JEFFERSON CITY | Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri introduced a measure Tuesday that would require the federal Transportation Security Administration to use private security screeners if local airport officials don’t want government employees staffing the metal detectors and patting down people.

His U.S. Senate proposal comes after the federal agency said recently it would not allow private screeners at any additional airports unless there was a clear advantage to doing so.

Since the TSA was created after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, federal law has allowed airports the option of using private screeners, who are hired and overseen by the TSA. Private contractors are used at just 16 of the nation’s roughly 460 commercial airports, including in Kansas City, San Francisco and seven sites in Montana.

The Springfield-Branson National Airport in southwest Missouri sought in December to replace federal screeners with private contractors. But the airport’s request was rejected last week. That decision drew the ire of Blunt, a Republican from Springfield.