Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio is demanding answers over the safety of scheduled Cuba flights after no agreement was reached to deploy federal air marshals.
Rubio also accused officials of dishonesty in a curt letter addressed to President Barack Obama.
"You and your administration’s lack of concern for the American people’s safety — as evidenced by allowing commercial non-charter flights between the US and Cuba to commence without the presence of federal air marshals and lying about it to Congress," the letter said.
"It is further proof that you are putting your legacy ahead of the safety and security of the American people, including the people of Florida."
Air marshals were previously deployed on all charter flights but an agreement to extend this to new scheduled services has not yet been signed off by Cuba.
In August, a Transportation Security Administration statement said Cuba had signed an aviation security agreement, but last week TSA Deputy Administrator Huban Gowadia admitted Cuba hadn’t yet signed to allow air marshal aboard flights.
Rubio has raised questions over the discrepancy of facts and filed a bill to suspend all flights until an agreement with Cuba is signed.
He also sought answers from TSA about what it is doing "to mitigate security risks associated with the lack of federal air marshals.’
