Airport Security Before the dreaded day of September 11, 2001, one or more people traveling by plane could be escorted to their boarding gate by family members and loved ones . The idea that a firearm could or could be taken on board a plane and used as a means of hijacking a plane never crossed a passenger's mind. Isaac Yeffect said: “After Lockerbie, everyone was thinking; we have now learned the lesson of how to be proactive instead of reactive. Unfortunately, September 11th happened and we know the outcome. Thousands of people lost their lives. Security completely failed, not at one airport, but at three different airports across the country. Due to the September 11 terrorist attacks, the US government decided that airport security needed to be updated and become stricter. These updates included the training of TSA and Sky Marshalls, stricter security measures and policy changes. On November 19, 2001, the Aviation and Transportation Security Act was signed into law by the 107th Congress, enacting the Transportation Security Administration, also known as TSA. (Gun). The TSA has assumed responsibility for hiring, training, and developing security officers responsible for airport security. In March 2003, TSA was transferred from the Department of Transportation to the Department of Homeland Security, also known as DHS (Pistole). This transfer was due to the realization that the TSA's mission had the same ideas as that of the DHS. The Department of Homeland Security is a general term, used to refer to all domestic and international activities aimed at protecting people and property in the United States from terrorism (Curtis). Many travelers and passengers wonder what responsibilities are assumed by the TSA and what TSA members actually do. . R...... middle of paper ......forcement-federal-air-marshal-service-careershttp://www.tsa.gov/careers/law-enforcement-federal-air-marshal-service- careersFrequently asked questions. (February 24, 2014). Transportation Security Administration. Accessed April 21, 2014, from http://www.tsa.gov/tsa-precheck/faqsOur Mission. (April 23, 2010). Assignment. Retrieved April 22, 2014 from http://www.faa.gov/about/mission/Pistole, J. (February 20, 2014). 9/11 and TSA. Transportation Security Administration. Accessed April 15, 2014, from http://www.tsa.gov/about-tsa/911-and-tsaSeaney, R. (September 7, 2011). 9 ways security has changed since 9/11. PriceCompare. Retrieved April 10, 2014 from http://www.farecompare.com/ask-rick/9-ways-security-has-changed-since-911/What is TSA?. (January 14, 2014). Transportation Security Administration. Retrieved April 16, 2014 from http://www.tsa.gov/about-tsa/what-tsa