[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 144 (Thursday, October 25, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H7310]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               SECURITY IS WHAT IS IMPORTANT AT AIRPORTS

  (Mr. FOLEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, as cochairman of the Congressional Travel and 
Tourism Caucus, I urge this House to immediately pursue the airline 
security measures that we see before us.
  We can do a lot of promotion. We can spend a lot of money. We can 
urge people to travel. But if we do not make our airlines safe, they 
will not fly.
  I just left a meeting with the theme team, with Secretary Norman 
Mineta, former chairman of the Democratic Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure, he was then in the minority, who seems to share the 
same goals that I have, that we have security at the airports, not 
necessarily labeling them as Federal employees.
  In Palm Beach County, our airport, currently we could use the 
sheriff's department. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Department could 
be hired with Federal resources in order to secure those going on 
planes.
  The other side of the aisle seems to insist that if they are not 
Federal, Civil Service employees, then we will not proceed with this 
bill. I think it is more important to have security in the cabin of the 
airplane and making certain it is accomplished with Federal guidelines 
than simply calling them Federal employees.
  We have to do this and we must do it now in order to encourage our 
citizens to travel safely once again in the skies.

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