Posted on 05/25/2011 1:24:56 PM PDT by NCjim
A threat from the federal government to shut down Texas airports or cancel flights may have killed legislation by Tea Party conservatives in the Texas Capitol to prohibit federal Transportation Security Agents from conducting "invasive searches."
“I don’t cave in to heavy handed threats by the federal government,” said an angry Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, the Senate sponsor of the bill, who ultimately withdrew the bill.
House Bill 1937, which was passed by the House earlier this month, would make it a misdemeanor offense for a federal security agent to “intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly [touch] the anus, sexual organ, buttocks, or breast of the other person, including touching through clothing, or touching the other person in a manner that would be offensive to a reasonable person.”
Two TSA officials visited Patrick at the Capitol earlier today to discuss the legislation. They warned him that the legislation “could close down all the airports in Texas,” he said. After their departure, U.S. Attorney John E. Murphy sent a letter to Speaker of the House Joe Straus and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst saying the bill would “conflict directly with federal law” and that if it became law, “TSA would likely be required to cancel any flight or series of flights for which it could not ensure the safety of passengers and crew” until the agency could seek a court order stopping the measure from being carried out.
Despite the threats from the federal government, Patrick believed he had enough votes in the Senate — 30 to be precise — to suspend the rules and pass the legislation. Dewhurst allowed the measure to be brought up for debate. But when senators began to discuss the bill on the floor, the support wavered.
Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen, who voted for the bill in committee, said he still agreed with Patrick’s intent but could not vote for the bill because it preempts federal law. “The bill makes it a crime for a [federal TSA employee] … to perform a federal screening that he or she is required by federal law to perform.”
Realizing he ultimately did not have the votes, Patrick decided to withdraw the bill, but not before making his passion for state autonomy known: “There was a time in this state, there was a time in our history, where we stood up to the federal government and we did not cower to rules and policies that invaded the privacy of Texans.”
After the bill was withdrawn, senators approached state Rep. David Simpson, R-Longview, the House author of the bill, who was watching from the Senate rail. They said they were looking for a way to delay the effective date of the bill (which otherwise would be immediate) to prevent the federal government from closing Texas airports.
“They’re basically saying, unless you allow us to grope your genitals, you can’t fly. I hope Texans would say come and show us the law,” Simpson said. “This is a Gonzales moment. ‘Come and take it.’”
Patrick blamed the failure of the bill on Dewhurst. “When you stand on the Senate floor and the president of the Senate calls the bill up, he’s not supposed to be working against the bill while you’re debating it,” Patrick said. “This was a case of the federal government bullying Texas, and apparently they bullied the lieutenant governor.”
Mike Walz, a spokesman for Dewhurst, said that while Hinojosa was voicing his concerns, Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, approached Dewhurst at the podium with a list of 12 senators who had withdrawn support of the bill in light of the threat to close airports or cancel flights. He said Dewhurst saw the letter from the U.S. attorney earlier today but believed the Senate had enough votes to pass the bill when he brought it onto the floor.
“Our law abiding citizens should not be subjected to invasive searches that are embarrassing and humiliating,” Patrick said. "Our country is saying there’s too much federal government in our lives, and this was a chance for Texas to take the lead and probably change the policy of TSA, because does anyone think that they’re really going to close down all the airports tomorrow?”
I think they should have passed it anyway
Fed Threat Shuts Down TSA - soooo that’s a problem?
What a shame, it looks like the wussification of the Republican party isn’t limited to Washington DC. I look for a similar collapse when the administration starts getting tough with the states over implementing Obamacare. I guess that tough talk is just for votes...
Dan Patrick is a poser and a sportscaster talk radio pansy.
He'll cave in to the best media exposure or paycheck.
Serious lack of testosterone........
Like Perry, here is another RINO.
To contact Dewhurst:
campaign@teamdewhurst.com
Suddenly the TSA is concerned with safety?
Texas ‘blinked’.
Get those keyboards and phone lines smoking.
The David Dewhurst Committee
P.O. Box 756
Austin, Texas 78767
campaign@teamdewhurst.com
Phone: 512.236.9798
Fax: 512.236.9797
See, there’s that Supremacy Clause in the Constitution that grants unelected Marxist regulators the power to trump State Laws.
Also... voice your support because it isn’t over yet.
State Sen. Dan Patrick
District 7 (R-Houston)
Contact InfoTwitter: @DanPatrick
Facebook: facebook.com/sen.dan.patrick
Capitol Seating Assignment Room: 2E.8
Seat: 7
Capitol Office Room: 3S.3
Address:
P.O. Box 12068
Austin, TX 78711
Phone: 512-463-0107
District Office Address:
11451 Katy Fwy, Suite 209
Houston, TX 77079
Phone: 713-464-0282
Looks like ALL politicians care more about their ‘political’ life, than doing the right thing!
He should have put his political life on the line, and called their bluff (which is what that was to begin with).
We need people to WILLING TO THROW the monkey wrench into the ‘SYSTEM’, and dare anyone to grind it to a halt.
We have too many ‘in the system’ already that don’t have those guts!
IT'S FOR THE CHILDREN!!!!
If at first you don’t secede, try try again!
I think they should pass it and make a stand...I think the federal law would only apply on flights leaving Texas!
Cowards.
Call the office. If you cant call at least send and email.
http://davidsimpson.com/contact/
Email:
General Questions:
contact@DavidSimpson.com
Media Inquiries:
press@DavidSimpson.com
Invitations and Events:
events@DavidSimpson.com
Capitol Office:
Office E1.416
P.O. Box 2910, Austin, TX 78768
Phone: (512) 463-0750
Fax: (512) 463-9085
Representative Simpson:
David.Simpson@house.state.tx.us
Chief of Staff, Kathi Seay:
Kathi.Seay@house.state.tx.us
Administrative Assistant, Michael Bullock:
Michael.Bullock@house.state.tx.us
District Office:
1705 Judson Rd., Suite D2
Longview, TX 75601
Phone: (903) 553-9226
Fax: (903) 553-9877
District Director, Ray Wilson
Ray.Wilson@house.state.tx.us
Campaign:
P. O. Box 5100, Longview, TX 75608
(903) 746-9474
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