House bill directs TSA to give unclaimed clothes to homeless vets

[sheshe2]

Posted on Saturday, November 24, 2012, 7:45 am by Paddy







Instead of letting the airlines profit again on their customers? What a smart and sensible idea. Oh look, a woman introduced it!


The House will likely consider a bill next week that would give homeless veterans unclaimed clothing recovered at U.S. airports.

The Clothe a Homeless Hero Act would direct the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to transfer all unclaimed clothing recovered at airports to local veterans organizations or other local charitable organizations for distribution to homeless or needy veterans and their families.

Rep. Kathy Hochul (D-N.Y.) introduced H.R. 6328this summer.

Del. Madeleine Bordallo (D-Guam) is co-sponsoring the legislation.

[freshwest]

1. I'd prefer the HoR fund the prevention of homelessness among vets. But that won't happen until 2014

when the House goes blue. For the time being this can work as a 'revenue neutral' bill.

[RepublicansRZombies]

2. But the TSA still gets to keep the ipads and the laptops right?

What weird legislation. Why is the TSA taking people's clothes in the first place?

Why don't they introduce legislation to abolish the TSA?

The airlines use to provide their own security. But then, NORAD use to intercept hijacked planes...

[MineralMan]

5. People leave their iPads and laptops at the

airport? Not very bright.

Clothing, though, is another matter. People are forever getting up and leaving jackets and stuff behind. I'm not sure how much of that gets picked up by the TSA, but I know I've seen stuff left on the belt after going through the Xray machines. People forget shit and leave it all over the place. I once left a parka in a restaurant. The weather warmed up while I was eating, the sun was shining, and I simply walked out without it. Left it on the coat hook, with all the other parkas there. It was old and wasn't my favorite one, so when I remembered that I left it, I didn't bother to go back. I'm sure it found a new owner. Now, my Eddie Bauer -50 parka I guard closely. I never leave it hanging. People have been known to take a different parka than they came in with in Minnesota. It's how they upgrade their winter gear, it seems.

[MADem]

14. Are they talking about the suitcases that get "lost?"

Or just the stuff in the Naked X Ray area?

[MineralMan]

30. I don't think TSA has anything to do with

misplaced luggage. I think the clothing they're talking about is just odds and ends that get left somewhere in the airport.

[MADem]

35. Isn't TSA checking those bags, too? I think they are--if not, they should be.

It would seem that they ARE checking those bags...

Checked Baggage
Checked baggage is luggage you check in at the ticket counter or curbside. It will not be accessible during your flight. When locking your checked bags, please use a TSA Accepted & Recognized Lock. TSA is mandated by Federal law to screen 100% of checked baggage. Bags may need to be opened during this process. If your baggage needs to be opened and inspected, TSA may have to break unrecognized locks to access your bags. TSA will not reimburse passengers for unrecognized locks broken as a result of the security screening process.

Packing Tips:

Do not pack jewelry, cash, computers, electronics, or fragile items in your checked baggage.
Pack shoes, boots, sneakers, and other footwear on top of other contents in your luggage.
Avoid over packing your bag so that your articles do not spill onto the ground if the bag is opened for inspection and the screener will be able to easily reseal it.
Avoid packing food and drink items in checked baggage.
Don't stack piles of books or documents on top of each other; spread them out within your baggage.
Do NOT pack or bring prohibited items to the airport.
To avoid loss or confusion between your item and that of another passenger, place identification tags with your name, address and phone number on all of your baggage, including your laptop computer. It is a good idea to place an identification tag inside your baggage as well.
Before arriving at the airport, check with your airline or travel agent to determine the airline's baggage policy, including number of pieces you can bring and size and weight limitations.
Place personal items such as toiletries, toothbrushes etc. in clear plastic bags to reduce the chance that a TSA screener will have to handle them.
Do not pack wrapped gifts. They may need to be opened for inspection.

[WinkyDink]

9. "But then, NORAD use to intercept hijacked planes..." ;-)

[valerief]

19. +1

[Logical]

3. Why do they have to be vets? Why not any homeless? n-t

[pasto76]

18. because Veterans are owed a debt much greater than this bill

but yes, giving them to any homeless person or persons in need would also be a good thing.

[aandegoons]

36. I agree this stratification of America must stop.

We have police who's lives are worth more than innocent bystanders.
We have soldiers who's lives are worth more than innocent Muslim children.
We have rich who's dogs lives are worth more than our own.

And on and on and on.

[hrmjustin]

4. I am sure the gop will stop it somehow.

[Aristus]

6. Undoubtedly. The repukes are all assholes.

As far as they are concerned, if you're a vet, you're a hero; if you're homeless, it's because you choose to be...

I'd say a good 10-15% of the homeless patients in my practice are vets.

[sheshe2]

11. From the party of who cares!

When you are a soldier and fighting for this country you are a hero.Once you become a vet the gop no longer cares about health benifits, jobs, or living status.

Gop's Love for fetuses...until they are born. Then....let them starve in poverty!

Neanderthals!
The Neanderthals (English pronunciation /niˈændərˌ?ɔls/, /niˈændərˌtɔls/, /niˈændərˌtɑls/ or /neɪˈɑndərˌtɑls/[1]) are a now-extinct species or subspecies within the genus Homo and closely related to modern humans. They are known from fossil specimens dating to the Pleistocene period and found in Europe and parts of western and central Asia.


There is nothing human about the GOP!

[NYC Liberal]

7. Excellent idea, but it should go towards all homeless folks

who need help.

[Squinch]

8. Now where is the bill that says that "Homeless Vet" is a phrase that needs to be eradicated

from the national lexicon by providing HOUSING and sufficient ASSISTANCE for VETS!!!!!

The fact that there are homeless war veterans is obscene.

[cliffordu]

10. ARGHHH...

The fact that the House has the GALL to take something like this seriously says everything anyone needs to know about how seriously they take the needs of the homeless - veterans and 'regular' homeless alike.

How about HOMES and JOBS and MENTAL HEALTH CARE?

They ought to stick them lost clothes and abandoned suitcases up their fucking asses.

It makes me sick to my stomach.

[Gormy Cuss]

32. +1

[IDoMath]

12. Better idea - end the TSA use the money to keep vets from being homeless

[libdem4life]

13. No New Vets Proposed Pledge: Whoever votes to send you or yours into harm's way, Send Them Packing

via the voting booth.

Second-hand clothing...how quaint and inexpensive...but we'll take what we can get. However, they should be clothed by Macy's or the equivalent, put up at The Hilton or the equivalent, until they are fully employed.

Shame to the Chickenhawks. Off with their political heads. Cheers and many terms to Hochul and Bordallo !!!

[HiPointDem]

15. Jesus. Maybe they could give them housing, jobs, rehabilitation & income

instead of stinky old clothes.

Yeah, the airlines make a ton 'o profit on those stinky old clothes, it's really a blow against the empire to make them donate them to a charity for a tax write-off (like they already do...probably...or else sell them to scrap dealers or trash them...big money, yeah....)

[ReRe]

16. It's a great idea, for starters

It's a damn damn shame that our vets are homeless. With PTSD, to boot. How's about a volunteer Adopt-A-Vet program/list? (Just brainstorming)...Yeah, I'm for this Clothe a Homeless Hero Act, thought up be these two Dem House members. This one could surely get through in the lame duck Congress, no?

[freshwest]

17. It's the only thing they'll be able to pass. The GOP hates vets.

[sheshe2]

28. Shock and Awe!

The Gop Loves their Soldiers...Vets...not so much!



’Disgrace’: Senate GOP kills jobs bill for vets
A bill that would provide job training for military veterans failed Wednesday thanks to a Republican filibuster. Supporters of the plan, which President Obama has endorsed, are ripping the right, insisting they’re playing politics to avoid giving Obama any sort of legislative vi …

Get more news and features delivered to your inbox by visiting http://newsletters.nbcnews.com.

[dixiegrrrrl]

20. I am confused by this bill.

Why is the TSA identified as the "finder" of clothes?

Airlines have sent/sold lost passenger items to re-sale stoes for years.

Here: with pics of...clothes.
"the Unclaimed Baggage Center of Scottsboro, Ala. The people who run the center buy unclaimed bags that airlines cannot reunite with customers, and while there are very few of these -- less than 1 percent of all "mishandled" luggage is ever lost for good -- it's been enough to keep the store busy for the past 41 years."
http://bucks.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/02/what-happens-to-items-left-on-planes/

So why is TSA responsible for doing what airlines have done for years?

btw...it has been airline policy to keep lost stuff in a warehouse for 90 days before it can be resold.

[HiPointDem]

22. dollars to donuts there's some more money in this POS legislation for somebody.

[Beaverhausen]

23. Why should airlines profit from luggage they mishandled and lost?

[dixiegrrrrl]

29. Not ALL lost things are airlines fault.

People do walk off and leave stuff.
I used to see it every day when I rode BART.

If you read the link there is a pic there of items for sale which have been "lost" and a lot of them could just as easily been lost by passengers ( I was in that store once)

[Beaverhausen]

33. Ok but still, why should the airlines make money on the items?

[lib2DaBone]

21. The TSA took my $100 Calibri lighter...

This lighter was a gift from my daughter.. I declared it.. and they TOOK it. It was no threat to "security".

The TSA is nothing more than a group of Gestapo Brown Shirts.

[HiPointDem]

24. you never got it back? is that what they do these days, just take your stuff

& not give it back? i thought there was some procedure where you could get it back.

it's been a while since i flew.

[lib2DaBone]

26. They said I could file an appeal...

The TSA Goon said that I could file a report (which would make me miss my flight)..Or.. I could wait at the airport for 90 days until they made a judgement

The TSA is now in charge of stealing from honest, hard working Americans.

[HiPointDem]

27. wow. they couldn't just give you the paperwork & have you mail it in?

maybe the airports *are* making a fortune by selling people's stuff, i might reconsider my position.

[ProudProgressiveNow]

25. K&R nt

[SoapBox]

31. And just a small reminder, when traveling by air...

1. Put your NAME (the name that your ticket is under), FLIGHT Number, date and city to city codes, AND phone contacts (LOTS of contacts...cell, friend, relative, hotel) all on a BIG sheet of paper...and then stick it in the luggage, UNDER your clothes. Not on top, where it can fall out if the bag gets additional screening (aka; opened) but not hidden so much that someone from the airlines can't find that info, if your destination tag gets ripped off or destroyed (note: airlines finally got smart about the tags; tough as nails now. Remember the little colored ones with the city codes and that they were simply held on with the little elastic band?). NOTE: I do NOT recommend that you put your home address on the bag OR in the bag. Thieves/crooks can go to that location when you are not at home. If you want to put a "home" address, use your business or the business address of a friend.

2. Don't leave your shit all over in the airplane! Man...sweater in the overhead, book on the floor, IPad in the seat pocket, phone stuck in the seat cushion, headphones dangling from the jack, etc. etc. etc. ZIP your junk up in a tote bag! DAILY and on virtually every flight, there is passenger crap left behind...the airlines are not your personal valet service and don't have time to track you down to give you back that half read paperback (fyi...paperbacks go in the trash...they are left behind by the hundreds/day) AND, stuff that is found...it's gonna take several hours to get it to a Lost and Found office, tagged and info logged.

[So_Blue]

34. Sadly, Kathy Hochul did not win her re-election bid in November.

She was running in a heavily repub district and it was close. I hope this passes and she can go out leaving something positive behind. (Although I do think ANY homeless would benefit...not only the veterans.)

[unreadierLizard]

37. "oh look, a woman introduced it"

Instead of taking the time out of a rather good idea to put in an attack on American males, just put the article and your opinion - not some sexist swipe at all the sensible male American politicians in the Democratic party.

Let's not forget this woman:



was a Republican, and would probably be doing her best to kill this bill as "an attack on freedom" or some shit.