[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 159 (Friday, November 16, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H8300-H8315]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONFERENCE REPORT ON S. 1447, AVIATION AND TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ACT

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that it be 
in order at any time to consider a conference report to accompany the 
Senate bill (S. 1447) to improve aviation security, and for other 
purposes; that the conference report be considered as read; and that 
all points of order against the conference report and against its 
consideration be waived.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Alaska?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the order of the House, 
I call up the conference report on the Senate bill (S. 1447) to improve 
aviation security, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the Senate bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the order of the House of today, 
the conference report is considered as having been read.
  (For conference report and statement, see prior proceedings of the 
House of today.)
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) and 
the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) each will control 30 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young).

                              {time}  1245

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I am proud to bring this conference report to the full House floor 
today

[[Page H8301]]

after very serious negotiations, and I would only suggest one thing 
that the people on this floor would just be quiet for a moment because 
they talked a lot during the debate on this bill. If they would sit 
down and listen, we might get a bill real quick. If they do not, we 
might take the full hour to discuss this bill. So I suggest that my 
colleagues sit down and be quiet.
  Mr. Speaker, this is probably the best, that I know, the best 
security bill ever to be voted on on this House floor. The Senate, the 
other body, the conferees took about 98 percent of the legislation that 
we voted on in the House, which shows that our bill was far superior to 
that bill.
  We did not achieve all things as all conferences are for. We did, in 
fact, have to compromise on issues very dear to some people's hearts, 
but the main thing is we have a security czar in reality that has the 
ability to set down rules and regulations without taking the required 
amount of time and also will give us the best security so people flying 
on American airlines will know that that plane is going to arrive 
safely at their destination without the opportunity of any future 
terrorism.
  We have screeners. We will have Federal management, Federal 
contracting. We will have baggage screening. We will have people on the 
ground all through our airports to make sure that we will not have the 
act of 9-11 again. It is my strong belief, with the adoption of the 
House provisions, that this will occur and will occur very rapidly.
  We will be able to, I believe, to make sure that the planes are safe 
that fly because the people on the Tarmac, the people that service the 
airplanes, the people that provide all services, including food service 
of the airplane, will all have to have background checks. They will 
have to be screened; they will have to be certified as trained; and 
they will have to be able to do the job as they are picked out to do 
so.
  Every screener at the station will have to speak English. Every 
screener at the station will have to be American citizens. We believe 
this is the way it should be because this is a security problem and 
this Congress is addressing it today.
  I am pleased to say that the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), 
my good friend, has worked well with me on this legislation in the 
conference, offered suggestions. We did have some difficulty on the 
Senate side, but that is the way it usually is; but we prevailed, as I 
mentioned, 98 percent of the way.
  I am proud to be the chairman of this committee on the committee work 
and as is done by this committee. This is a historic moment because, 
again, as I must repeat, it is the best security bill this Nation has 
ever had for the flying public, and I want the public to know that now 
and from now on and forever more that when we get on that plane, the 
opportunity of someone doing a dastardly deed as was done on 9-11 will 
not occur again. I believe they will gain the faith to be back on our 
airplanes, and I want them traveling as they did prior to 9-11, and I 
think this will allow them to do that.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 4\1/2\ minutes.
  Today, we conclude consideration of the most important aviation 
security bill in 30 years. Since the beginning of aviation security in 
1970, when President Richard Nixon signed an executive order 
establishing the Federal Air Marshal Service in response to repeated 
acts of skyjacking that were occurring at a rate of an average of one 
every 2 weeks, he signed that executive order on September 11, 1970. 
Thirty-one years later, an ominous date for us all.
  With the establishment of the air marshals and 2 years later with the 
establishment at airport checkpoints of X-ray machines for carry-on 
luggage and metal detectors for passengers, we did not in the domestic 
United States experience a skyjacking until this past September but 
once in 1991, and a minor incident it was.
  Since then, aviation security has evolved through several iterations. 
The first was persons skyjacking aircraft. The next was placing bombs 
aboard aircraft, blowing up Pan Am 103, blowing up TWA on the runway at 
Cairo, blowing up UTU, a French airliner, over Chad in central Africa. 
Each time we responded with new initiatives, based on the last 
terrorist action.
  The commission established by this House, Pan Am 103 commission, 
President's Commission on Aviation Security and Terrorism, on which I 
proudly served with our colleague John Paul Hammersmith from this body, 
we made numerous recommendations to vastly improve aviation security. 
We said in the aftermath of 103 that aviation security now will be 
changed forever; but we also recognized that there was a matter of 
political will, that is, will of the public to support more intrusion 
into their lives, delay as they board aircraft, and that we needed to 
sustain a high level of vigilance in the body politic of America and a 
high level of vigilance on the part of leaders of this government.
  With time, just as the commission suspected, that level of vigilance 
eroded.
  September 11 has now cast its shadow long over aviation in America, 
aviation in the Western world; and we are gathered here today to raise 
the bar of security higher than ever before, hopefully to look beyond 
the last tragedy, to anticipate what might next happen; and in this 
legislation, I believe we achieve that objective.
  I want to express my great appreciation to the gentleman from Alaska 
(Mr. Young), the chairman of the committee, who has done an admirable 
job of leading us through this thicket of conflicting views, stood for 
principles, and we have worked successfully together; express my great 
appreciation to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski) and the 
gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio), who have worked together with me 
in a threesome that have contributed extraordinarily great ideas to 
improving security; to all the Members on the Democratic side of the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure who have contributed 
their good thoughts and ideas to shaping the bill and who shaped the 
bill that we offered as a motion to recommit, most of which is 
reflected in the bill that is before us, the conference report that is 
before us today.
  We bring to this body a bill that will substantially enhance security 
and restore airline finances more than the financial package that was 
passed a few days ago.
  Again, I express my great gratitude and appreciation to the gentleman 
from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski), who has been a leader in the field of 
aviation and now in aviation security; to the gentleman from Oregon 
(Mr. DeFazio), who for 15 years has advocated many of the provisions 
that are included in this conference report; to the gentleman from 
Alaska (Mr. Young), the chairman; to our colleagues in the other body. 
This is truly a bipartisan product.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3\1/2\ 
minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica), the subcommittee 
chairman.
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, first, I want to take a minute to thank the 
staff on both sides of the aisle. Not only did they work through the 
night last night but they have worked nonstop since September 11 to try 
to bring some stability to our Nation's aviation system and 
transportation system. I am very grateful for their leadership.
  I thank the chairman of the committee whose patience has been 
unending; his devotion to trying to get the best possible legislation, 
that being his only consideration. So I thank him, the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Lipinski) also for their valiant efforts in bringing forward this 
conference report.
  This may not be the perfect bill, but I am telling my colleagues that 
it is the most significant transportation and aviation security measure 
to pass the Congress in its history. It not only covers airlines, it 
covers ports, it covers our highway transportation, our infrastructure, 
our ports, our pipelines, again the whole gamut of transportation and 
aviation systems for our country.
  The first and most significant thing that we have done with this 
legislation is take away, and everyone's focused on aviation security 
since the tragic events of September 11, but we take away 
responsibility for aviation security from the airlines; and we make 
that a Federal responsibility. From the

[[Page H8302]]

beginning, we all agreed with that. Most importantly and somehow lost 
in some of the debate is that we needed to have somebody in charge with 
the responsibility to carry out the transportation and aviation 
security requirements; and we have not been able to do that. We were 
not able in 1996, we were not able in the year 2000, and without the 
provisions of the House legislation that are incorporated here, we 
would not have that ability. And we vest that in a new transportation 
Deputy Under Secretary who has unprecedented ability to get in place 
the regulations relating to transportation and aviation security, to 
cut through the red tape, and again, in unprecedented fashion.
  The Senate bill was a disjointed bill that was well intended. It was 
passed in a hurry. This has clear lines of authority.
  For 6 years we have been unable to get rules for certification of 
baggage screeners. We have not been able to deploy the latest 
technology. This bill will put in our airports the latest technology 
that can detect weapons, that can detect explosives; and most 
importantly, this legislation has a sound means of transition in going 
from the current system to a new system and then opening this up with a 
comparison of both private sector operations with Federal supervision 
and Federal Government operations.
  Finally, although we do have the title of Federal employees, these 
are people that can be fired or dismissed and cannot hide under civil 
service protection and the intransigence that we now see in our Federal 
workforce.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski), ranking member of the 
Subcommittee on Aviation.
  (Mr. LIPINSKI asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding me 
the time. Hopefully, I will only need 2 minutes, though, and not 5 
minutes.
  First of all, I want to thank the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young); 
the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), the ranking member; the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica); and the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. 
DeFazio); the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Duncan); the gentleman from 
Wisconsin (Mr. Petri); and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers) for 
all their extraordinary hard work in drafting this outstanding 
conference report; and I do not just say that to say it.
  These Members put in many days, weeks and hours on this legislation 
in this conference report. They came to the conference committee from 
many different points of view. Some of the differences were small, some 
of them were large, and some of them were very large.

                              {time}  1300

  But through cooperation, compromise, and flexibility, an excellent 
conference report was forged.
  I would also like to thank Senator Hollings, the chairman of the 
conference, for his steady, sure, strong leadership. Without his 
leadership, we might still be working on this conference report. 
Because of these Members and the many others working on this 
conference, the American flying public and American aviation will be 
safer and more secure than it ever has been; and the added safety and 
security will get Americans back in the air and the American economy 
back on its feet.
  In closing, I would also like to thank all staff members for their 
many, many, many hours of hard work, without which we would not be 
voting on this conference report today.
  This conference report is a landmark piece of legislation that I am 
honored to have played a very small part in.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner), a member of the conference.
  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this 
conference report because it contains important provisions protecting 
aircraft manufacturers, airport owners and operators, and persons with 
property interest in the World Trade Center from unlimited damages 
resulting from lawsuits inspired by the terrorist attacks of September 
11.
  Today's agreement adds significant protections to those entities not 
protected in the airline bailout bill. However, the protections do 
nothing to address the unlimited liability exposure faced by the State 
of New York and other entities or industries that are self-insured or 
not specifically listed in the bill. In contrast, my proposal as 
contained in the House-passed bill would have protected all potential 
defendants from lawsuits based on the September 11 terrorist attacks.
  After we pass this legislation, other potential defendants such as 
jet fuel providers, architects, steel manufacturers or self-insured 
entities such as the State of New York and, thus, its taxpayers will 
still be exposed to billions of dollars in damages under New York's 
rules on joint and several liability. The only constraint on their 
being named in a lawsuit would be a sense of restraint or 
reasonableness on the part of trial lawyers, and I do not think we can 
count on that.
  I have fought, and will continue fighting, for those who remain left 
out of the provisions limiting potentially infinite liability. I remain 
committed to helping everyone, deep pockets to small pockets, who 
becomes embroiled in litigation inspired by foreign enemies. We must 
not stop in our effort to do the right thing by treating everybody 
equally. We must not stop in our efforts to prevent trial lawyers from 
taking advantage of this great tragedy and, thus, becoming war 
profiteers.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio).
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished ranking member 
for yielding me time. I thank him for his work over the decades on this 
issue and his tutelage in bringing me along on this issue and this 
conference.
  I want to thank the gentleman from Illinois, the ranking member of 
the subcommittee, again for his extraordinary efforts on this bill, and 
also for helping to include my concerns and my efforts. I thank the 
chairmen of the full committee and the subcommittee. I think we have 
here an extraordinary product that will serve the American people well 
for decades to come.
  No longer are we going to try and buy security on the cheap, driven 
by the airlines who were fatally conflicted between keeping down costs, 
not overly concerning or inconveniencing passengers or their baggage, 
and then, as sort of an afterthought, trying to provide good security. 
Security in this bill comes first, and it will forever more come first 
without being driven by cost concerns.
  It will be cost-effective. It is fiscally responsible. It will be 
paid for in good part by a shared burden between the airlines and the 
flying public. But it will not be security on the cheap. It will be the 
best technology, it will be better-trained and -paid people who will be 
alert at the screening checkpoints. It will envelop the entire airport 
in a new security envelope.
  There are so many ways in which our airports are vulnerable today. We 
have been focused on the screening of passengers and baggage, and we 
are moving ahead dramatically and quickly with that. But there are a 
host of other ways that our airports are vulnerable, and this bill 
addresses them. It goes beyond that to address and put in place a 
framework for other transportation security measures; our ports, our 
railroads, our highways, bridges, water systems, all of those things we 
have seen and learned are extraordinarily vulnerable, and this will 
give us the means to deal with that.
  So I just want to thank all those who were involved in what I believe 
was an extraordinary effort, and I particularly want to thank the 
staff, my own personal staff and the committee staff, who did work 
many, many hours, including through a catastrophic computer crash early 
this morning, and still got the bill to the floor today.
  We are going to get the bill in place, and I am confident the 
President will sign it before the busiest travel weekend of the year so 
we can begin to implement measures to make flying safer for the 
American public.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
from Tennessee (Mr. Duncan), another member of the conference.
  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this conference report. 
First, I want to commend my chairman, the gentleman from Alaska (Mr.

[[Page H8303]]

Young). This has been the first really difficult, major test of his new 
leadership of our committee and he passed with flying colors.
  I want to commend my predecessor as chairman of the Subcommittee on 
Aviation, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica), who has done a really 
outstanding job in leading this legislation through the process. I also 
want to compliment the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) and the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski), my good friends, the ranking 
members, two of the finest men I know, and also say thank you to the 
staff, as others have done.
  Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, more people are killed in 4\1/2\ months 
on our Nation's highways than have been killed in all U.S. aviation 
accidents combined since the Wright brothers flew in 1903. U.S. 
aviation is incredibly safe, and the general public needs to know that 
and hear it again and again and again. But it has become even safer 
since the tragic events of September 11 because of the things we are 
doing, and as has been pointed out by the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. 
Young), this bill today will do more for aviation security than any 
bill in the history of this Nation.
  It has all of the things that people have suggested and wanted: 100 
percent screening of bags, strengthening of cockpit doors, air marshals 
on our larger flights, increased training for screeners and flight 
crews, more extensive background checks for everyone who has access to 
planes and the tarmac areas; cameras in the cabins so that pilots will 
know what is going on in case of anything strange happening; liability 
provisions for people to protect people who help out in cases of air 
piracy.
  It makes these screeners Federal employees, but it does not give them 
the civil service protection that does nothing for good, dedicated 
employees, but serves to protect the worst of employees, because we 
want our best employees in these screening positions.
  This bill is a good bill. It is one that will reassure the general 
flying public. I am proud to be a small part of it. I appreciate the 
chairman allowing me to be a part of the conference, and I urge passage 
of this outstanding legislation.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell), a vigorous advocate for this 
legislation and a great help.
  (Mr. Pascrell asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate all of the Chairs 
and the ranking members for doing a fantastic job in keeping us 
together. If they did not keep us together, we would not be here today. 
I congratulate them all.
  The American people can be assured that the status quo will not be 
tolerated. We are doing more today, Mr. Speaker, for the airline 
industry than we did several weeks ago in the stabilization package, 
because if people do not feel secure, they are not going to get on the 
planes.
  In many ways, to me, this is probably the most significant 
legislation that we have passed in a very, very long time. No longer 
will our aviation system have a screener turnover of 100 or 200 or 400 
percent. In one year we will have a new set of dedicated people 
integrated into the system who want to be working at this critical job. 
We will provide these new employees a respectable salary with a real 
pension and health care. Another critical element of this compromise is 
that we will require that every checked bag be passed through an 
explosive detection unit.
  No one is absolved of responsibility in this conference report. It is 
not just passengers who will pay more. I am pleased that the conference 
report contains language requiring the airlines to continue paying 
their share for security. This is a partnership we must continue.
  Today, the Congress will take a vote that will impact the life of 
every traveler, including ourselves. This vote will be real and 
significant and it will have consequences in our national security. 
With the airline industry struggling for passengers, I know this 
legislation will make a difference.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers), a member of the conference.
  (Mr. EHLERS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I 
congratulate and thank the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) and the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica) for their excellent work on this 
conference report.
  We have spent a good deal of time over the last few weeks discussing 
whether the screeners, baggage screeners, should be Federal or 
contractual employees. Frankly, that is in a sense beside the point, 
because the major gain in the bill is that we have Federal control over 
the process, we have the Federal Government setting the rules, we have 
Federal supervision of the employees and the process, and we will have 
Federal guards at every checkpoint, along with a Federal supervisor. 
All of this ensures uniformity from airport to airport. It will ensure 
better performance on the part of the employees; and I think a unique 
feature of the bill is that we will have an opportunity to compare 
contractual employees to Federal employees and find out which really do 
a better job, if either one does.
  I think another main factor in this bill, and I very much appreciate 
the fact that the Senate accepted the House version of the bill on this 
score, and that is the administrative structure. It is a clear, clean, 
effective administrative structure, much better than that which had 
been in the Senate bill before.
  So we accomplished a great deal by sending this bill to conference 
and improving it, using both the ideas of the Senate and the House. It 
is now a good bill. We can assure the public that we have increased 
their safety while flying. We have increased the probability that we 
will be able to stop terrorists who try to do anything to our 
airplanes.
  I believe it is an excellent bill. I urge my colleagues to vote for 
it and approve the conference report.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record at this point a 
summary of the aviation security conference agreement.

            SUMMARY--Aviation Security Conference Agreement


                              Jurisdiction

       Airport security will be placed under the jurisdiction of a 
     new Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in the 
     Department of Transportation, headed by an Under Secretary of 
     Transportation.
       Under Secretary may issue emergency orders or security 
     directives without notice and comment and without a cost-
     benefit analysis. For non-emergency rulemaking, federal 
     official may waive cost-benefit requirements if such benefits 
     cannot be quantified.


                       Airport Security Screeners

       All passenger and property screening at all airports will 
     be done by employees of the TSA.
       The transition from the current system of contract 
     screeners to a completely federal force will be completed 
     within one year of the enactment of this legislation.
       The TSA will develop a pilot program that will have 
     passenger screening provided by private contractors. The 
     program will involve a total of five airports, one in each 
     security category of airports. The program will begin one-
     year from enactment (after TSA has certified it has 
     federalized the screening function). The five airports must 
     request participation.
       Two years after the TSA certifies that all federal 
     screeners are in place, airports will be given the option to 
     request that the passenger screening at their facilities be 
     done by private screeners working under contract with the 
     federal government. Such companies must be U.S. owned and 
     controlled (to the extent that the TSA determines that there 
     are such companies)


                       Passenger Security Charge

       Federal airport security services will be financed through 
     a passenger fee of $2.50 per enplanement, with a maximum 
     charge of $5.00 per one-way trip.
       For FY 2002-2004, the airlines will be assessed a fee 
     equivalent to the annual amount the airlines spent, in the 
     aggregate, on passenger screening services prior to September 
     11, 2001. Beginning in FY 2005, the Under Secretary will 
     assess the fee on air carriers based on market share and 
     other appropriate measures.
       Airport may use AIP and PFC funds in FY02 to pay for O&M 
     security expenses. A total $1.5 billion over two years (FY02-
     03) is authorized to reimburse airports, vendors of on-
     airfield services and parking lots for direct costs 
     associated with complying with additional security measures. 
     Airports may use AIP and PFC funds to pay debt service on 
     bonds.

[[Page H8304]]

                               Screening

       Passengers and Baggage--All checked baggage shall be 
     screened by explosive detection systems (EDS) no later than 
     December 31, 2002. Until such EDS machines are deployed in 
     sufficient numbers all checked baggage shall be screened by 
     one or a combination of, the following methods: (1) bag-
     match; (2) manual search; (3) K-9 teams (if supplemented by 
     1-3 above); or (4) screening by appropriate technology.
       Secured Area Access--All persons, vehicles, and other 
     equipment shall be screened or inspected before entry into a 
     secured area. Specific requirements shall be established for 
     such screening that will assure the same level of protection 
     as the screening of passengers and property under the Act. 
     Catering companies and others with regular access to secured 
     areas must have a security program in place.
       Computer Assisted Passenger Prescreening System--CAPPS 
     shall be used to screen all passengers (not just those who 
     check in at the ticket counter), and procedures shall be 
     adopted to ensure that CAPPS selectees and their carry-on 
     baggage also receive appropriate screening (previously, CAPPS 
     only resulted in screening of checked baggage).


                           Background Checks

       Employees--All individuals (including current employees) 
     that have access to a secured area shall undergo a background 
     investigation, including a criminal history records check and 
     a review of available law enforcement data bases and records 
     of other governmental and international agencies (if 
     available).
       Flight School Trainees--Requires background checks for 
     aliens (and other persons designated by the Under Secretary) 
     seeking instruction in flying aircraft weighing more than 
     12,500 pounds. Attorney General must conduct the checks 
     within 45 days; if such checks are not completed then 
     individual can begin training. Once training has begun, 
     training shall be terminated if the Attorney General 
     determines that the individual poses a risk. Flight schools 
     to train employees to recognize suspicious activities.


                       other security provisions

       Airfield Security--Strengthens perimeter security by 
     increasing law enforcement presence. Technical support shall 
     be given to small and medium airports to enhance security.
       Cockpit Security--Mandates cockpit doors and locks that 
     cannot be opened by anyone other than the flight crew, with 
     no in-flight access, except for entrance or exit by 
     authorized persons. Provides for the evaluation of similar 
     measures to strengthen cockpit doors for commuter aircraft.
       Arming Pilots--Pilots may carry guns in the cockpit if 
     approved by the air carrier and the TSA, and if pilots have 
     undergone an approved training program.
       Federal Air Marshals--Air Marshals may be deployed on every 
     passenger flight. Air Marshals subject to background checks 
     and must be properly trained.
       Enhanced Terrorism Training--Provides anti-hijack training 
     for flight crews. Airline ticket and curbside agents must 
     receive terrorist awareness training.
       Passenger Manifests--U.S. and foreign airlines on 
     international flights both inbound and outbound (if properly 
     equipped) to provide to Customs by electronic transmission 
     the passenger and crew manifests.
       Parking Ban--An airport may certify to the Department of 
     Transportation after consulting with appropriate law 
     enforcement officials that sufficient security procedures are 
     in place to end parking restrictions. The Department of 
     Transportation has the right to reverse an airport's decision 
     within a specified number of days, varying by airport size.


                               liability

       Liability limitations extended to air carriers, aircraft 
     manufacturers, and airport sponsors or persons having a 
     property interest in the World Trade Center. Liability 
     limitations do not extend to security screening companies. 
     Liability for the City of New York limited to insurance 
     coverage or $350 million.

  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Moran).
  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I do not even need a minute, 
because the fact is, all of the controversial issues have been worked 
out. This is a very good bill.
  I do have some concern over creating a second class of Federal 
employees, a lower class, but I understand the context in which this 
bill had to be worked out. We have done it before Thanksgiving. I 
applaud everyone that was involved in the conference. It is a good 
bill. It is going to inspire confidence on the part of the American 
public that it is now safe to fly.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
from Texas (Mr. Barton) for the purpose of an integral colloquy.
  (Mr. BARTON of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I would like to enter into a 
colloquy with the distinguished chairman of the full committee.
  I want to talk about the ability of our pilots to carry firearms in 
the cockpit. As I understand it, the section of the bill that deals 
with that is entitled ``Flight Deck Security'' and I am going to read 
what I think is the language:

       The pilot of a passenger aircraft operated by an air 
     carrier, an air transportation or intrastate air 
     transportation is authorized to carry a firearm into the 
     cockpit if, number 1, the Under Secretary of Transportation 
     for Transportation Security approves; number 2, the air 
     carrier approves; number 3, the firearm is approved by the 
     Under Secretary; and number 4, the pilot has received proper 
     training for the use of the firearm as determined by the 
     Secretary.

  Is that the language in the pending bill?
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will yield, that 
is the language that is in the bill at this time.

                              {time}  1315

  Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, my concern and the pilots' concern 
is about qualification number two, ``the air carrier approves.'' They 
do not have and I do not have a problem with the air carriers being 
involved in the discussion about the terms of the Under Secretary of 
Transportation's approval and the type of the firearm and the training, 
but they are very concerned that an air carrier would just have the 
ability to just say no and not allow a pilot who was qualified under 
the other three sections to carry a firearm.
  I would ask the gentleman what is his understanding of the ``air 
carrier approves.''
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. BARTON of Texas. I yield to the gentleman from Alaska.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. This is the language negotiated with the Senate 
side. It is not everything I wanted. I had 60,000 pilots sign a 
petition asking for permission to carry a weapon on board with proper 
training. I supported that. I talked about that in conference, but it 
was not a doable thing.
  Right now, though, I have suggested that the pilots, under the 
negotiations, which they have to negotiate with every contract they do 
with the airlines, that that be part of the negotiations. I believe we 
will see a lot of airlines, just as United already is saying that their 
pilots will carry stun guns, that they can argue this with their parent 
companies in their negotiations.
  Again, this is a compromise. It is the best I could do in this 
conference on this issue itself.
  Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I would ask the gentleman, an air 
carrier could just say no under this language?
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Under this language, yes, the air carrier could 
say no.
  Mr. BARTON of Texas. I want the chairman and the ranking member to 
know that I disapprove of that. I will work strongly to change it at 
the appropriate time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. I will be supporting the gentleman when he works 
on that.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah).
  (Mr. FATTAH asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the conference 
committee report, and compliment the ranking member and the chairman 
and the others who worked on this bill.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the 
distinguished gentleman from Washington (Mr. Inslee).
  Mr. INSLEE. Mr. Speaker, it truly is an achievement to obtain 100 
percent screening of the checked baggage that goes into the belly of 
our airplanes to assure that there will be no explosives. I want to 
thank for that achievement the families of the Lockerbie victims who, 
since 1988, have been urging Congress to take this step, and 
specifically, Bob Monetti, who lost his son Rick in the Lockerbie 
bombing; George Williams, who lost his soldier son Geordie, who has 
done just great advocacy in the halls of this House to finally achieve 
this step forward. I hope they take satisfaction from that achievement.
  I also would like to thank the bipartisan group that worked to make 
sure

[[Page H8305]]

that we had 100 percent screening: the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. 
Shays) on the Republican side, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. 
Markey), the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Strickland), the gentlewoman from 
Washington (Ms. Dunn).
  I want to thank the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) and the 
gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio), who have been advocates of this 
for a long, long period of time.
  I want to thank the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young), who I hope 
takes some sense of achievement from this. I think he should. He 
listened to our concerns. I hope we some day have the same bipartisan 
consensus on oil or pipeline legislation that we can take some success 
from, as well.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
from Connecticut (Mr. Shays).
  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to 
me.
  Mr. Speaker, the Senate passed a good bill. The House improved on it 
significantly, and I think this conference report makes the legislation 
even better.
  I am particularly pleased that a time limit for inspection of all 
luggage, referred to by the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Inslee), for 
weapons and explosives that go into the belly of the aircraft, a 
provision added in the House bill, has been further strengthened so all 
luggage will be screened by the end of the year 2002 or sooner.
  Congratulations to the gentleman from Alaska (Chairman Young); the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica); the ranking member, the gentleman 
from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar); the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Lipinski); and many others on both sides of the aisle.
  Because of them and others in this House, the process worked well and 
landmark legislation will be passed. Airline passengers want their 
government to do everything in its power to ensure their safety when 
flying. This legislation brings us a giant step closer to achieving 
that goal.
  I am proud of this House and proud to be part of this process.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 30 seconds.
  Mr. Speaker, I would say while the distinguished gentleman from 
Connecticut (Mr. Shays) is still in the Chamber, the checking of all 
hold luggage by explosive detection systems has been an objective since 
before and especially after Pan Am 103.
  It was achieved with great debate in the course of the conference. It 
was not an easy victory. We are appreciative of the support we have had 
on both sides of the aisle to get that goal.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. 
Jackson-Lee).
  (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise 
and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, let me say that the American 
people have won today. The American people are victorious, and the 
American people will be able to celebrate Thanksgiving with their 
families with a clear mind and safe passenger miles.
  Let me also say, in tribute to those who have lost their lives on 
September 11, we can never pay back the debt; but at least we can say 
that we have tried to reform our system.
  Let me also say, in tribute to those who died in Pan Am 103, one of 
my constituents who lost her dear, beloved daughter, may she now 
understand that we care.
  I want to thank the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) for his 
unending and unceasing leadership, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Lipinski) for his courage and leadership, and the gentleman from Oregon 
(Mr. DeFazio), and in a bipartisan way, the gentleman from Alaska 
(Chairman Young) and the gentleman from Florida (Chairman Mica) that we 
have come to this day.
  I might say there are two points that I want to focus on very 
quickly.
  One is the fact that we will have a federalized system. All the 
employees will be trained and there will be standards, and we will be 
able to say that the long arm, the effective arm, the strong arm, the 
equal opportunity arm of the government will stand in the place of 
securing our airports and airlines.
  I do hope, however, that I can admonish those airlines and airports 
that may even consider, after 2 years, of opting out. I hope that 
today's vote will give them the courage not to opt out of a system that 
works. I would hope, as well, that the message goes out to the American 
people that we are in fact screening, as of the day that the President 
signs this bill, that we will be screening all checked luggage.
  I would have hoped that the Justice Department would have had 
jurisdiction. I have legislation that will make illegal stun guns and 
pepper spray and knives. But I believe this is a good bill.
  I cannot thank the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) and the 
gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) enough; but I will say to them that 
they are true patriots. They have given to the American people great 
victory.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the American people have won 
today and the terrorists have lost.
  Today, I rise in support of the conference report to accompany S. 
1447, the Aviation Security Act Conference Report. This legislation is 
a victory for the American public, who must rely upon a safe and secure 
airport system. I am glad that the House is passing this legislation 
before the Thanksgiving holidays so that travelers will have increased 
confidence in air travel.
  Since the September 11 terrorist attacks, many Americans have 
expressed a fear of flying. I have been on numerous flights, where 
there were less than 20 passengers. This legislation is in tribute to 
the devastating loss of life on September 11, 2001--where we will not 
let the terrorists win--and those who lost their lives in the 1988 Pan 
Am 103 crash caused by an unchecked bag.
  Although Monday's plane crash in the Rockaway neighborhood of Queens 
in New York City has been indicated as an accident, the public is still 
wary of air travel. For this reason, it is essential for Congress to 
adopt this conference report in order to restore the public's faith in 
air safety.
  It still took too long and I supported the quick adoption of the 
Senate bill by the House--but the compromise now should be implemented 
quickly.
  This conference report includes a number of compromises. Under the 
language of this conference report, the federal government would hire, 
train and manage airline security workers during a two-year period. 
These security workers will be federal employees. This is absolutely 
necessary. During this two-year period, five U.S. airports would be 
able to conduct a pilot program with private security under federal 
supervision. After this two-year period, all airports would have the 
option of implementing either federal or private security screening. It 
is my hope and my belief that no airport should opt out--the federal 
system should simply be improved and the American people should have 
the confidence that the Federal Government's expertise is protecting 
airlines and airports.
  Furthermore, this compromise is sound public policy, because the 
utilization of federal security workers will ensure consistency in 
security measures. I would expect that all the airports in the Houston 
area will chose to hire only federal security workers, and keep the 
federal security system in place even after the two years. The Houston 
Airport system is too large to opt out.
  I further declare my support for the following provisions of this 
conference report:
  The creation of a new Transportation Security Administration within 
the Department of Transportation, although I believe the law 
enforcement jurisdiction of the Department of Justice should have also 
been included.
  100 percent baggage screening to the maximum extent possible, with 
full explosive detection systems in place by end of 2002.
  Anti-hijacking training for flight crews and reinforced cockpit 
doors.
  A hiring preference for veterans.
  I am additionally supporting federal funding to reimburse local 
airports for expenses they already expended on security measures since 
September 11, 2001.
  To further promote safe air travel, I am currently drafting 
legislation that would make it a federal crime to carry a knife, box 
cutter, stun gun, pepper spray or any other cutting object on an 
airline. Currently, carrying such objects is only a violation of 
Federal Aviation Administration regulations. However, my proposed 
legislation would make the current FAA rule a federal law under the 
jurisdiction of the Department of Justice and imposing criminal 
penalties.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support this conference report; we can 
do no less for the American people and we must do it now.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
from Illinois (Mr. Kirk).
  Mr. KIRK. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Alaska 
(Chairman Young), the gentleman from Florida (Chairman Mica), the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), and my partner in support of

[[Page H8306]]

 Chicago's aviation, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski), for 
this bill.
  The historic compromise gives the American people an aviation 
security bill well before Thanksgiving; and once implemented, we will 
have a security system even better than the Israeli system that served 
as a model for our bill.
  I want to thank the committee especially for including two provisions 
that I requested.
  First, under this bill, Americans will protect Americans at U.S. 
airports. Over 90 percent of the screeners who allowed hijackers to 
board at Dulles International Airport were not American citizens. Some 
of them were even illegal aliens. This bill requires that the Federal 
screeners will be United States citizens.
  Also, this bill establishes a sky 911 program. Currently, a passenger 
dialing 911 on an air phone will get no answer; but under this bill, a 
passenger dialing 911 in response to someone's heart attack or 
hijackers will be answered by a trained professional who will find 
expert law enforcement or health care help. Help is now just a phone 
call away, and I thank the technical people in Chicago who pioneered 
this for the cell-phone industry to now work for air phones.
  As a new member of the Subcommittee on Aviation, I am committed to 
aviation safety, especially at O'Hare; and I urge the adoption of this 
bill and thank my leaders for doing it.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentleman from Maine (Mr. Baldacci), a member of the Committee, and 
thank him for his yeoman's service in shaping this bill.
  Mr. BALDACCI. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the ranking member 
of the full committee, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), for 
his leadership and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski), the 
ranking member on the subcommittee, for his leadership and also the 
gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. 
Mica) on the majority side for bringing this legislation to the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, this is much needed. It is something that should be done 
as soon as possible and we can begin implementing it immediately, so we 
can expand the confidence that flyers have in our aviation system. It 
is an important, integral majority of our economy; and the measures 
that are being put forward here are measures that are going to continue 
to build on that foundation that has been developed.
  I want to commend those who have been involved and also point out the 
particular references as they matter to airports in the State of Maine. 
We are very pleased in terms of the latitude and also the level of 
expertise that is going to be there at airports throughout Maine and 
Portland and Bangor and Presque Isle and feel this will greatly enhance 
security and the economy in Maine and the rest of the Nation.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
from Alabama (Mr. Bachus).
  Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, there is one story that has not been in the 
papers of this country. That is the fact that the gentleman from Alaska 
(Mr. Young) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica) were not 
stampeded into passing a bill 3 weeks ago; but they made important 
changes to that bill, changes that the American people will thank them 
for in years to come, changes that will save lives.
  The gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk) mentioned that all screeners 
will be American citizens. I thank the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. 
Young). That needed to be made. That change needed to be made. The 
press has ignored it, but I have not and the American people have not.
  Two other changes:
  Prior to the changes made by the House, one could walk up and they 
would search their grandmother's change purse, but a foreign visitor to 
this country could take a footlocker and could check it on an airplane, 
and it would not be searched.
  I thank the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young), and I thank the 
committee for putting in screening of baggage. That would have been a 
gigantic loophole.
  Finally, and I have heard nothing said about this, but I thank the 
gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. 
Oberstar) and I thank the House, because there were no provisions to 
secure the Tarmac. Think about that for a minute: someone could have 
walked up to the Atlanta Airport, as they have done on several 
occasions, and stolen baggage. They could have come up to those same 
wagons that we have all seen when we looked out of the airplanes, and 
they could have put baggage on that wagon; and that could have 
contained a bomb, and it could have been on the planes that our 
mothers, fathers, daughters, or wives were on.
  I thank the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young). The press has not 
covered that, those that have criticized the House have not covered 
that, but thank goodness for this House of Representatives. Thank 
goodness for this Committee on Transportation that did those things.
  The American people may never know about those things, but we know 
about them and we know they will save lives. I thank the gentleman 
again.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 15 seconds.
  Mr. Speaker, I greatly appreciate the enthusiasm of the gentleman 
from Alabama and his support. I would point out that perimeter security 
and access to the AOA, operations area, has been a requirement in law 
ever since the Aviation Security Act of 1990. It just has not been 
vigorously enforced. This legislation will provide much more vigorous 
enforcement.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Brown).
  Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from 
Alaska (Chairman Young) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica) for 
their hard work and for this fair and reasonable bill; and I want to 
compliment the leadership of the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. 
Oberstar), who in my opinion is a real transportation guru; and to the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski) for his input, and to everyone 
on the committee who kept us informed; and, of course, the gentleman 
from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio) for his strong voice during this entire 
process.
  I believe we finally have a bill that will convince the American 
people that it is safe to fly. I am pleased that we finally passed an 
aviation security bill that put airport security in the hands of the 
Federal law enforcement officers.
  I am particularly glad to see that the final bill includes the tough 
requirement for flight schools, including background checks for non-
U.S. citizens; the terrorist-recognition training and reporting 
requirement for flight school personnel.
  This is a win-win for the American people and should be a big boost 
for the Florida tourism industry, as well as the whole economy.
  Now we must act to protect the safety of the entire transportation 
system, including ports, rail, bridges, tunnels, and maybe, after 
Monday's accident, more thorough safety inspections for airplanes.
  We have a lot more work to do. The American people deserve it. This 
is a win-win for the American people.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the 
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt).

                              {time}  1330

  Mr. BLUNT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.
  Like so many other speakers here today, I want to thank the gentleman 
from Alaska (Chairman Young) and the gentleman from Florida (Chairman 
Mica) for their hard work on this bill; also, the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Lipinski), who I had the honor to work with on the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure and on the Subcommittee on Aviation 
who always worked so hard and know so much about these issues.
  I think it was clear from this conference that the House conferees 
took in a much stronger set of understanding of what needed to happen, 
not just in aviation security, but in transportation security than 
others who were involved in the conference.
  Mr. Speaker, I will include for the Record a statement from the 
President.

[[Page H8307]]

  He also says in words that I would like to paraphrase, words that 
have been said here today. We turned this over to the right people, to 
the Department of Transportation. We did not take one little sliver of 
one piece of Transportation and say it will be in the Justice 
Department, at the same time that the Justice Department did not want 
it. We turned this over to the Department of Transportation but went 
beyond that and created a new role in that Department for somebody to 
worry about all levels of transportation security; not just airports, 
but seaports as well as airports, railways as well as highways, 
pipelines.
  The text of the letter referred to is as follows:

                                                  The White House,


                                Office of the Press Secretary,

                                                November 15, 2001.

                       Statement by the President

       I commend the House and Senate conferees for reaching an 
     agreement that puts the federal government in charge of 
     aviation security, making airline travel safer for the 
     American people.
       This agreement improves upon the Senate-passed legislation 
     in several important ways, including putting responsibility 
     for all modes of transportation security at the Department of 
     Transportation, where it belongs. Today's agreement also 
     gives the federal government the flexibility to ensure a safe 
     transition to a new aviation security system and will 
     ultimately offer local authorities an option to employ the 
     highest quality workforce--public or private. In addition, 
     the compromise will help ensure security by requiring that 
     all screeners be U.S. citizens and by guaranteeing the 
     screening of all checked bags.
       Safety comes first. And when it comes to safety, we will 
     set high standards and enforce them. I congratulate the 
     conferees and look forward to signing this important 
     legislation into law.

  We are an open and free society. And to assume that, when we deal 
with one small section of transportation as our friends on the other 
side of the building did, we have dealt with transportation security, 
would have been a terrible assumption.
  This gives us the flexibility for a much safer transition. We have 
the time to go from what we have today in a safe way to immediate 
Federal control but to have a transition that works. All screeners, as 
mentioned, will be U.S. citizens and eventually all bags will be 
screened. Those are important things. I hope that at the end of this 3-
year period of time, this period of time where we basically have a new 
system in place with a small sample of what a combination of public and 
private security could provide, that at the end of this time we really 
cannot tell any difference.
  I am hopeful that there is never any debate in this House again as to 
which system was safer, because we were all trying to find the safest 
system, the most secure system. I hope we do not have to look at any 
tragedy and say if our system would have been in place it would have 
been better. I hope we can do everything possible to work with the 
Secretary of Transportation, to work with our oversight committees to 
be sure that this bill for the first time ever provides the kind of 
transportation security that the Americans need and the people 
traveling in the United States of America deserve.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, what is the time remaining on both sides?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Fossella). The gentleman from Minnesota 
(Mr. Oberstar) has 12 minutes and 15 seconds remaining. The gentleman 
from Alaska (Mr. Young) has 8 minutes remaining.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Jones).
  Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, to the gentleman from Alaska 
(Chairman Young), the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), and the 
other members of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I 
give my personal thanks.
  Earlier when we debated this bill, I spoke of the fact that I have a 
niece who is a flight attendant for United Airlines. My father worked 
for United for 38 years. My sister works for United. My brother-in-law 
works for United. My airline family is personally thankful for the 
opportunity to be able to say that they are secure in their jobs. To 
all the other families of airline employees across this country, I know 
they are feeling as good as I am. My thanks to the committee and my 
colleagues, because only through the work that we do to secure the 
workers can we secure the passengers.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from Minnesota (Mr. Kennedy).
  Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of 
this bill, and I want to begin by congratulating and thanking the 
gentleman from Alaska (Chairman Young), the gentleman from Florida 
(Chairman Mica), the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), and the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski) for the great work they have 
done.
  This is a good compromise and a great achievement for this body and a 
win for the American people.
  As we approach the holidays, the busiest traveling season, we have a 
bill that will make traveling safer. The number one priority of this 
body has always been the safety of Americans traveling. I am happy that 
this bill deals with all areas of security, not just screening. It 
deals with screening the baggage that is checked. It deals with those 
that have access to the plane, whether for cleaning or food service. 
And this bill allows airports to investigate the security models that 
are best and choose the one that works best for them, resulting in the 
highest level of security.
  Mr. Speaker, we owe it to the American people to have the best air 
security in the world, and I am happy to support this bill that 
provides it and thanks to those who worked on it.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews).
  (Mr. ANDREWS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this conference 
report, and I would like to thank and congratulate the gentleman from 
Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) for 
their really diligent work in making this happen. I particularly 
commend my friend, the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Ganske), for his 
courageous fight for many of the principles in this legislation.
  This will not solve all of America's aviation safety problems. We 
have to be diligent, continue to come back to this again and again and 
again. But it is an example of the best this Congress has to offer, 
people implementing practical solutions that will be workable 
solutions, that will make our skies safer and our people more confident 
right away. This represents the best practices of those who know the 
most about the industry.
  Again, to the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman 
from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), in particular, we are thankful for this 
work. We promise that we will stand by their sides as we implement this 
law and make good things happen once again in the future.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote in favor of the conference report.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay), a great leader.
  Mr. DeLAY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I just thought it was important for me to come down to 
the well and congratulate not just the gentleman from Alaska (Chairman 
Young) and the gentleman from Florida (Chairman Mica) for doing an 
incredible job on this piece of legislation, a very courageous job on 
this piece of legislation, but to commend the House of Representatives.
  If we would have listened to some in this House, we would have sent 
the President a seriously flawed piece of legislation. In their haste, 
the other body, Mr. Speaker, passed a bill that was seriously flawed, 
did not even cover entire airports, for the security of entire 
airports; took the issue of security and put it under the Department of 
Justice; did not even cover the baggage in the hold of the airplanes.
  So many flawed issues in the other body's bill, Mr. Speaker, that it 
took the courage of the chairman to stand up to what was a railroad 
moving through this country and stop implementing a seriously flawed 
system. This bill is a House bill with a few changes from the Senate. 
This is the House bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I must congratulate the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. 
Oberstar) because on all the issues, other

[[Page H8308]]

 than one, he was right there writing a very, very strong and important 
piece of legislation that we find in this conference report.
  We have a real and important frame work under the Department of 
Transportation to create the new security administration. We get a 
uniform, consistent security system nationwide. We do not have the 
small airports being treated differently from the big airports. 
Everybody will be treated the same and have the same sort of security. 
We have the flexibility that we wanted for the President and the 
Secretary of Transportation to put the kind of tools necessary, 
including private sector security to ensure safety of the traveling 
public.
  A very important provision that the American people instinctively 
know is to require every screener to be a United States citizen, 
something that the Senate did not seem to want to put in their bill. So 
I am very proud of the fact that this is basically the House bill that 
passed out of here a few weeks ago, a House bill that took its time to 
be written; and it was done right. And most importantly, covers all 
modes of transportation, security for all modes of transportation, not 
just aviation. I congratulate everyone that was involved.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to myself.
  Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the very thoughtful words of the 
distinguished majority whip, but I must point out that the bill that 
the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Ganske) and others offered on the floor 
that was the product of the other body did cover screening of checked 
luggage and it did have a citizenship requirement. In fact, it was one 
of the impediments on this floor. It had a supercitizenship requirement 
that caused some distress for some Members of this body. But I do 
appreciate the observations of the distinguished majority whip.
  Had the chairman and I been able to work things out without 
overarching influences, I think we would have had this bill on the 
floor 3 weeks ago. I would also like to observe, Mr. Speaker, that 
never have I been prouder to stand in this Chamber with a colleague 
than on the day we debated the security litigation with the gentleman 
from Iowa (Mr. Ganske), who stood on a matter of principle.
  He is of a prototype about which President Kennedy wrote in his book 
``Profiles in Courage.'' It does take courage to stand against your 
party, against your President on a matter of principle; and because he 
took the stand, we are here today with an improved version of that 
bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from Iowa (Mr. Ganske).
  Mr. GANSKE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me time.
  First, I think we ought to thank somebody who I have not heard 
mentioned yet and that is the Speaker of the House. I think the Speaker 
of the House has done a great job to help move this issue along. Next, 
I want to salute the passion of the gentleman from Alaska (Chairman 
Young) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica) and the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Lipinski). I know how much all of them care about the safety and 
security of Americans flying in the skies.
  This bipartisan conference bill is a great bill. My hat is off to all 
of these gentlemen. I hope that this bill passes this House 
unanimously. I want to thank President Bush for his input into moving 
this issue along. He will enthusiastically sign this bill.
  Finally, I hope that none of us ever forget those brave passengers on 
United Flight 93, an airplane that was heading directly for this 
Capitol. Were it not for those brave passengers, we might not be 
standing here today.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire of the Chair how much time 
remains?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) 
has 9 minutes remaining. The gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) has 3\1/
2\ minutes remaining.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\3/4\ minutes to myself.
  Mr. Speaker, I too join the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Ganske) in 
acknowledging and with great appreciation the role of the Speaker who 
repeatedly brought Members together to discuss the content of an 
aviation security bill and pressed on both sides of the aisle his sense 
of urgency to get a bill through this body and through conference and 
to the President.
  And to our minority leader, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. 
Gephardt), who with equal passion, persistence, and fervor advocated 
resolution of issues. Many times he appealed to me to find common 
ground with the gentleman from Alaska (Chairman Young). And to Senator 
Hollings, the Chair of our House-Senate Conference, who was a tower of 
strength, with an unswerving commitment to principle, and to the 
principle of getting a bill passed, getting a conference report that 
would work. They together were leaders in the very best sense of the 
term.
  Of course, again, our chairman, the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. 
Young), who throughout with passion, with vigor, with humor, with his 
common sense approach brought us to this point of resolution. To the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica), the Chair of the Subcommittee on 
Aviation, who has been a quick student of aviation and from his very 
first year in this body sought service on the Subcommittee on Aviation, 
participated in the hearings, did our field trips and paid attention to 
the details of aviation and has proven himself a vigorous and worthy 
advocate for aviation. I am grateful for his leadership.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from Florida (Mr. Foley).
  Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, let me share in the congratulations to the 
gentleman from Alaska (Chairman Young) and, of course, the gentleman 
from Florida (Mr. Mica) for his leadership on this issue.

                              {time}  1345

  Let us make sure we do not do what we did with the 1990 bill, simply 
pass it. We need to enforce it. We need to make sure we carry out the 
mandates of this bill.
  There is a provision to secure the cockpits, $500 million. Let us 
make sure we secure the cockpits. If the airlines had their way, they 
would put a paper clip in the lock and say it is secure. We must make 
certain that not only the aircraft but all perimeters are secure.
  This bill was worth the couple weeks we waited. A lot of politics was 
made out of it. In fact, disparaging remarks were made about our side 
of the aisle not caring about safety. We care deeply about airline 
safety, passenger safety. And due to the leadership of both sides of 
the aisle, I can say to the American public today, as cochairman of the 
Congressional Travel and Tourism Caucus, we are well on our way to 
safer skies, a better traveling modality, and certainly a better 
economy for all Americans.
  I congratulate the House.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1\1/4\ minutes.
  I appreciate the comments of the gentleman from Florida, with whom I 
have worked on travel and tourism issues. One of the reasons that the 
Aviation Security Act of 1990 was so long in reaching fruition is that 
the rules required to implement the provisions of law had to go through 
excruciating cost-benefit analyses.
  One of the matters in which Members on our side, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Lipinski), the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio), and I 
were agreed upon, and on which the chairman of the full committee and 
chairman of the subcommittee, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica), 
were agreed, was that cost-benefit analysis on rulemaking should be 
waived in matters of security.
  The provisions of this legislation are very clear: The Under 
Secretary shall consider whether the costs are excessive in relation to 
the enhancement of the security the regulation will provide. The Under 
Secretary may waive requirements for analysis that estimate the number 
of lives that would be saved by regulation and the monetary value of 
such lives if the Under Secretary determines it is not feasible.
  That kind of cost-benefit analysis has given to the FAA the 
unfortunate misnomer of ``tombstone mentality.'' It is not because the 
FAA wanted to do

[[Page H8309]]

those analyses, it is because they had to. And we are going to take 
that onerous burden out of the rulemaking process and speed it up in 
the interest of security and saving lives.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, how much time remains on each side?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Fossella). The gentleman from Alaska 
(Mr. Young) has 2\1/2\ minutes remaining, and the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) has 6 minutes remaining.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Nevada (Ms. Berkley).
  Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time, and I thank both the chairman and the ranking member for doing an 
extraordinary job.
  I strongly support this airline security compromise, and I would also 
like to thank all the conferees who worked diligently to reach a 
compromise before the Thanksgiving holiday.
  We have answered the pleas of all our constituents to pass an 
aviation security package that will make our skies safer. This package 
will restore public confidence in our aviation system. Well-trained, 
well-paid law enforcement officials will thoroughly screen baggage, sky 
marshals will be placed on flights, and cockpit doors will be 
fortified.
  The passage of this bill will directly impact on my district. The 
economy of Las Vegas depends on the travel and tourism industry and the 
38 million visitors who come to Las Vegas each year. Nearly 46 percent 
of those that come to visit Las Vegas arrive by air. We have an 
obligation to ensure that all travelers are safe.
  Aviation security is national security. With the passage of this 
bill, we enhance our national security and protect all Americans. I 
urge all of my colleagues to vote for the conference report.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio)
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I have appreciated the debate in terms of 
the committee members and those most involved in this legislation, but 
I heard some remarks from a couple on the other side that I felt I had 
to respond to in the interest of the Record.
  We could have had an aviation security bill much, much, much sooner. 
Yes, the Senate bill was not a great product, but it was passed a month 
ago, and this body could have acted before that or soon thereafter. We 
have been working 2- and 3-day weeks, really been putting in tough duty 
here in Washington, D.C. I have been flying back and forth across the 
country more than I am spending time in Washington.
  We could have had a bill sooner, except for the impetus of one of the 
gentlemen who spoke in the well earlier about this, who was dead set 
against having competent, well-trained Federal employees doing the 
screening and security at airports. This bill provides that almost 
every airport in America will have those competent, well-trained 
Federal employees in place within 1 year, to replace the minimum wage, 
undertrained, and sometimes felonious employees used today to 
supposedly provide us with security.
  We should have done it sooner. It is great we are doing it today. It 
is a good bill.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, how much time is remaining?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) 
has 3\1/2\ minutes remaining, and the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) 
has 2\1/2\ minutes remaining.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman 
from Michigan (Mr. Smith).
  Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to bring something 
to the attention of the chairman and the body that an engineer and 
pilot in my district suggested that we have a separate entrance for 
pilots and a solid bulkhead, doing away or reducing the need for 
security police on the plane, reducing the need to have threats of 
terrorists or hijackers.
  So I hope this is one of the areas that the Department will be 
looking into, and I thank the gentleman for yielding this time to me.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Minnesota is recognized 
for 3\1/2\ minutes.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, first and foremost among the litany of 
thanks and appreciation should be the members of the professional staff 
of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, who worked 
vigorously over the past several weeks, intensively since September 11, 
who gave not only weekdays, but week nights, Saturday and Sunday and 
Monday of this past weekend, in order to bring us to this point with 
care and skill in working out the language.
  Often conferees get together and Members discuss principles without 
specific direction on how to translate those principles into the actual 
language, and this dedicated staff have done that. I specifically want 
to mention David Heymsfeld, whose shadow looms long over all aviation 
legislation in the last 25 years. His fingerprints are on every major 
piece of aviation legislation. Also Ward McCarragher, Stacie 
Soumbeniotis, Amy Griffith Denicore, Sheila Lockwood, Dara Schlieker, 
Rachel Carr, Michael McLaughlin, of the staff of the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Lipinski); Kathy Weatherly, staff of the gentleman from 
Oregon (Mr. DeFazio); Lloyd Jones, who has proven a strong leader on 
the Republican staff; Mike Strachn, Elizabeth Megginson, Levon 
Boyagian, Fraser Verrusio, David Schaeffer, with whom I have worked for 
many, many years on aviation; Sharon Barkeloo, Adam Tsao, Cheryl 
McCullough, Sharon Pinkerton, and Legislative Counsels David Mendelsohn 
and Curt Haensel.
  On the Senate side: Kevin Kayes, Moses Boyd, Sam Whitehorn, Gael 
Sullivan, Kerry Ates, Mark Buse, Rob Chamberlin, Mike Reynolds, Joe 
Mondello, David Crane, and Legislative Counsel Lloyd Ator.
  Without their vigorous efforts, we could not have come to this point, 
especially after the computer crash this morning.
  We achieve in this legislation something that has been a long-time 
goal of mine, of the families of the victims of Pan Am 103, 
establishing within the Department of Transportation at the level of 
the Secretary an Under Secretary for Transportation Security. When 
proposed, it was rejected by the administration at the time. They did 
not want an additional bureaucracy. Now, the wisdom of establishing it, 
the wisdom of our commission recommendation 11 years ago, is fulfilled 
in this legislation.
  I introduced legislation in 1986-87 to establish an Assistant 
Secretary for Intermodalism in DOT. That never came to fruition. But, 
effectively, we have it now. And for that I thank the chairman of the 
full committee for realizing the significance of it, and the chairman 
of the Subcommittee on Aviation for understanding how important it is 
to elevate security for all modes of transportation to the level of the 
Secretary himself.
  If I had my way, I would make one change in this bill, and that is to 
require on every airline ticket, accompanying the fee that we are going 
to impose for aviation security, the September 11 fund, so that never 
again will people forget what happened on September 11 and why we were 
brought to this legislation, why we are here today, and why we are 
doing something so substantial for the future of aviation and the 
future security of air travelers.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my 
time.
  This has been an interesting hour, considering the time we put into 
the debate of the bill that was before us 2 weeks ago. Everybody is 
thanking everybody. I like that better than hollering at one another.
  I again would suggest that the House did itself proud today. And I 
have never been prouder than now, being a House Member. And the more I 
am around this body, the prouder I am about the quality of the people 
that work here, the intelligence which they bring to this body, the 
diversity that they bring to this body. This is truly America. This is 
the House of the people.
  As the gentleman from Minnesota mentioned, we have a House product. 
It may have a Senate name on it, it may be a Senate number, but this is 
truly a House product, because we had people

[[Page H8310]]

like the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski), the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), and the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio). 
We may disagree on many things, but on this issue we agreed on the best 
security system, and today we have achieved that.
  The gentleman from Minnesota also mentioned the staff, and I will not 
mention all the names, because I probably would forget somebody, but I 
will say that I am deeply proud of their work and of the time they put 
in, because we have had a product brought to this House that I believe 
is the finest piece of legislation for aviation that has ever passed.
  Yes, we will continue to oversee, and we will be involved, and we 
will make sure this system works as we envision it working, because I 
truly believe the American people want that. But America has won today, 
this House has won today, and I am deeply proud of being chairman of 
this committee.
  Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express relief and gratitude 
that the federal government will finally take meaningful steps to shore 
up security at our airports and on our airplanes.
  The tragic events of September 11th left the residents of 
Massachusetts' Fifth Congressional District--whom I am privileged to 
represent--all too aware of the potential price of inadequate airport 
and airplane security. Two flights that fateful day departed from Logan 
Airport in Boston, bound for destinations in California. Instead, 
murderous terrorists armed with knives and box cutters hijacked those 
planes and used them to destroy the World Trade Center. 28 individuals 
from or with close connections to the Fifth Congressional District lost 
their lives due to these terrorist acts. Their families and friends 
mourn their loss and honor their memories--now and forever.
  We cannot replace or restore the loss endured that day. That is our 
permanent tragedy. But we can bring the perpetrators to justice, and we 
can prevent innocent American life from being taken again by 
terrorists. This is our obligation to all Americans and to the memories 
of those who died on September 11th--to put up our guard for good. It 
had long been evident that airport security was not being taken so 
seriously as it should have been. Few pieces of baggage were screened 
for explosives. Private security companies with poor track records were 
trusted with guaranteeing the safety of airplane passengers. Cockpit 
doors were not secure against intruders.
  Thankfully, this will now change. When the House first took up 
airport security legislation, I was proud to vote in favor of a bill 
previously passed by the Senate, which would have required airport 
passenger and baggage screeners to be federal employees. Unfortunately, 
the bill that initially passed the House rejected the Senate approach 
and chose instead to maintain too much of the status quo. I am very 
pleased that the conference report we take up today shares much more in 
common with the Senate approach than the original House bill. It would 
require, within a year of enactment, airport screeners to be federal 
employees at virtually all airports in the United States. Moreover, all 
checked bags will be screened by X-ray equipment within 60 days of 
enactment, and all bags will be screened using explosive-detection 
equipment within a year. This is a sea change from the current 
approach--a change that will benefit the millions of Americans who 
travel by air for work and pleasure.
  I do wish the bill had gone further. The bill does permit airports to 
request to use private screeners after three years. However, the 
Secretary of Transportation must find that non-federal screeners will 
provide an equal or higher level of security to approve any such 
application. It is imperative that the Secretary interpret this 
requirement stringently. We must not compromise the safety of American 
air travelers. Nonetheless, the bill is clearly a large step forward 
towards secure airports and airlines.
  Just as the events of September 11th spurred the development of 
enactment of this legislation, those events explain my absence from 
voting today. This afternoon, there will be a memorial service in 
Boston's Fanueil Hall for the 131 individuals from or with close 
connections to Massachusetts who lost their lives in the terrorist 
attacks. I join Senator Edward M. Kennedy and the families of these 
individuals in this hall of liberty to commemorate liberty's martyrs. 
While I wish there were no schedule conflict between the memorial 
service and votes on the airport security conference report, I feel 
strongly that my place today is with the families of the Fifth 
Congressional District who lost love ones on September 11th.
  Mrs. MINK of Hawaii. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the conference 
report to the Aviation Security Act, S. 1447. This is a good compromise 
reached between the House and Senate versions and it comes at a crucial 
time as the holiday season arrives upon us. By passing this bill we 
will assure Americans that we are going to do everything necessary to 
protect them when they fly.
  For two months the Congress has debated the merits of federalization 
versus privatization when what we should have been doing is putting 
aside our differences and passed a common sense compromise between the 
two differing ideas. While the House was talking, Hawaii's tourism 
industry continued to suffer. As the Christmas travel period nears, 
passing this bill will help to rebound my home State's depressed 
economy.
  Mr. Speaker, this compromise represents the willingness of the two 
sides to act and get this bill to the President immediately. We will 
have a federal security workforce at our airports, with increased 
safety standards. We will have a strengthening of cockpit doors to make 
them impenetrable and there will be more air marshals deployed on more 
airplanes throughout the country. Pilots and flight crews will receive 
a more rigorous training in dealing with hijackers. There will also be 
some flexibility by allowing 5 airports to conduct a pilot program for 
3 years with a private contractor under strict federal oversight, pay 
schedules, and training regimens.
  I am pleased that this bill will pass both Chambers swiftly and that 
the President has said he will immediately sign it into law and give 
people the sense of security which they have been needing for more than 
two months. We should have passed this bill immediately after September 
11. I urge my colleagues to support the conference report.
  Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the conference 
report for H.R. 3150. I have said numerous times since the attacks of 
September 11 that the most important issue for us to address is 
improving aviation security. This conference is a product of much hard 
work by members of both bodies and parties. I am pleased that we have 
the opportunity to support this legislation today.
  Under our current system, we have screeners who do not speak English, 
have received minimal to no training, and often leave to accept a 
higher paying job at the fast food restaurants in the airports. At many 
airports turn over is greater than 100%; at the St. Louis airport, the 
turn over rate is greater than 400%. In the weeks since the attacks, we 
have witnessed glaring failures of our current system, including one 
man clearing security with seven knives, a can of mace and a stun gun 
and another man boarding a plane with a gun.
  For the last nine weeks, I have actively supported legislation which 
would make all airport screeners federal employees. By federalizing the 
workforce, we can be sure that our airport security personnel are 
professional, well-trained, and accountable. The workers will be fairly 
compensated for the important task they perform. A federal screening 
workforce is key in improving our aviation security.
  This legislation creates an Under Secretary of Transportation 
Security, who will be responsible for security in all modes of 
Transportation. As soon as the President signs the legislation, 
stricter screener requirements will be in place. Within a year, all 
baggage screeners will be federal employees, who work with federal law 
enforcement personnel stationed at the airports to improve our nation's 
aviation security. Federal, professional employees will restore 
confidence to the flying public in a way that continuing our current 
system of contract guards cannot.
  In addition, this legislation makes other improvements to our 
aviation security. Among other things, it requires that all checked 
bags be screened by explosive detection equipment by the end of next 
year. It improves airport security by requiring background checks for 
individuals and vehicle inspections for those with access to secure 
areas. It increases the presence of Federal Air Marshals on flights. 
All of these things will make our skies safer.
  Mr. Speaker, I think the conference committee has developed a good 
bill. I am pleased that we will use federal, rather than contract, 
employees to screen aviation passengers. I believe that with the 
passage of this legislation, we will be taking a giant step to reassure 
the public that our skies are safe, and putting our nation well on the 
road to recovery. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this 
legislation.
  Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, this conference report is a tremendous 
victory for the American people.
  It is a comprehensive airline security bill that will put more 
federal air marshals on airplanes, strengthen cockpit doors and require 
that all baggage is screened.
  But the most important fact of this bill, Mr. Speaker, is that it 
puts the federal government in charge of aviation security.
  On September 11th, all of us were made painfully aware that aviation 
security is a federal law enforcement responsibility. So this 
legislation replaces the failed current system--lowest-bidder private 
security contractors--with federal law enforcement professionals at 
airports.

[[Page H8311]]

  That, as much as anything, will go a long way toward restoring public 
confidence in airline safety and in America's economy.
  A lot of people--Democrats, Republicans and Independents--have asked 
why this desperately needed reform took so long.
  All of us agreed on a comprehensive approach to airline security long 
ago. But for the life of me, I cannot explain why a few Republican 
leaders spent the past two months fighting against federal law 
enforcement professionals at America's airports.
  The bipartisan members of the conference committee deserve enormous 
credit for defying those few Republican leaders, and for insisting that 
airport security become a federal law enforcement responsibility.
  Finally, the Congress is giving the American people what they 
deserve--a real, comprehensive airline security bill.
  Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the 
conference report for S. 1477, the Aviation and Transportation Security 
Act. This new bipartisan compromise contains provisions essential to 
protecting our citizens, and extra security needed to ensure the 
integrity of our airways and reassure the traveling public of its 
safety. The use of a federal security force is critical to achieve this 
goal.
  The most important element of this agreement is the federalization of 
airport security, effective immediately. Federal law enforcement agents 
will screen every passenger and every bag. Trained employees will renew 
American's sense of confidence in our airlines and will spark economic 
growth. Restoring confidence in the air travel system will have a 
domino effect on the economy. When passengers feel comfortable flying, 
both the airline and tourism industries will also be able to begin the 
recovery process. Companies that were forced to lay off employees will 
eventually rehire workers to meet increased demand. Passenger travel at 
Kansas City International Airport (KCI) was off 27 percent from the 
previous year because of the September 11 tragedy. A study by Wilbur 
Smith Associates Inc. showed the Kansas City International Airport 
(KCI) injects $3.2 billion a year into the local economy. The payroll 
from these 67,400 jobs equals $1.5 billion alone. With this critical 
legislation, our local economy has a chance to recover.
  Recent events and my own travel experience have shown that current 
private airport security is inconsistent and inadequate. In a two week 
period in October, there were 90 security breaches detected in our 
airports. Fortunately, incidents were averted in each situation, and 
this measure will assure safer skies. This compromise measure contains 
many other needed provisions to safeguard our skies: criminal 
background checks for all security employees with access to restricted 
areas; an expanded federal air marshal program; secure cockpit doors; 
antihijacking training for flight crews; and certified screeners will 
restore the trust of air travelers and their families.
  Mr. Speaker, I support the Aviation Security Conference Report for S. 
1447, and commend all who improved upon an already significant measure. 
The conference report will make the traveling public safer than they 
have ever been. I urge all of my colleagues to vote for this historic 
and important bill.
  Mr. BENTSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Aviation 
Security and Transportation Conference Report which clears the way for 
major security increases throughout the U.S. aviation system. America 
has always had one of the safest aviation systems in the world, and our 
work today will restore that reputation.
  While conference reports are about compromises, I am pleased that 
this conference report contains the strong aviation security provisions 
of S. 1447 and the Oberstar substitute. Because the conference is based 
on the Senate/Oberstar approach, there will be a seismic shift in the 
responsibility for aviation security from private contractors with poor 
performance records in recent years to a new federal authority, the 
Transportation Security Administration.
  Many of my constituents are shocked that aviation security has been 
the responsibility of subsidiaries of European firms that have been 
repeatedly fined for serious violations. Overseeing these companies 
were the commercial airlines, many of which often are struggling to 
make profits. It is time to get the airlines and profit-loss 
considerations out of aviation security. If the aviation system is 
being attacked by international terrorists, my constituents believe it 
is the duty of the federal government to step in and provide protection 
which is not primarily based on cost concerns. With a $2.50 security 
fee per one-way trip, the Transportation Security Administration will 
be able to provide sweeping new measures and respectable salaries for 
airport screeners, in the range of $35-40,000. This will drastically 
improve recruitment, retainment, and morale.
  Under the conference report, the new Transportation Security 
Administration will be responsible for conducting background checks on 
employees, developing and conducting stronger training programs, and 
screening all checked baggage by the end of 2002 with explosive 
detection equipment. The conference report provides for the expansion 
of the Federal Air Marshall Program to provide passengers the secure 
feeling of a strong last line of defense. In addition, there will be 
important modifications to American airplanes including: cockpit door 
fortification, cabin cameras, and secure transponders to communicate 
with air traffic control.
  I firmly believe that the primary function of government is the 
protection of lives and property from external threats, and today I am 
confident that the federal government is performing its necessary duty. 
We have seen the desperate and utterly merciless nature of our enemy, 
and now we know what we have to do in response. Americans must feel 
safe in the air again. Our aviation system provides the glue holding 
our economy, friends, and families together. Our way of live is based 
on the freedom to travel, and the American people want American law 
enforcement to protect that freedom. Today, we have the chance to 
deliver. I urge my colleagues to pass the conference report and send it 
to the President.
  Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support the measure before us 
this afternoon, the Conference Report to S. 1447, the Aviation Security 
bill. This legislation, which will ensure that well-trained and well-
paid federal employees are responsible for aviation safety, is clearly 
a victory for the safety of all Americans who fly, and a defeat for 
those corporate special interests who stood to profit from keeping the 
same old, failed security system in place.
  Prior to September 11, Americans traveled freely on our nation's 
airplanes, relatively unconcerned about their personal safety. The 
chances of being a victim of a terrorist attack seemed remote to most 
of us, as such things seemed to only happen in the movies or in faraway 
places across the globe. However, the surreal image of airplanes 
crashing into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon left indelible 
imprints on the minds of millions and exposed the vulnerabilities that 
exist in our country's aviation security system.
  Aviation security is currently handled by private companies that 
contract with the airlines and airports to handle security functions. 
These companies, such as Globe Security and Argenbright Security, have 
horrendous safety records, and numerous studies by the General 
Accounting Office and the Transportation Department show that private 
screeners frequently miss dangerous objects in tests of security 
systems. Still, private screening companies have continued to maintain 
that they could do a better job than higher paid and better-trained 
federal employees. It is now clear that they have had their chance to 
prove themselves, and they have failed miserably.
  Moreover, for over 30 years airline pilots, flight attendants, air 
traffic controllers, and countless others in the aviation industry have 
implored Congress to pass legislation that would hand over security to 
the federal government. Public opinion polls reflect that the American 
public also resoundingly supports federalization and has grown 
increasingly apprehensive about the safety of air travel. Many 
Americans have even opted not to fly at all, which as we all know has 
caused a crushing blow to America's airline industry.
  It is now time for Congress to repair our flawed system in order to 
restore public confidence in the safety of air travel. Furthermore, 
protecting the American people from harm's way is one of the most 
fundamental obligations of our national government, and we must never 
allow the tragic events of September 11 to be repeated.
  On October 11, the Senate passed an airport security bill by a vote 
of 100-0 that would dramatically improve aviation security through 
federalization. I strongly supported an identical piece of legislation 
introduced in the House, but, unfortunately, the Republican leadership 
chose to reject this version in place of an alternative bill that would 
keep in place the same ineffective private security screeners that we 
currently have.
  Today, we have before us a conference report on aviation security 
that preserves many of the key provisions that were contained in the 
Senate-passed bill. Most importantly, the report allows for complete 
federalization of aviation security at all airports for at least 2 
years, with the option (but not requirement) for airports to return to 
a private system after that time if they so choose. I strongly support 
this legislation since I am confident that airports will choose to 
maintain the new federal system.
  The conference report also includes many other important security 
measures. For example, all checked baggage would be screened by 
explosive detection equipment by December 31, 2002. In the interim, all 
checked baggage would be screened by other means, including x-ray, 
positive passenger bag matching, or hand checking. Cockpit doors would 
be fortified and locked during flights, and the federal air marshal 
program would be greatly expanded. Finally, the report mandates that 
all

[[Page H8312]]

passenger and baggage screening personnel be federal employees within 
one year.
  Should this conference report pass, as I expect it will, today's 
action by Congress will stand as a victory for all Americans who fly 
and will represent a triumph over special interest forces who lobbied 
Congress in favor of the continued use of private contractors. Our 
world has changed dramatically since September 11, and we must respond 
accordingly. I urge my colleagues to support this critical legislation.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Airline 
Security Conference report. It represents a truly bipartisan compromise 
that provides genuine improvements to our nation's airline security. 
Today's bill provides a stronger federal role to ensure proper and 
much-needed training and baggage security measures, increased on-board 
safety upgrades, and a strengthened sky marshal program. The American 
public deserves no less from Congress.
  While I am delighted that we are voting on the conference report 
today, and will have a bill signed by the President before the start of 
Thanksgiving week, it deeply concerns me that it has taken Congress so 
long to reach an agreement on this critically important legislation. 
Rather than doing it right the first time, some in this body pushed 
instead a package that fit their narrow partisan and philosophical 
agenda.
  There will be some grandparents across the country denied the chance 
this year to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with their children and 
grandchildren because of widespread concern by the American public that 
our airline security falls short of the mark.
  Thankfully, however, Congress will approve today's bill resulting in 
increased public confidence to fly home to celebrate the upcoming 
Christmas and Hanukkah holidays with their families. I believe strongly 
that by providing the changes, oversight, and flexibility included in 
the Airline Security Conference Report, our economy and communities 
will benefit along with the American public.
  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support 
of the agreement reached by the members of the aviation security 
conference committee. In doing so, I would like to commend the Members 
and their staffs who did an excellent job in negotiating the points of 
contention in this extremely important legislation.
  It is imperative that we turn airplane screeners into a professional, 
highly skilled, highly trained law enforcement workforce to ensure the 
best possible security for all airline passengers and crews. As such, I 
believe the conference report before us today takes significant steps 
to achieve that goal.
  The tragic attacks of September 11, followed by the recent security 
lapse at Chicago's O'Hare Airport have highlighted the need for 
improved airport security. Federalizing the airport screeners and 
requiring all luggage--checked and carry on--to be screened are two 
critical steps that need to be taken and I applaud their inclusion in 
this report.
  As we are now painfully aware, airport screeners are the front line 
in aviation security. This legislation will help transform them into a 
well-trained workforce capable of rising to the challenge and 
importance of their task.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan compromise forged by 
hours of hard work and dedication and help ensure the safety of 
Americans and restore their confidence in air travel.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong 
support of the Aviation Security conference report.
  First, I want to commend the conferees for their dedication and hard 
work in reaching a compromise that has broad support from the Congress 
and the American people. I want to especially thank the Ranking Members 
of the full committee and the Aviation Subcommittee, respectively, Mr. 
Oberstar and Mr. Lipinski for their persistence and leadership.
  After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the American 
people were understandably reluctant to fly again. In the period 
immediately following the resumption of air traffic, airlines reported 
that load factors on their flights had plummeted, even after cutting 
back on the number of flights available. Airlines were also reporting 
millions of dollars of operating losses each day, and some were on the 
verge of bankruptcy. The disruption of the airline industry also 
threatened small businesses located at our nation's airports, such as 
restaurants and newsstands, who depend on heavy passenger flows through 
airports.
  Under those conditions, Congress acted swiftly to pass the Air 
Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act to provide an 
immediate infusion of funds for the airlines and to provide loan 
guarantees to ensure that the airlines regained access to capital 
markets. However, we all realized that passage of that legislation 
would be a Pyrrhic victory if Congress did not quickly enact 
legislation to restore the traveling public's confidence in security at 
our airports and in the skies. Although it has taken nearly two months, 
I am pleased that Congress is now finally taking that step.
  The conference agreement provides the additional security that 
Americans have demanded by making all passenger and baggage screening 
at most airports in the nation a federal responsibility for at least 
two years. However, five airports, each of different size, will be 
allowed to participate in a DOT-supervised pilot program where 
passenger and baggage screening will be performed by private 
contractors. After the initial two-year period, individual airports 
will be given the option of requesting that screening be performed by 
private contractors or by local law enforcement officials. The 
applicants will have the benefit of the experience of the five pilot 
airports and still must meet or exceed baseline standards in order to 
have their applications to defederalize passenger and baggage screening 
approved by DOT.
  The conference agreement also includes numerous non-controversial 
items, such as provision for additional air marshals, reinforcement of 
cockpit doors, and additional training to flight crews to better equip 
them to respond to hijacking situations. I am particularly pleased that 
the conference agreement includes two provisions regarding background 
checks. First, the agreement provides that criminal background checks 
will be required for all persons with access to secured areas of 
airports. This was a suggestion that I conveyed to the leadership of 
the Committee on behalf of DFW International Airport in my district. 
Certainly, we want to ensure that terrorists or other dangerous 
individuals do not infiltrate such sensitive areas. Second, the 
agreement provides that background checks be required for any foreign 
national seeking instruction in the operation of aircraft over 12,500 
pounds and that flight school employees will be trained to recognize 
suspicious activities. I believe this provision adequately addresses 
concerns raised by constituents and other residents of the Dallas-Fort 
Worth Metroplex that Syrian nationals had been allowed to receive 
flight training at Forth Worth's Meacham Airport after the events of 
September 11.

  Now that we have addressed the financial distress of the airlines and 
the security concerns of passengers, we still have one important item 
of unfinished business--the health and livelihoods of the more than 
100,000 airline employees and others who have lost their jobs as a 
result of September 11. I strongly urge that provisions extending 
unemployment benefits and COBRA coverage be included in any economic 
stimulus package and hope that we can act on the legislation shortly 
after we return after the Thanksgiving holiday.
  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, S. 1447, the Conference Report on Aviation & 
Transportation Security Act is a victory for the American public who 
can rest assured that the federal government puts safety first. 
Although this urgently needed bill has taken far too long to complete 
its legislative course, and flawed provisions remain, it reflects a 
great deal of positive change in air travel safety.
  The conference agreement makes the federal government directly 
responsible for all passenger and baggage screening, requiring that all 
screeners be federal employees. This federal employee requirement is a 
great departure from current law. Currently, airlines are responsible 
for the screening of airline passengers and baggage. Airlines pass this 
responsibility on to the lowest-bid screening contractors who pay their 
employees minimum wage and have widely varying employment standards. 
The result, as documented by the General Accounting Office and the 
Department of Transportation's Investigator General, is high turnover 
in the screener workforce and a failure of the screening process to 
work effectively. Unfortunately, the bill allows airports to return to 
private contractors for screening, three years after enactment. I would 
hope that if the federal employees prove to be a successful change that 
Congress would revisit this provision.
  The bill also requires that all baggage screeners be U.S. citizens. I 
would have preferred a requirement that all baggage screeners be legal 
permanent residents. Legal permanent residents are allowed to join our 
armed forces and are employed in various occupations across the U.S., 
including in our airports and airlines. Conditioning employment on U.S. 
citizenship effectively makes legal permanent residents a suspect class 
when they contribute to the fabric of our nation. The citizenship 
requirement is discriminatory and should also be revisited.
  Aircraft security is significantly increased under the conference 
agreement by expanding the federal air marshal program; fortifying and 
placing access restrictions on cockpit doors; ensuring the ability to 
make emergency phone calls with telephones in aircraft; and providing 
enhanced anti-hijack training to flight crews. I believe that these new 
requirements, in addition to federalizing baggage screeners, provides 
sufficient preventive measures that airline pilots do not need guns in 
the cockpits.

[[Page H8313]]

The conference agreement includes a provision to allow pilots to carry 
guns. I would certainly encourage my colleagues to monitor this 
provision closely and address it at a later time if this proves to be a 
threat to public safety.
  I encourage my colleagues to join me in bringing aviation safety to 
the American people by voting yes on S. 1447.
  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Aviation 
and Transportation Security Act conference report. Our actions today 
will help to make the skies the safest that they have ever been.
  Since the disasters of September 11, the American public has been 
waiting for us to act. While I am glad that we are finally meeting 
their demands, we should have done so weeks ago. There should have been 
no delay in responding to the safety concerns of airline passengers and 
airline workers. That should have been our first priority.
  At long last, we now have a bill that puts the federal government 
squarely in charge of protecting aviation security, instead of leaving 
this awesome responsibility in the hands of private, for-profit 
companies like Argenbright. It ensures that we will have adequate 
numbers of well-trained employees who will stop armed and dangerous 
passengers before they can enter the boarding area or get on a plane. 
It requires that all checked baggage will be screened by explosive-
detection equipment. It expands the Federal Air Marshall program. It 
requires that cockpit doors be made secure, that aircraft security be 
strengthened and that flight crews are trained to deal with any 
potential threat.
  I share the belief of the overwhelming majority of Americans that 
safety is best put in the hands of a public law enforcement authority 
and federal employees. However, I continue to be concerned that we have 
left the Secretary of Transportation with a great deal of discretion as 
to whether those new public employees will enjoy the same employment 
benefits and protections as other federal workers. While we agree that 
these federal law enforcement employees will not have the right to 
strike, it is my understanding that the Secretary is given the 
authority to determine whether they can join a union; participate in 
the Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan and retirement options; and 
be covered by non-discrimination, health and safety, and whistleblower 
laws. I sincerely hope that the Secretary will act to give those 
benefits and rights to federal screeners and security workers. We do 
not want those critical workers to be given second class status when it 
comes to employee benefits and rights. We must attract the most 
qualified people possible to fulfill the role of protecting the flying 
public. There should be no question that they deserve the same 
treatment as their fellow federal employees.
  With passage of this measure, we will all be able to truly declare 
that it is safer for America's flying public to take to the skies. I 
urge all of my colleagues to vote in support of this long overdue and 
critical legislation.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong support of S. 
1447, the Aviation Security Act Conference Report. This comprehensive, 
bi-partisan security package will better protect America's air 
travelers and improve security at all of our nation's airports.
  This legislation strengthens Federal aviation security by doing the 
following: First and foremost, this legislation requires strict federal 
oversight of all of the nation's airline security screening, including 
all baggage screeners. Second, we also put into place a system that 
will eventually screen 100% of all bags; fortify cockpit doors; put Air 
Marshals on domestic flights and requires that all airport baggage 
screeners must be U.S. citizens. In addition, the Federal government 
will be required to conduct background checks on all individuals with 
access to secure areas of an airport.
  This legislation also provides full authority to Federal officials to 
fire any of these employees who fail to perform their duties. And, most 
importantly the United States Department of Transportation assumes 
enforcement authority that previously rested with the airlines and the 
Federal Aviation Administration.
  Mr. Speaker, as you well know the tragic events of September 11 have 
forced us to rethink all security in our country like no other time in 
U.S. History. Today, I am pleased that Congress, working with the 
President, has acted to ensure safety at our airports and in our skies. 
Like every American, I want to ensure we have the strongest and best 
possible security for airline passengers and crews. Make no mistake, on 
this issue there can be no compromise on safety.
  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, this Member rises to comment on the 
conference report for S. 1447, the Aviation Security Act.
  Clearly, the tragic events of September 11, 2001, properly focused 
attention on the need to improve security at our nation's airports. 
Without a doubt, the current system has serious flaws and the traveling 
public deserves better.
  This Member cosponsored and strongly supported H.R. 3150, which was 
approved by the House on November 1, 2001. The House bill took the 
right approach. It would have federalized the airline security 
screening process and required strict, new standards governing airline 
security. Additionally, H.R. 3150 would have given the President needed 
flexibility on the issue of baggage screeners to determine which option 
(i.e., private, federalized, or some combination of the two) would 
provide the highest degree of security.
  Quite simply, the House version was more responsible than the Senate 
bill, which was crafted hastily in the heat of the moment. This Member 
is disappointed that the House leadership caved-in to the Senate on the 
crucial issue of airport screeners. It was a very bad mistake for the 
House leadership to accept the federalization of screeners, as this 
action simply will put in place a huge new Federal bureaucracy without 
ensuring an increase in airport security over the House version.
  Despite assurances, this Member is convinced that the system 
established for by this conference report will make it difficult to 
insist on excellence or to fire under-performing employees. It has been 
reported that Federal employee unions are already preparing lawsuits to 
remove elements of the legislation designed to facilitate the firing of 
employees who do not perform at acceptable standards.
  The screening issue unfortunately overshadows many positive features 
of this legislation. Having expressed these very major concerns about 
the specific airport screening system being forced on the taxpayers and 
the American people, this Member is pleased to report that the 
conference report includes a number of provisions from the House-passed 
bill that are important improvements over the Senate bill. For example, 
the conference report increases the number of sky marshals, requires 
the fortification of cockpit doors, and mandates screening checked bags 
for bombs and explosives. In addition, the S. 1147 conference report 
creates a new Transportation Security Administration within the 
Department of Transportation, which would be in charge of security for 
airlines as well as railroads, buses, and commercial shipping.
  Unfortunately, the White House's lukewarm support for the House bill 
also badly damaged efforts to arrive at the best solution. Now we have 
failed to follow the model of many European countries and the Israeli 
Government which have coordinated a successful national government-
private sector approach. This new path will be irreversible and we'll 
never have an opportunity to see what might have been. As 
Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta and others have indicated, 
airports are highly unlikely to use the opt-out provision included in 
the conference report. Airports will have no incentive to move back to 
a non-Federal workforce.
  The conference report also is worse, or more expensive, for travelers 
from some parts of the country like my home state of Nebraska, when it 
comes to the new fees needed to fund the new system. Under the House 
bill, each passenger would have paid a maximum of $5 per round-trip in 
new security-related user fees. The conference report imposes a fee of 
$2.50 per passenger for each leg of a trip, up to a maximum of $10 for 
a round-trip. For Nebraskans who must make a connection while flying 
round-trip to either coast, the fee will now be twice as much as it 
would have been under the House bill. Thus it discriminates against low 
population states in the country's Midlands. This increase would be 
acceptable if it accompanied a commensurate increase in security, but 
clearly the conference report is not an improvement over the House-
passed version.
  While nothing in this conference report will put in place new 
security features before the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday weekend, 
perceived psychological, editorial and public opinion pressures forced 
this bad compromise so that action could be completed prior to the 
Thanksgiving holiday. Although prompt action is needed, the artificial 
Thanksgiving deadline led to this flawed legislation, which will not 
provide needed airport security reform. Therefore, this Member believes 
that we may have missed the opportunity to provide real and improved 
airport security.
  Mr. Speaker, this Member is pleased that Congress is addressing the 
critically important issue of aviation security, but regrets the missed 
opportunities which the conference report represents.
  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to voice my support for the Aviation and 
Transportation Security Act, S. 1447.
  The events of September 11 have made it critical that Congress pass 
legislation that will ensure safe travel in our skies.
  By putting well-trained, professional federal agents, including 
federal marshals, in charge of airport and airplane security, and by 
screening all baggage and cargo, we will make our skies safer, boost 
confidence in the airlines, and help our economy, the American people, 
and the country.

[[Page H8314]]

  Earlier this week, I joined my colleagues in urging the conferees to 
ensure that legal permanent residents who have lived in the U.S. for 5 
years, would still have their jobs protected. I am disappointed that 
this provision was not included and will continue to work to ensure 
that those legal residents who lose their jobs will receive the 
assistance they need.
  I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the Aviation and 
Transportation Security Act.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Aviation 
Security Conference Report. First, I would like to commend Chairman 
Young, Ranking Member Oberstar, and Representatives Mica and Lipinski 
for remaining at the negotiating table, and crafting a bipartisan bill 
that both chambers can endorse.
  I also want to applaud Leader Gephardt for his tireless pursuit of an 
airline security bill, and for making aviation security a matter of 
national security.
  My colleagues, since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 
newspapers across the country have editorialized in support of federal 
workers at airports. Security experts have said that a federal security 
force is needed. And, the airlines have called for Federal help.
  Today, we finally meet our responsibility to assure the public that 
our skies are safe. With this bill, the American people will know that 
second best isn't good enough, the lowest bidder isn't good enough, and 
a workforce with a more than 120 percent turnover rate isn't good 
enough.
  Mr. Speaker, American families traveling to visit loved ones and 
friends are not the only ones who depend on the airline industry. Just 
take a minute to think about what would happen if people don't fly. 
Businesses will suffer--from the people who run coffee stands in 
airports to hotel operators to taxi cab drivers to travel agents. These 
small businesses deserve approval of this bipartisan conference report.
  One of my constituents recently wrote that until the skies are 
secured, ``My family will not be flying. . . . We will not be flying 
any airplane until . . . every piece of luggage is x-rayed and the 
workers that screen flyers are federalized.''
  Well, this bill would allow the government to immediately begin 
taking over control of airport screening functions, require that all 
baggage be checked, and expand the Federal Air Marshal Program. So 
let's pass this bill now and give our constituents the long-overdue 
good news.
  We have delayed long enough. Vote ``yes,'' pass the conference 
report, and make travel safe and secure for all Americans.
  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this 
conference report on H.R. 3150, the Aviation Security bill. This is a 
very positive and productive agreement on the issue of aviation 
security. I applaud President Bush and Democrats in Congress for their 
perseverance, but ultimately this a victory for air passengers and for 
the safety of all American citizens.
  I have stated repeatedly in this Chamber and in my district that the 
existing airport security screening process is tremendously 
inconsistent, and is conducted by private companies who often are 
simply the lowest bidders.
  These companies do not provide a high level of training for the low-
skilled, poorly paid personnel that screen passengers and baggage, and 
are plagued by high turnover rates.
  From the beginning of this debate I have supported legislation that 
would make airport security the responsibility of the government, to 
ensure that a highly trained, highly skilled workforce is responsible 
for security and the safety of passengers. National security in our 
airports should not be determined by the lowest bidder.
  On the dividing issue of unionized labor that was interjected into 
this debate, I can only say that nobody checked the union cards of the 
firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical teams running up 
the stairs of the World Trade Center.
  This conference report will insure that from now on, airport security 
will conducted by trained federal professionals. The public deserves 
nothing less.
  Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Aviation & 
Transportation Security Act. This legislation comes none to soon for 
the American public.
  With Thanksgiving arriving, travelers and their families on the 
ground need to have confidence in air security that we once took for 
granted. This bill makes our airlines and airports safer.
  New Federal agents will be hired to screen passengers and scan 
baggage. These workers will have the training and professionalism 
necessary to prevent terrorism and effectively serve as partners with 
law enforcement personnel.
  The legislation establishes the Transportation Security Agency whose 
mission will be to set standards and to oversee the implementation of 
security standards. For the first time, the United States will have a 
single agency whose mission is to ensure security for all modes of 
transportation including water transport, rail highway, commercial 
aviation as well as civil aviation.
  All checked baggage will be screened by explosive-detection equipment 
by the end of 2002. Cockpit doors will be strengthened and the Air 
Marshal Program will be expanded to cover more flights.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill should have been completed much sooner. I 
regret that this legislation because an ``ideological divide'' over the 
issue of federalization of airport security personnel.
  Breaches of security prior to and after the September 11 attacks have 
left little doubt that the current system of privatized screeners was 
broken and beyond repair. This legislation provides us with the 
opportunity to revamp the system, increase personnel training, and 
raise the standards of our workers.
  Yesterday, conference committee members from each party who 
negotiated the compromise of the House- and Senate-approved bills--each 
claimed victory. Both sides worked hard to craft a compromise. I also 
believe the American people and security were victors.
  When the President signs S. 1447 it is my sincere hope that it 
enactment will bring greater confidence to every airline passenger by 
using America's most valuable resources--its people and its 
technology--to lock up potential terrorists and to eliminate terrorism.
  Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I have said all along that we need to 
federalize and professionalize airport baggage screening. With Federal 
employees conducting the screening, we will greatly improve the quality 
of the screening process. Baggage screeners play a critical role in 
securing our airlines from terrorist attacks and are the first line of 
defense. The government should pay salaries commensurate with the law 
enforcement responsibilities of screening. This compromise is a step in 
the right direction and will provide uniform standards for security 
screeners at airports. Safe air travel is a national priority and it is 
critical that our screeners be held to rigid Federal standards.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support this important compromise that 
will require almost all of the Nation's airports to put Federal 
employees in charge of security screening for the next 3 years. After 
that period of time, individual airports will have the ability to 
reaccess and to decide if they want to opt out of that Federal system 
and allow the screening to be handled by private contractors, State or 
local law enforcement. I predict that most will not. In addition, the 
bill calls for increased screening of checked bags within 60 days and 
that all checked bags go through explosive devise testing within a 
year. I strongly encourage the Department of Transportation to use new 
technology like SPEDS, the Small Parcel Explosive Detection System, 
which can detect explosives in a nonintrusive manner. Unlike 
conventional x-ray SPEDS can detect the difference between a bottle of 
wine and a bottle of liquid explosives disguised to look like a bottle 
of wine.
  I am pleased that Congress is moving forward with this important 
legislation prior to the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend and believe that 
it is a good first step toward bringing back America's confidence in 
flight. I have spoken with the director of the El Paso International 
Airport and we agree that this measure will provide the needed security 
for the traveling public.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, the airline security compromise bill is a 
major victory for the American people, and a crucial beginning to the 
recovery from the September 11 terrorist attacks. This measure will go 
a long way toward restoring public confidence in airline safety and 
shoring up our Nation's economy. I commend the members of the 
conference committee for providing us with an excellent bill to protect 
the traveling public.
  Among the important components of this bill is the requirement that 
all checked baggage be screened. Past measures have been woefully 
inadequate, requiring that only a small percentage of checked baggage 
pass through a screening machine. This bill also provides for the 
development of an agency within the Department of Transportation that 
is responsible for all transportation security needs. This includes 
security on railways, busses, and passenger vessels.
  Most importantly, security personnel will be required to meet a new 
higher standard. Virtually all airport security officers will be 
Federal employees. Only those security firms that meet or exceed the 
federal standard will be allowed to operate in our Nation's airports. 
No longer will the lowest bidding security firm be awarded contracts to 
protect travelers in this country.
  It is my hope that these measures can be implemented in a fast and 
efficient manner.
  Once again I would like to commend the members who worked hard to 
bring us this compromise bill and to proclaim my support for this 
measure.

[[Page H8315]]

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the previous question is 
ordered on the conference report.
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the conference report.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 410, 
nays 9, not voting 14, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 448]

                               YEAS--410

     Abercrombie
     Ackerman
     Aderholt
     Akin
     Allen
     Andrews
     Armey
     Baca
     Bachus
     Baird
     Baker
     Baldacci
     Baldwin
     Ballenger
     Barr
     Barrett
     Bartlett
     Barton
     Bass
     Becerra
     Bentsen
     Bereuter
     Berkley
     Berman
     Berry
     Biggert
     Bilirakis
     Bishop
     Blagojevich
     Blumenauer
     Blunt
     Boehlert
     Boehner
     Bonilla
     Bonior
     Borski
     Boswell
     Boucher
     Boyd
     Brady (PA)
     Brown (FL)
     Brown (OH)
     Brown (SC)
     Bryant
     Burr
     Burton
     Buyer
     Callahan
     Calvert
     Camp
     Cannon
     Cantor
     Capito
     Capps
     Capuano
     Cardin
     Carson (IN)
     Carson (OK)
     Castle
     Chabot
     Chambliss
     Clay
     Clayton
     Clement
     Clyburn
     Combest
     Condit
     Conyers
     Cooksey
     Costello
     Cox
     Coyne
     Cramer
     Crane
     Crenshaw
     Crowley
     Cubin
     Culberson
     Cummings
     Cunningham
     Davis (CA)
     Davis (FL)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis, Jo Ann
     Davis, Tom
     Deal
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delahunt
     DeLauro
     DeLay
     DeMint
     Deutsch
     Diaz-Balart
     Dicks
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Dooley
     Doolittle
     Doyle
     Dreier
     Duncan
     Dunn
     Edwards
     Ehlers
     Ehrlich
     Emerson
     Engel
     English
     Eshoo
     Etheridge
     Evans
     Everett
     Farr
     Fattah
     Ferguson
     Filner
     Fletcher
     Foley
     Forbes
     Ford
     Fossella
     Frank
     Frelinghuysen
     Frost
     Gallegly
     Ganske
     Gekas
     Gephardt
     Gibbons
     Gilchrest
     Gillmor
     Gilman
     Gonzalez
     Goode
     Goodlatte
     Gordon
     Goss
     Graham
     Granger
     Graves
     Green (TX)
     Green (WI)
     Greenwood
     Grucci
     Gutierrez
     Gutknecht
     Hall (TX)
     Hansen
     Harman
     Hart
     Hastert
     Hastings (WA)
     Hayes
     Hayworth
     Hefley
     Herger
     Hill
     Hilleary
     Hilliard
     Hinchey
     Hobson
     Hoeffel
     Hoekstra
     Holden
     Holt
     Honda
     Hooley
     Horn
     Hostettler
     Houghton
     Hoyer
     Hulshof
     Hunter
     Hyde
     Inslee
     Isakson
     Israel
     Issa
     Istook
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson-Lee (TX)
     Jefferson
     Jenkins
     John
     Johnson (CT)
     Johnson (IL)
     Johnson, Sam
     Jones (NC)
     Jones (OH)
     Kanjorski
     Kaptur
     Keller
     Kelly
     Kennedy (MN)
     Kennedy (RI)
     Kerns
     Kildee
     Kilpatrick
     Kind (WI)
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kirk
     Kleczka
     Knollenberg
     Kolbe
     Kucinich
     LaFalce
     LaHood
     Lampson
     Langevin
     Largent
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Latham
     LaTourette
     Leach
     Lee
     Levin
     Lewis (CA)
     Lewis (GA)
     Lewis (KY)
     Linder
     Lipinski
     LoBiondo
     Lofgren
     Lowey
     Lucas (KY)
     Lucas (OK)
     Luther
     Lynch
     Maloney (CT)
     Maloney (NY)
     Manzullo
     Markey
     Mascara
     Matheson
     Matsui
     McCarthy (MO)
     McCarthy (NY)
     McCollum
     McCrery
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McHugh
     McInnis
     McIntyre
     McKeon
     McKinney
     McNulty
     Meek (FL)
     Menendez
     Mica
     Millender-McDonald
     Miller, Dan
     Miller, Gary
     Miller, George
     Miller, Jeff
     Mink
     Moore
     Moran (KS)
     Moran (VA)
     Morella
     Murtha
     Myrick
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Nethercutt
     Ney
     Northup
     Norwood
     Nussle
     Oberstar
     Obey
     Olver
     Ortiz
     Osborne
     Ose
     Otter
     Owens
     Oxley
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Pastor
     Payne
     Pelosi
     Pence
     Peterson (MN)
     Peterson (PA)
     Petri
     Phelps
     Pickering
     Pitts
     Platts
     Pombo
     Pomeroy
     Portman
     Price (NC)
     Pryce (OH)
     Putnam
     Quinn
     Radanovich
     Rahall
     Ramstad
     Rangel
     Regula
     Rehberg
     Reyes
     Reynolds
     Riley
     Rivers
     Rodriguez
     Roemer
     Rogers (KY)
     Rogers (MI)
     Rohrabacher
     Ross
     Rothman
     Roukema
     Roybal-Allard
     Royce
     Rush
     Ryan (WI)
     Ryun (KS)
     Sabo
     Sanchez
     Sanders
     Sandlin
     Sawyer
     Saxton
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schrock
     Scott
     Sensenbrenner
     Serrano
     Shaw
     Shays
     Sherman
     Sherwood
     Shimkus
     Shows
     Shuster
     Simmons
     Simpson
     Skeen
     Skelton
     Slaughter
     Smith (MI)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (TX)
     Smith (WA)
     Snyder
     Solis
     Souder
     Spratt
     Stark
     Stearns
     Stenholm
     Strickland
     Stupak
     Sununu
     Sweeney
     Tancredo
     Tanner
     Tauscher
     Tauzin
     Taylor (MS)
     Terry
     Thomas
     Thompson (CA)
     Thornberry
     Thune
     Thurman
     Tiahrt
     Tiberi
     Tierney
     Toomey
     Towns
     Traficant
     Turner
     Udall (CO)
     Udall (NM)
     Upton
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Vitter
     Walden
     Walsh
     Wamp
     Waters
     Watkins (OK)
     Watson (CA)
     Watt (NC)
     Watts (OK)
     Weiner
     Weldon (FL)
     Weldon (PA)
     Weller
     Wexler
     Whitfield
     Wicker
     Wilson
     Wolf
     Woolsey
     Wu
     Wynn
     Young (AK)
     Young (FL)

                                NAYS--9

     Brady (TX)
     Coble
     Collins
     Paul
     Schaffer
     Sessions
     Shadegg
     Stump
     Taylor (NC)

                             NOT VOTING--14

     Barcia
     Bono
     Flake
     Hall (OH)
     Hastings (FL)
     Hinojosa
     Johnson, E. B.
     Lantos
     Meehan
     Meeks (NY)
     Mollohan
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Thompson (MS)
     Waxman

                              {time}  1429

  Mr. SNYDER changed his vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
  So the conference report was agreed to.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
  Stated for:
  Mrs. BONO. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 448 I was attending a 
ceremony unveiling a statue of my late husband, Sonny Bono, in Palm 
Springs, CA. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

                          ____________________