Paternity test for TSA?

Reflecting on his tenure on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Thursday, Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) did not want to accept sole responsibility for paternity of the Transportation Security Administration.  

"I always refer to TSA as my bastard child ... you helped in the conception," Mica said to Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) to laughter from the audience at the panel's hearing on high-speed rail Thursday. 

For his part, DeFazio shied away from discussing the birds and the bees of the controversial airport security agency, which was created in 2002 after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

"Whoa, I don't even want to go there," DeFazio responded to Mica's quip to equal laughter from the Transportation Committee crowd.

Not wanting to be left out of the banter, outgoing Rep. Laura Richardson (D-Calif.) added that she is definitely not the father of TSA.  

"I can't compare to the bastard child that you referenced with Mr. DeFazio, but maybe I'll be a good cousin," said Richardson, who is leaving Congress next year. 

Richardson was first elected to the House in 2007, five years after TSA was created, or conceived in Rep. Mica's telling of the events. 

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