do catastrophic damage to one airplane.

Well -- if they are you know focused -- Bomb bomb devices and that kind of thing I mean the story about what happened at JFK airport is there is a pretty good indicator -- -- -- stunned.

Well they missed a stun gun but I think that has to be put in the context.

That TSA is screening about two million passengers every day.

And they're not going to get it right every single time even though they even though they try to.

So while that stun -- shouldn't have gotten through.

I think that's -- weighed against the fact that millions.

Other prohibited items and guns themselves are actually confiscated by the TSA.

We know that on 9/11 a bunch a guys armed with nothing more than box cutters.

You know essentially brought down airliners and use them as well some of worst weapons of mass destruction this country.

Has ever seen.

It just seems like no matter how long the blade you can still do an awful lot of damage with a knife.

Well that's true but I think the overriding point is this.

That TSA must have partnerships.

With the with the others that operate in the aviation domain in order to be effective.

And not why I say they need to reevaluate this decision is.

When you have flight attendants spokesman for the federal air marshals airlines.

The general public really questioning -- the risks have been evaluated properly.

It only makes sense to go back and review and see whether or not.

You got this decision right in the first.

Place one of the justifications is that -- foreign based carriers allow some of these items.

On planes and therefore in order to meld the systems we need to accommodate them.

Well why don't we try to meld the systems -- instead of melding the systems downward.

When when that -- we were the ones that were the victims of 9/11 TSA was created in the aftermath of 9/11.

To set the gold standard for aviation security around the world so I would argue that maybe those foreign based carriers should be increasing their standards rather than having -- lower their standards.

And I wouldn't necessarily.

Agree that we have to -- standards now Tom get Tom blank I'm sorry now with the -- government affairs formerly with the TSA.

Some good points there thank you.

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