[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 159 (Friday, November 16, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H8252]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            AIRPORT SECURITY

  (Mr. PENCE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, today this Chamber will take up the difficult 
question of airport security. As a conservative, you can imagine I was 
loath to support any wanton expansion of the Federal Government. 
Accordingly, I opposed the version of airport security that emerged 
from the other Chamber, believing it to be simply a large bureaucratic 
explosion of government.
  I am proud to have passed and supported the House version of the 
bill, and I am proud today to rise in support of the compromise on the 
Aviation Security Act. In the compromise bill, like the House bill, 
Americans do not have to wait a year for airport security. There is 
immediate remedy, using public and private blended and flexible 
sources. Five airports will participate in a pilot project studying 
public and private solutions. And there is a third year opt-out. We are 
giving the President the flexible program he has requested.
  Exempting these Federal employees from Civil Service Act requirements 
and creating a system that on the eve of one of our most important and 
most traveled family holidays will send a strong message of confidence 
to the American people. I urge my colleagues to support the conference 
report for the Aviation Security Act.

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