The House has passed a bill to donate the loose change collected at Transportation Security Administration check-points to the United Service Organizations, the private non-profit group that supports American troops.
The TSA Loose Change Act would give coins left at TSA gates to "nonprofit organizations that provide places of rest and recuperation at airports for members of the Armed Forces and their families." Currently, the USO is the only organization providing the types of services indicated in the bill's language.
Because no members requested that the votes be tallied, the bill passed unanimously without a roll call vote.
The legislation was sponsored by Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla.
According to the House Homeland Security Committee, the TSA collected over $531,000 at airport security checkpoints in 2012, $44,000 more than they collected in 2011. In the past that money has been added to the TSA's budget.
The bill now goes to the Senate, which is continuing its Thanksgiving recess this week.