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Homeland Security Sec. Kristi Noem unveils new priority TSA lane at Nashville airport
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem unveiled a new express security lane for military members and their families at Nashville International Airport on July 17. She added that more changes are coming to TSA security, in addition to recent policy shifts to shoe screening rules, including the introduction of dedicated lanes for all traveling families. "The Trump administration is working very hard to make sure that we're not only maintaining and implementing and enhancing all of our security protocols, but that we're also making travel more enjoyable," Noem said. Transportation Security Administration officers will allow all active-duty members of the military through the expedited line, dubbed the "honor lane," and into Nashville's main terminal with proof of service. BNA joins 10 other major airports in the country launching the initiative aimed at expanding travel benefits for military members. "These tokens of gratitude are just a small amount of what we can do in this country to honor those who serve in our military, but also them and their families and recognize their sacrifice," Noem said. Why is Nashville Airport expanding veterans services? Honor lanes are also opening at San Antonio International Airport, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Colorado Springs Airport, El Paso International Airport, Fayetteville Regional Airport, San Diego International Airport and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Homeland Security officials said the airports were selected to start the rollout of honor lanes because they are 'near larger military installations.' Fort Campbell sits about 60 miles outside of Nashville, but still squarely in the traveler base for BNA. The site supports a population of approximately 30,000 active military members and 51,000 of their family members. TSA airport policy changes: Shoes and liquids at security, priority lanes Noem's Nashville announcement follows several recent TSA policy changes. On July 8, Noem announced that TSA would no longer require passengers to remove their shoes when going through security, a policy that has been in place since 2006. Earlier this week, on July 16, she teased the possibility of changing the amount of liquid passengers may bring in their carry-ons, moving away from the current 3.4-ounce standard. "We're making sure that every policy that we have is a common sense policy that serves people and keeps us safe," Noem said. The new honor lanes are one part of the campaign Noem launched in early July for added military travel benefits. Some military members already received free or discounted TSA PreCheck enrollment, but now, all military and civilian employees of the Department of Defense can join TSA PreCheck free of charge. Family members of active military will get a $25 discount, and family members of military personnel who died in combat will also be able to receive PreCheck for free. Noem also announced plans to introduce priority TSA lanes for families traveling through U.S. airports — not just those with military ties. "We also recognize that these family lanes are ones that will be specifically implemented first around large areas where people travel with their kids quite often," she said. A family-priority lane pilot project has already begun in Orlando. Hadley Hitson covers business news for The Tennessean. She can be reached at hhitson@ To support her work, subscribe to The Tennessean. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Why did Homeland Security Sec. Kristi Noem visit Nashville airport? Solve the daily Crossword
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What to know about Trump's effort to oust Fed Chair Powell
US President Donald Trump this week escalated attacks on central bank chair Jerome Powell, suggesting he could be dismissed for "fraud" over his handling of a renovation project at the Federal Reserve's headquarters. The US leader's focus on the Fed's $2.5 billion renovation project comes after months of growing criticism targeting the independent central bank chief -- as the bank held interest rates steady despite Trump's insistence that it should slash them. After calling Powell a "numbskull" and "moron" for the Fed's policy decisions, Trump on Tuesday suggested the renovation costs could be a potential avenue for his removal. Here is what you need to know about the latest developments: - Can Trump oust Powell? - Should Trump make the unprecedented move of firing Powell, a sitting Fed chair, he would need to identify a reason for removal recognized by law -- and produce evidence to back up his case, experts said. Some statutes note that an official can be removed for neglect of duty or malfeasance, and other causes include "inefficiency," said Columbia Law School associate professor Lev Menand. But the president would have to show that there was mismanagement on Powell's part. "Right now, there's no evidence that the White House has released publicly or pointed to, that there was any sign of mismanagement in connection with this renovation," Menand told AFP. While costs for the Fed's project have gone up, Menand noted that construction materials have become more expensive in the post-pandemic economy. And renovating historic buildings in the nation's capital is a pricey affair. "Based on publicly available information, there's just no grounds for removing Powell 'for cause'," Menand said. "For cause" could be interpreted to mean wrongdoing. If the president proceeded, Powell would have to be notified of the charges and be allowed to contest them, he added. The Fed chair can remain in place through this time. - What are the accusations? - Trump for months has lashed out at the Fed for holding interest rates steady since the start of the year, while repeatedly pushing for lower borrowing costs. He charges that the central bank could help save the country debt-servicing costs by cutting rates from the current range, which is between 4.25 percent and 4.50 percent. The president also pointed to relatively tame inflation figures to make the case for reducing rates. But the Trump administration has recently honed in on the Fed's building works as a possible reason to drive out Powell. On Wednesday, the president said: "It's possible there's fraud involved with the $2.5, $2.7 billion renovation." In response to White House budget chief Russell Vought's concerns on the renovations, Powell said in a letter Thursday that he has asked the Fed's independent inspector general to hold a fresh review of the project. He stressed that there were no VIP dining rooms or private elevators being constructed, while adding that both buildings involved "were in need of significant structural repairs." - What are the consequences? - "Equities would likely sell off on impact, on a risk-off flight to safety trade," said Padhraic Garvey, regional head of research for the Americas at financial institution ING. "After all, this would be an effective forced exit of a reputable Fed chair by the US president, an unprecedented event for the market to get its head around," he told AFP. But equities could quickly reassess and rally on the theory that "the Fed will be cutting deep into rates," boosting the economy, he added. It is unclear however that Trump would easily achieve a goal of lowering interest rates quickly even if he ousted Powell, given that the Fed's rate-setting committee comprises of 12 voting members. Garvey expects that other committee members would continue basing policy decisions off their individual assessments of the economy -- balancing inflation and labor market risks. The dollar could also come under pressure, he noted. "For now Fed credibility is intact, and will remain so for at least as long as Chair Powell remains in place," he said. bys/aks Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
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Protests in Watsonville join nationwide movement against Trump administration
Watsonville is one of over a thousand locations participating in nationwide protests against the Trump administration, focusing on civil and human rights issues.
