[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 152 (Tuesday, November 6, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2016]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             SECURE TRANSPORTATION FOR AMERICA ACT OF 2001

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                               speech of

                           HON. BOB ETHERIDGE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, November 1, 2001

  The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union 
had under consideration the bill (H.R. 3150) to improve aviation 
security, and for other purposes:
  Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Democratic 
alternative to federalize our airport security. September 11, 2001 will 
forever be remembered as a day that evil visited our great nation as 
never before. Four hijacked airliners were transformed into missiles, 
slamming into the Pentagon and the World Trade Center. These attacks 
caused enormous and previously unthinkable loss of life.
  The Senate has approved the Aviation Security Act by a unanimous vote 
of 100-0. This bill calls for a federal force of 28,000 passenger and 
baggage screeners and armed security guards at key checkpoints 
throughout airports. The bipartisan Senate plan includes many measures 
the President supports, including more plainclothes sky marshals on 
commercial flights and strengthened cockpit doors. The Aviation 
Security Act, as passed by the Senate, represents precisely the kind of 
action Congress should take to respond to the September 11 attacks.
  Mr. Chairman, the primary responsibility of the federal government is 
to ensure the safety and security of the American people. Our recovery 
from the economic downturn is being hampered by the public's fears 
about aviation security. Improving security at our nation's airports 
will have positive benefits on all aspects of our economy. When people 
see the level of security at their local airport increase, they will no 
longer be aftaid to return to the sky, and our country can get back to 
normal. This Congress must act and act now to ensure the safety of the 
flying public and get our economy growing again. We must show these 
evil-doers that their efforts to terrorize us will not succeed.
  I will vote in favor of H.R. 3150, the Secure Transportation for 
America Act, because I believe that we must get this process moving, 
but the Senate-passed Aviation Security Act is the far superior bill. 
We must put politics aside and put the interests of the American people 
first. I am hopeful the House and Senate will come together in a 
bipartisan way to pass sound airplane security legislation and send it 
to the President to be signed into law as soon as possible.

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