[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 157 (Wednesday, November 14, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H8167-H8168]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             AIRLINE SAFETY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Brown) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, Monday's plane crash was another 
devastating blow to the residents of New York and the citizens of this 
great Nation. Although we do not know the cause yet, I have been 
hearing it called a routine plane crash. God help us all if we ever 
accept a plane crash as routine.
  I was in New York Monday and had to take the train back to D.C. I was 
talking to the train conductor who said that the U.S. lawmakers have 
failed the American people. This is what our citizens think of this 
Congress. How many planes must go down before we truly deal with the 
safety issue? Not just who screened the baggage, but the safety of the 
entire transportation infrastructure, including ports, rails, bridges, 
tunnels, and maybe after yesterday, more safety inspectors for 
airplanes. Does this Congress have to wait until another disaster 
strikes again to act to protect our transportation infrastructure?
  Mr. Speaker, we do not want the American people to feel that we have 
failed them. I do not hold much hope, but I ask the conferees to 
support the Senate version of the airline security bill so we can move 
on to other areas of homeland security.
  There is something that the American public needs to know. At this 
very moment, American flight schools are training pilots from countries 
sponsoring terrorism. All those terrorists need to do is pay in cash, 
and those schools will teach them anything they need to know. 
Preventing those with ill intent from acquiring flight skills, which 
they can use in a hijacking, is just as important if not more important 
as other issues being addressed in this legislation.
  It saddens me to know that the terrorists accused of these hideous 
acts on September 11 received their flight training at Florida flight 
schools. Obviously, current law regulating who may receive training and 
what kind of training they receive is insufficient. The other body 
passed a version that addressed this matter by requiring

[[Page H8168]]

 aliens and other individuals, as determined by the Department of 
Transportation, to acquire a certificate indicating completion of a 
background investigation by the Attorney General prior to beginning 
flight training.

                              {time}  1515

  Under this section, a background check consists of a criminal, 
immigration status and security check. Flight training includes in-
flight training, training in a simulator and any other form or aspect 
of training as defined by the Secretary of Transportation.
  I encourage the conferees to support the language of the other body. 
We have waited weeks for this legislation to reach the floor and we 
should not leave for Thanksgiving vacation until the American people 
feel safe to fly in their own country.

                          ____________________