[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 140 (Wednesday, October 17, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H6923]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  CONGRESS ADJOURNS WITHOUT ASSURING AIRLINE SAFETY FOR THE AMERICAN 
                                 PUBLIC

  (Mr. INSLEE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. INSLEE. Mr. Speaker, the American people are justifiably 
disappointed in this House that, over 1 month after the attack of 
September 11, this House has not done a stitch, not a stitch to improve 
airline safety. When we get on our planes to go back to our districts 
tomorrow or tonight, we are going to go there with the knowledge that 
over 90 percent of the bags that go into the belly of our jets are not 
screened for explosive devices. That does not help give confidence to 
the American people.
  We now for a month have been asking the majority leadership to 
schedule a vote on airline safety so we can assure that screeners are 
well-trained and decently paid and know how to do the job, and so that 
we put screening devices to make sure they do not put bombs in our 
luggage that go in the belly of the aircraft. The Republican leadership 
has not scheduled a vote for over a month. It is just wrong.
  I must say that I am disappointed that we are adjourning today for 
the safety of Congress and our employees, and perhaps that is the right 
thing to do, I do not know, but it is not the right thing to do when we 
have not done anything to protect Americans while they are on the 
airlines.

                          ____________________