The TSA memo proposes to minimize the number of passengers who must be patted down at checkpoints. It also recommends that certain categories of passengers be exempt from airport security screening, such as members of Congress, airline pilots, Cabinet members, state governors, federal judges, high-ranking military officers and people with top-secret security clearances.
This is probably just a random suggestion. Politically it would not be good for Congressmen and Judges to automatically be exempt. They serve the people; but are not above the people. And simply being an elected or appointed official does not mean somebody has been vetted. Thoes with TS Clearances? Pah-leaze. Every tech contracter within a hundred miles of DC has one. Terrorists? No. But AFAIK there is no centralized database in place for adaquate tracking. Other agencies in the governmnet have a hard time accpeting and verifying clearances from each other. TSA allowing bypass on that basis can't and should not happen.
If it's only an exemption from SSSS -- well, SSSS shouldn't be allowed to happen in the first place.