[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 158 (Thursday, October 18, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H11759]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            CALLING FOR A SECURITY SUMMIT AT O'HARE AIRPORT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. KIRK. Mr. Speaker, today's USA Today reports on a major security 
failure at two of our Nation's largest airports, Chicago's O'Hare and 
LAX. In a simulation conducted by the Transportation Security Agency, 
screeners at LAX missed 75 percent of hidden explosives and bomb parts 
carried through the security by undercover TSA agents.
  Screeners at Chicago's O'Hare missed these items 60 percent of the 
time. According to the report, bomb materials were packed away in 
toiletry kits, briefcases and CD players. Now, more than 6 years after 
September 11, we have to fix the security failures at major hubs like 
O'Hare and LAX.
  Security officials should call a security summit, bringing together 
local leaders and the Departments of Homeland Security and 
Transportation to schedule intensive retraining for TSA screeners, new 
testing standards, and accountability for lapses in security.
  Much of our safety and a great deal of our economy depends on the 
security of O'Hare Airport. We can do this. And a security summit to 
fix this glaring security problem would help.

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