U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) believes that increased usage of facial recognition technology at airports is a threat to the individual liberty of Americans.
The U.S. House passed Moore’s amendment to the 2025 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill, which demonstrates Congressional disapproval and allows for more oversight of the Transportation Security Administration’s new policy that expands the deployment of face scanners for travelers at American airports.
This afternoon, my amendment to the Homeland Security Appropriations bill that disapproves of TSA's expanded use of facial recognition technology at airports passed the House.
This allows Congress to have more oversight of this program that encroaches on Americans' privacy. pic.twitter.com/Mg4jcwpEuu
— Rep. Barry Moore (@RepBarryMoore) June 26, 2024
“This gives the government unprecedented surveillance capabilities that can track a person’s movement in real time,” Moore said on the House floor. “At a time when the government already conducts warrantless searches of raw data through the FISA programs, we should not give our weaponized government another answer when it comes to mass surveillance especially without a sophisticated system of checks and balances.”
Moore was referring to his vote against a two-year reauthorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) earlier this year. He voted against the legislation because it didn’t include reforms he believed were needed.
The congressman explained how the TSA has already expanded the facial recognition technology across the country.
“TSA has expanded his base facial recognition technology and our American airports, while TSA states that the program is optional,” he said. “It is stated the intent of the TSA is to expand this technology beyond security checkpoint and require the passengers undergo facial recognition scans every time they travel. Further, there are several airports that I have traveled to that did not have sufficient signage alerting passengers that they have the option to opt out of this intrusive technology.”
Moore concluded that this technology can be too easily abused by the federal government.
“Once Americans become accustomed to the government’s facial recognition scans, it will be that much easier for the government to scan citizens faces everywhere from entry into government buildings to passive surveillance on public property like parks schools and sidewalks,” he argued. “This powerful surveillance technology as a ploy by the TSA does not make air travel safer. As a matter of fact…TSA represents more than 68,000 mismatches per day of all the 2.3 million travelers. Recent news reports say that hundreds of passengers have bypassed TSA security checkpoints entirely in recent years and suggests that the TSA should focus on fundamentals, not expanding its facial recognition program.”
Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on X @Yaffee
Don’t miss out! Subscribe today to have Alabama’s leading headlines delivered to your inbox.