[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 45 (Thursday, March 15, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3193-S3194]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      COMMERCE PROVISIONS IN S. 4

  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I thank Senators Lieberman and Collins 
for working with the Commerce Committee to include important security 
measure in the bill that passed the Senate yesterday. And, I thank my 
longtime friend Senator Inouye for his willingness to work in committee 
and on the Senate floor on a bipartisan basis to develop and pass these 
measures.
  We have made tremendous strides to secure our Nation since the 
horrific attacks of September 11, particularly with respect to the 
security of our Nation's transportation systems, and ensuring 
interoperable communications needed most during times of crisis.
  As the debate over this bill demonstrates, our job is far from over, 
for there are still more improvements to be made and gaps to close. In 
matters of security, we must not become complacent; as our enemies 
adapt, so must we.
  The Commerce Committee's aviation and surface transportation 
legislation, which have been included in S. 4 will significantly 
enhance the ability of the Department of Homeland Security DHS, and the 
Transportation Security Administration TSA, to fulfill their missions. 
These provisions were developed by the Commerce Committee while Mindful 
of the delicate balance between implementing tough security measures 
and the effect such regulations may have on the Nation's economy and 
the movement of goods.

  The aviation provisions incorporated into S. 4 were reported by the 
Commerce Committee on February 13 as S. 509, the Aviation Security 
Improvement Act of 2007. The provisions incorporate aviation-related 9/
11 Commission recommendations, and provide TSA with additional tools to 
carry out its layered approach to security.
  To do this, the aviation security provisions dedicate continued 
funding for the installation of in-line explosive detection systems 
utilized for the enhanced screening of checked baggage at our Nation's 
airports.
  We all recognize the importance of screening 100 percent of cargo 
transported to and within the United States. Last Year, in the Safe 
Port Act, Congress acted to ensure that all cargo arriving in the U.S. 
by sea be screened. In S. 4, we ensure that 100 percent of air cargo 
also is screened. The U.S. air cargo supply chain handles over 50,000 
tons of cargo each day, of which 26 percent, is designated for domestic 
passenger carriers.

  Screening is particularly important in Alaska. Anchorage is the No. 1 
airport in the U.S. for landed weight of cargo, and it is No. 3 in the 
world for cargo throughput. Our provision requires TSA to develop and 
implement a system to provide for the screening of all cargo being 
carried on passenger aircraft.
  To address on-going concerns about passenger prescreening procedures, 
the legislation requires DHS to create an office of appeals and redress 
to establish a timely and fair process for airline passengers who 
believe they have been misidentified against the no-fly or selectee 
watchlists.
  TSA's layered approach to security relies not only upon equipment and 
technological advances, but also upon improved security screening 
techniques employed by the TSA screeners, as well as the use of very 
effective canines. This legislation calls for TSA's national explosives 
detection canine team to deploy more of these valuable resources across 
the Nation's transportation network.
  Mr. President, the bill passed by the Senate today also contains the 
provisions of S. 184, the Surface Transportation and Rail Security Act 
of 2007, which also was developed and reported on a bipartisan basis by 
the Commerce Committee.
  While the aviation industry has received most of the attention and 
funding for security, the rail and transit attacks in Britain, Spain, 
and India all point to a common strategy utilized by terrorists. The 
openness of our surface transportation network presents unique security 
challenges. The vastness of these systems requires targeted allocation 
of our resources based on risk.
  Most of the surface transportation security provisions in the bill 
before the Senate today have been included previously as part of other 
transportation security bills introduced by Senator Inouye, Senator 
McCain, and myself. Many of the provisions in the substitute amendment 
passed the Senate unanimously last Congress, as well as in the 108th 
Congress. Each time, however, the House of Representatives has not 
found the need to address rail, pipeline, motor carrier, hazardous 
materials, and over-the-road bus security. The time has come to get 
these provisions to the President's desk.
  The substitute also contains the provisions of the Commerce 
Committee-reported measure, S. 385, the Interoperable Emergency 
Communications Act. Since 2001, we have heard the cries of public 
safety officials that the police, firefighters and emergency medical 
response personnel throughout the country need help achieving 
interoperability.
  With this $1 billion program that helps every State, public safety 
will be able to move forward with real solutions and begin addressing 
the problems that have plagued our Nation's first responders for too 
long.
  The legislation addresses the public safety issues that have been 
brought to the Commerce Committee's attention. It also creates a $100 
million fund to establish both Federal and State strategic technology 
reserves that will restore communications quickly in disasters equal in 
scale to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
  Added as amendments to the bill were a number of additional Commerce 
Committee items, for which I thank the managers of the bill, as well as 
Chairman Inouye for their support.
  Included among those provisions was a measure that represents an 
important step forward for public safety because it approved the 9-1-1 
modernization Act, which was reported last month by the Commerce 
Committee. I

[[Page S3194]]

offered this measure with Senators Clinton, Inouye Hutchison, Snowe, 
Smith, and Vitter.
  The amendment provides advanced borrowing authority so that $43.5 
million can be made available for 9-1-1 upgrades which are desperately 
needed throughout the country--especially in rural America. Congress 
previously allocated these funds in the digital television transition 
legislation, but without the borrowing authority language, public 
safety would have to wait until after the digital transition auction 
before they could receive these important funds.
  Also added was an amendment sponsored by Chairman Inouye that I 
cosponsored that establishes a national registered armed law 
enforcement program for law enforcement officers who need to be armed 
while traveling by air. This law enforcement provision builds upon 
mandates in the Intelligence Reform Act of 2004.
  An additional amendment was sponored by Chairman Inouye with my 
cosponsorship that enhances the canine provisions in the underlying 
bill by expanding the national explosives detection canine team 
training program. Beyond increasing the training capacity at the 
current facility at Lackland Air Force Base as provided in the 
underlying bill, the amendment adopted would require DHS to explore 
options of creating a standardized TSA-approved canine program that 
private sector entities could utilize to meet the ongoing need for 
canines.
  We must not politicize national security. The Commerce Committee 
initiatives included in the pending bill were achieved only because of 
bipartisanship. I am pleased that the development and passage of the 
bill was conducted by the bill managers in that same spirit. And while 
some provisions contained within the bill need to be further 
developed--as many of our colleagues have highlighted over the past few 
weeks--I voted in favor of the bill as I support the preponderance of 
its contents.

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