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TSA collects $531,000 left behind by airline passengers in 2012
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) collected more than $500,000 in loose change that was left behind by airline passengers at its security checkpoints in 2012.
Figures released by the agency showed TSA took in $531,395.22 that was lost by passengers passing through its checkpoints last year. The figure is an increase from $487,869.50 that was collected in similar fashion in 2011 and $409,085.56 in 2010.
Current federal law allows TSA to keep the leftover money in collects for its general operations.
"Unclaimed money, typically consisting of loose coins passengers remove from their pockets, is documented and turned into the TSA financial office," the TSA said. "In 2005, Congress gave TSA the authority to expend unclaimed money for security operations."
A Florida lawmaker, Rep. Jeff Miller (R), introduced a bill last year to require the TSA to transfer money that is not claimed by passengers to United Service Organizations (USO), which support military members.
The bill was not approved by Congress last year, but a spokesman for Miller told The Hill on Tuesday that the lawmaker was planning to reintroduce the measure soon.
“The TSA has been keeping the money from your change purse to pay for their bloated bureaucracy,” Miller said in a statement.
“If TSA representatives get to play ‘finders keepers’ with your hard-earned cash, what’s the incentive to try to get the loose change to its rightful owners," he continued. “I would much rather see unclaimed change go to help military personnel on their way to and from the battlefield."
TSA has traditionally declined to comment on legislation that involves its operations that has not yet been approved.
