[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 158 (Thursday, November 15, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H8186]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   GLARING INADEQUACIES IN AIRPORT SECURITY DEMAND FEDERALIZATION OF 
                           AIRPORT SCREENERS

  (Ms. WATERS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay) and too 
many Republicans are holding the airline security bill hostage. They 
refuse to federalize airport screeners.
  September 11 revealed the glaring inadequacies in airline security. 
Since September 11, a passenger entered the cockpit of an airplane and 
attempted to attack the pilot. In another well-publicized incident, a 
passenger was allowed to get past screeners with seven knives, a can of 
Mace and a stun gun. Just a few days ago, at Boston Logan International 
Airport, an Argenbright security guard left her checkpoint unattended 
for several minutes, allowing people to walk through unchecked.
  The American public does not feel safe, and we should be ashamed of 
the fact that we cannot get an airline security bill passed in this 
House. Enough is enough. We should not go home until we get it done 
this weekend.
  Mr. Speaker, I challenge all of the Members of the House, but 
particularly those who are holding up this issue based on whether or 
not they will agree to federalize those screeners, to stop the 
politicking, to stop playing with people's lives. Let us get on with 
airline security.

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