[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 47 (Thursday, April 13, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2759-S2760]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. HUTCHISON (for herself, Mr. McCain, Mr. Gorton, Mr. 
        Inouye, Mr. Rockefeller, and Mr. Bryan):
  S. 2440. A bill to amend title 49, United States Code, to improve 
airport security; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation.


                airport security improvement act of 2000

  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Aviation 
Security Improvement Act of 2000. I would like to recognize the efforts 
of Commerce Committee Chairman McCain and Aviation Subcommittee 
Chairman Gorton who have agreed to cosponsor this legislation. I am 
also joined by Senators Inouye, Rockefeller, and Bryan in this effort 
to improve the security of the flying public.
  Approximately 500 million passengers will pass through U.S. airports 
this year. Protecting their safety in an incredible challenge to the 
men and women of the aviation industry. The Federal Government, through 
the Federal Aviation Administration and Industry together, must do 
everything within our power to protect the public from the menace of 
terrorism and other security threats.
  In 1996, soon after the tragedy of TWA flight 800, I proposed new 
requirements to improve security at the nation's airports. Congress 
adopted these requirements as part of the Federal Aviation 
Reauthorization Act of 1996. This legislation tried to improve the 
hiring process and enhance the professionalism of airport security 
screeners. The act also directed the FAA to upgrade security technology 
with regard to baggage screening and explosive detection.
  In my view, the FAA has been slow to implement these vital security 
improvements. The FAA does not plan to finalize the regulation to 
improve training requirements for screeners and certification for 
screening companies until May 2001. Five years is too long to wait. 
Technology upgrades have also been slow in coming, even though the 
upgraded technology is readily available. The traveling public should 
not have to wait yet another year before these improvements are 
implemented.
  The FAA must modernize its procedure for background checks of 
prospective security-related employees. An FAA background check 
currently takes 90 days. That is too long. Under current procedures, 
the FAA is required to perform these checks only when an applicant has 
a gap in employment history of 12 months or longer, or if preliminary 
investigation reveals discrepancies in an applicant's resume. But 43% 
of violent felons serve an average of only seven months. This gap 
should be closed.
  My legislation, the Airport Security Improvement Act, would direct 
FAA to require criminal background checks for all applicants for 
positions with security responsibilities, including security screeners. 
The bill will also require that these checks be performed 
expeditiously.
  My legislation also directs FAA to improve training requirements for 
security screeners by September 30 of

[[Page S2760]]

this year. FAA should require a minimum of 40 hours of classroom 
instruction and 40 hours of practical on-the-job training before an 
individual is deemed qualified to provide security screening services. 
This standard would be a substantial increase over the 8 hours of 
classroom training currently required for most screening positions in 
the U.S. The 40 hour requirement is the prevailing standard in most of 
the industrialized world.
  Finally, my bill would require FAA to work with air carriers and 
airport operators to strengthen procedures to eliminate unauthorized 
access to aircraft. Employees who fail to follow access procedures 
should be suspended or terminated. I understand that FAA is currently 
working on improving access standards. I hope this bill will encourage 
them to do so in a timely fashion.
  We are privileged to have with us today a distinguished panel of 
witnesses who are well-versed in the area of airport security. I want 
to welcome them to the hearing and I am looking forward to their 
testimony.
  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, the Airport Security Improvement Act of 2000 
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.
  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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