[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 79 (Thursday, June 6, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E819]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2014

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                               speech of

                     HON. DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 5, 2013

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2217) making 
     appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for 
     the fiscal year ending September 30, 2014, and for other 
     purposes:

  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of the 
Grimm amendment to the FY 2014 Department of Homeland Security 
Appropriations Bill. I'm proud to be a co-sponsor of this amendment 
which would prohibit the Transportation Security Administration from 
moving forward with a policy to allow knives to be carried on to 
airplanes.
  While I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, I commend the 
TSA for their announcement today that they will no longer pursue a 
policy to allow knives in carry-on luggage on planes. TSA is putting 
public safety first with this decision. They are listening to the 
serious concerns raised by flight attendants, pilots, TSA screeners, 
air marshals, airlines, and the American public.
  It is our job to ensure that government takes common-sense measures 
to increase the safety of our commercial air transportation system. 
While we can never ensure complete safety, prohibiting passengers from 
bringing knives onto planes is a reasonable post-9/11 measure that 
should be kept in place.
  Safety should always be our number one priority when evaluating 
changes to airline policy. I commend TSA for their commitment to 
keeping our skies and the American public as safe as possible.
  I urge my colleagues to support the Grimm amendment.

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