[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 45 (Tuesday, April 11, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2520-S2521]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           AVIATION SECURITY

  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I am an original cosponsor of Senator 
Hutchison's bill to improve aviation security. Our colleague from Texas 
brings unique expertise to this issue as a former member of the 
National Transportation Safety Board. I want to thank her for her 
diligence in this area over the past several years as a member of the 
Commerce Committee Aviation Subcommittee.
  Among other things, Senator Hutchison's bill would make pre-
employment criminal background checks mandatory for all baggage 
screeners at airports, not just those who have significant gaps in 
their employment histories. It would require screeners to undergo 
extensive training requirements, since U.S. training standards fall far 
short of European standards. The legislation would also seek tighter 
enforcement against unauthorized access to airport secure areas.

[[Page S2521]]

  I cannot overemphasize the importance of adequate training and 
competency checks for the folks who check airline baggage for weapons 
and bombs. The turnover rate among this workforce is as high as 400 
percent at one of the busiest airports in the country. The work is 
hard, and the pay is low. Obviously, this legislation does not 
establish minimum pay for security screeners. By asking their employers 
to invest more substantially in training, however, we hope that they 
will also work to ensure a more stable and competent workforce.
  Several aviation security experts appeared before the Aviation 
Subcommittee at a hearing last week. They raised additional areas of 
concern that I expect to address as this bill proceeds through the 
legislative process. For instance, government and industry officials 
alike agree that the list of ``disqualifying'' crimes that are 
uncovered in background checks needs to be expanded. Most of us find it 
surprising that an individual convicted of assault with a deadly 
weapon, burglary, larceny, or possession of drugs would not be 
disqualified from employment as an airport baggage screener.
  Fortunately, this bill is not drafted in response to loss of life 
resulting from a terrorist incident. Even so, it is clear that even our 
most elementary security safeguards may be inadequate, as evidenced by 
the loaded gun that a passenger recently discovered in an airplane 
lavatory during flight.
  I look forward to working with Senator Hutchison, as well as experts 
in both government and industry circles, to make sure that any 
legislative proposal targets resources in the most effective manner. By 
and large, security at U.S. airports is good, and airport and airline 
efforts clearly have a deterrent effect. What is also clear, however, 
is that we cannot relax our efforts as airline travel grows, and 
weapons technologies become more sophisticated.

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