[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 52 (Tuesday, April 26, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E768-E769]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCING A BILL TO ENHANCE THE SECURITY OF THE U.S. PASSENGER AIR 
                         TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES L. OBERSTAR

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 26, 2005

  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, today Congressman Costello, Congressman 
DeFazio and I have introduced a bill to enhance the security of the 
U.S. passenger air transportation system--The Airport 5 Screener 
Technology Improvement Act of 2005. This bill will create a Checkpoint 
Screening Security Fund for the TSA that will fund $250 million that 
has been authorized for the deployment of new checkpoint screening 
technologies. The bill also provides funds for $650 million a year, 
which has been authorized for the installation of in-line baggage 
screening systems.
  Mr. Speaker, last week the Department of Homeland Security Inspector 
General (DHS IG) and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) both 
released reports that indicate improvements are still needed in the 
screening process to ensure that dangerous prohibited items are not 
being carried on aircraft, or enter the checked baggage system. While 
the traveling public is more secure today than before September 11th, 
2001, airport screeners are not detecting prohibited items at the level 
we need. Regarding the causes of poor screener performance, the DHS IG 
stated--
  Despite the fact that the majority of screeners with whom our testers 
came into contact were diligent in the performance of their duties and 
conscious of the responsibility those duties carry, lack of improvement 
since our last audit indicates that significant improvement in 
performance may not be possible without greater use of technology. . . 
. We encourage TSA to expedite its testing programs and give priority 
to technologies, such as backscatter x-ray, that will enable the 
screening workforce to better detect both weapons and explosives.
  In response to the DHS IG's findings, the Transportation Security 
Administration (TSA) responded--
  We agree with the IG's conclusion that significant improvements in 
performance will only be possible with the introduction of new 
technology.
  Mr. Speaker, our screening system is failing us because this Congress 
and this Administration are failing both the screeners and the American 
traveling public. This Congress has arbitrarily capped the number of 
airport screeners at 45,000, and has provided neither the resources nor 
the technology for the screeners to get the job done. It is a failure 
of leadership and there are no more excuses.
  Last year, the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the 
United States (``the 9/11 Commission'') specifically recommended that 
the TSA and the Congress ``give priority attention to improving the 
ability of screenings checkpoints to detect explosives on passengers.'' 
The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (P.L. 108-458) 
authorized $250 million for the research and deployment of advanced 
passenger screening technologies, such as trace portals and backscatter 
x-ray systems. To date, only about $30 million has been appropriated 
specifically for the general deployment of these types of technologies.
  The 9/11 Commission also recommended that the TSA ``expedite the 
installation of advanced (in-line) baggage screening equipment.'' The 
Chairman of the 9/11 Commission testified before Congress that:
  The Commission supports an effort to move explosives units out of 
airport lobbies and into a secured area where they can be integrated 
into the process of moving the bags from the check-in counter to the 
loading area in a seamless, in-line process. This will promote greater 
security, because: (1) screening machines will not be exposed to the 
public; (2) screeners will be able to focus on screening bags rather 
than moving them; and (3) fewer people will be congregated around 
machines in the public area. Moreover, processing bags from checking to 
loading through an in-line system is functionally more efficient making 
travel more convenient as well as more secure.
  In addition to these benefits, in-line baggage screening systems have 
a much higher throughput than stand-alone systems. If we install in-
line systems, more bags will be screened by explosive detection systems 
instead of less reliable, alternative methods.
  The TSA and airport operators rely on commitments in letters of 
intent (LOIs) as their principal method for funding the modification

[[Page E769]]

of airport facilities to incorporate in-line baggage screening systems. 
The TSA has issued 8 LOIs to cover the costs of installing systems at 9 
airports for a total cost to the federal government of $957.1 million 
over 4 years. The GAO reports that TSA has estimated that in-line 
baggage screening systems at the 9 airports that received LOI funding 
could save the federal government $1.3 billion over 7 years. TSA 
further estimated that it could recover its initial investment in the 
in-line systems at these airports in a little over 1 year.
  In total, the GAO reports that 86 of 130 airports surveyed are 
planning or are considering installing in-line baggage screening 
systems throughout or at a portion of their airports. Moreover, GAO 
reports that TSA officials have identified 27 additional airports that 
they believe would benefit from receiving LOIs for in-line systems 
because such systems are needed to screen an increasing number of bags 
due to current or projected growth in passenger traffic. TSA officials 
stated that without such systems, these airports would not remain in 
compliance with the congressional mandate to screen all checked baggage 
using EDS or ETD. Yet, the TSA has also acknowledged that it currently 
does not have sufficient resources in its budget to fund any additional 
LOIs. While $650 million is authorized for the installation of in-line 
baggage screening systems, annual appropriations have not allowed for 
any new LOIs to be signed.
  Our bill will ensure funding for the screening technology we need. 
We're collecting over $1.5 billion a year from the passenger security 
fee. Our bill will put a portion of that fee into two funds that will 
guarantee that TSA will spend the authorized amount of $650 million a 
year and $250 million for the installation of in-line baggage screening 
systems and passenger checkpoint explosive detection respectively.
  Mr. Speaker, there is overwhelming evidence in the recommendations, 
findings and statements of the 9/11 Commission, the DHS IG, GAO and TSA 
that technology is sorely needed to improve security at our airports. 
We can no longer plead ignorance nor stand idly by and criticize 
airport screeners working the front line defense in the war on terror. 
We must demonstrate the leadership and the political will to do what we 
know is right and deploy technologies that will help our screeners get 
the job done, and keep the American public safe and secure. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in working to pass this important legislation.

                          ____________________