[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 126 (Tuesday, September 25, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9810-S9811]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. SNOWE.
  S. 1462. A bill to establish the Federal Emergency Transportation 
Administration; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation.
  Ms. SNOWE. Madam President, I rise today to introduce legislation, 
the National Emergency Transportation Coordination Act of 2001, to 
address a serious concern I have in the wake of last week's tragic 
events.
  Last week, I met with local transportation officials in my home State 
of Maine to review the enhanced security measures implemented since the 
September 11 attacks. During my meetings, these officials expressed 
serious concerns about security coordination among different modes of 
transportation. Apparently, drastically differing standards of safety 
and security were used by Federal officials in different cities during 
the attacks.
  For obvious reasons, this lack of coordination could be of 
significant concern in the future. The fact of the matter is, we did 
not know last Tuesday's attacks were coming. We certainly didn't know 
where, or in what form. In the future, my hope is that our intelligence 
will be enhanced so that we may thwart terrorist attacks before they 
occur. Nonetheless, I believe it is critical that we be prepared for 
any contingency. To this end, the legislation I am introducing today 
gives the U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. DOT, the authority 
and tools necessary to safeguard our national transportation 
infrastructure in the event of a national emergency.
  Specifically, my legislation will enhance coordination within the 
U.S. DOT and with other federal agencies to safeguard our 
transportation infrastructure in the event of an emergency. It will 
centralize within U.S. DOT the authority to: 1. coordinate national 
transportation and transportation-related activities of all federal 
agencies during a national emergency; 2. disseminate critical 
transportation-related information during an emergency; and 3. develop 
and notify appropriate federal, state and local authorities of uniform 
emergency transportation security standards to be followed during an 
emergency and to ensure those standards are followed.
  It will establish within the U.S. DOT a Federal Emergency 
Transportation Administration, FETA. FETA would be responsible for 
coordinating domestic transportation during a national emergency, 
including aviation, maritime and port security, and surface 
transportation, including rail. FETA would coordinate transportation-
related responsibilities of other agencies during an emergency as well. 
FETA could serve as a point of contact within U.S. DOT for the Office 
of Homeland Security laid out by the President last Thursday.
  In addition, FETA would be responsible for establishing uniform 
national transportation ``emergency'' standards, and notifying 
appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies and governments about 
transportation-related security threats in the event of an emergency. 
It would also develop appropriate standard operating procedures for 
agencies and municipalities to follow during an emergency and 
disseminate critical transportation-related information during.
  As a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation, I know that steps are already being taken to safeguard 
our airports and our skies. However, there is no guarantee that, should 
there be another terrorist attack on our soil in the future, that 
aviation will be the only mode of transportation targeted. We must not 
take that chance. We must take steps to ensure that all our modes of 
transportation are coordinated in the event of such an attack. I 
strongly urge my colleagues to join me in a strong show of support for 
this legislation.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire:
  S. 1463. A bill to provide for the safety of American aviation and 
the suppression of terrorism; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation.
  Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent 
that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1463

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Airline Safety Act of 
     2001''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) On September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked four 
     civilian aircraft, crashing two of the aircraft into the 
     towers of the World Trade Center in New York, New York, and a 
     third into the Pentagon outside Washington, District of 
     Columbia.
       (2) Thousands of innocent Americans and citizens of other 
     countries were killed or injured as a result of these 
     attacks, including the passengers and crew of the four 
     aircraft, workers in the World Trade Center and in the 
     Pentagon, rescue workers, and bystanders.
       (3) These attacks destroyed both towers of the World Trade 
     Center, as well as adjacent buildings, and seriously damaged 
     the Pentagon.
       (4) These attacks were by far the deadliest terrorist 
     attacks ever launched against the United States and, by 
     targeting symbols of America, clearly were intended to 
     intimidate our Nation and weaken its resolve.
       (5) Armed pilots, co-pilots, and navigators with proper 
     training will serve as a deterrent to future contemplated 
     acts of terrorism.
       (6) Secured doors separating the crew cabin from the 
     passenger cabin have been effective in deterring hijackings 
     in other nations and will serve as a deterrent to future 
     contemplated acts of terrorism in the United States.

     SEC. 3. AVIATION SAFETY AND SUPPRESSION OF TERRORISM BY 
                   COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT.

       (a) Possession of Firearms on Commercial Flights.--No 
     department or agency may prohibit a pilot, co-pilot, or 
     navigator of a commercial aircraft, or any law enforcement 
     personnel specifically detailed for the protection of a 
     commercial aircraft, who is not otherwise prohibited by law 
     from possessing a firearm, from possessing or carrying a 
     firearm for the protection of the aircraft.
       (b) Reinforced Cockpit Doors on Commercial Aircraft.--
       (1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, a commercial aircraft described in paragraph (2) that is 
     operated in the United States shall possess a door or doors 
     separating the crew cabin of such aircraft from the passenger 
     cabin of such aircraft, which door or doors shall be 
     certified by the Secretary as being secure against forcible 
     entry from the passenger cabin into the crew cabin of such 
     aircraft.
       (2) Covered commercial aircraft.--A commercial aircraft 
     described in this paragraph is any commercial aircraft that, 
     as determined by the Secretary, is configured so as to permit 
     a door to separate the crew cabin and passenger cabin of such 
     aircraft.
       (c) Regulations.--The Secretary may prescribe regulations 
     for purposes of this section.

[[Page S9811]]

       (d) Reports to Congress.--Not later than six months after 
     the date of the enactment of this Act, and every six months 
     thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report 
     on the effectiveness of the requirements in this section in 
     facilitating commercial aviation safety and the suppression 
     of terrorism by commercial aircraft.
       (e) Effective Date.--This section shall take effect on the 
     date of the enactment of this Act.
                                 ______