Pocket knives are carried daily by businessmen, outdoors women, firefighters, soccer moms, emergency medical technicians, and even by members or Congress and Presidents. Pocket knives and multi-tools are indispensable tools for a variety of purposes, from basic daily tasks like opening envelopes to performing emergency tracheotomies. Parents who want to do something as simple as cut up an apple for a child during a long flight are left without a tool for this task.

Unfortunately, commercial air travelers cannot carry their knives with them on trips as current TSA regulations require knives to be packed in checked baggage or left home. With airlines often charging for even one checked bag, having to check a bag to carry a knife to a final destination is cost prohibitive.

TSA has confiscated millions of pocket knives and multi-tools from travelers who mistakenly carried through airport security lines, costing travelers tens of millions of dollars in losses. Some knives confiscated include family heirlooms - knives given by grandfathers to grandsons.

Lifting the restrictions on carry-on pocket knives and multi-tools of reasonable sizes would lighten the TSA baggage screening load, reducing wait times in airport security lines, while allowing passengers to keep a simple, safe tool on hand.

TSA currently allows scissors up to 4 inches in length, knitting needles and screwdrivers to be carried aboard planes. The proposed rule change would allow knives smaller than 2.36 inches would pose no more risk than other currently allowed items. Restoring the right to carry small folding pocket knives on commercial flights restores trust in the decency, civility, and carefulness of passengers.