House Panel Tells The TSA No One But Jay-Z Should Be Patting Down Beyonce

Listen up, Transportation Security Administration — the House knows you desperately want to be cool and improve your image, and frisking internationally known superstars and other recognizable famous people isn’t helping. Which means when it comes to patting down Beyonce, don’t.

The House Homeland Security Transportation Subcommittee submitted a few ideas for the TSA on how to fix its poor public image. That includes not patting down people like former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger as well as pop stars, reports the Los Angeles Times.

“There are certain people that are just so well-known that you’ve just got to use your common sense,” said Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), chairman of the subcommittee. “Because if you start patting them down, people are going to say, ‘They’re patting down Beyonce.’ “I mean, she’s not going to blow a plane up.”

Well, probably not, Mr. Rogers, but it makes such a good story to tell your pals after a hard day at work.

The subcommittee was attempting to give the TSA a few helpful pointers, to try to fix its “poor customer service image and become a leaner, smarter agency.”

The TSA has made some efforts recently, introducing things like its new PreCheck system and less-intrusive screening methods for customers. Passengers 75 and older now get to leave their shoes and jackets on as they go through security.

But unless you’re Beyonce or over 75, as part of the pool of 600 million people screened every year, you might not be noticing any positive changes.

“The American people are just really disgusted and outraged with the department that they see is bloated and inefficient,” Rogers said, complaining that the TSA is moving at a “snail’s pace” to improve its image.

Despite that public perception of how annoying the TSA can be, complaints filed against it have been decreasing. In March, 56 million people were screened and only 1,294 complaints were lodged against the agency, compared to the 55 million screened in March 2011 and 1,445 complaints.

No word on whether any of those complaints were on behalf of Beyonce, Kissinger or Rumsfeld.

House panel gives TSA advice on improving its image [Los Angeles Times]