[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Page 18707]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                           AVIATION SECURITY

  Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, the day of September 11 has been 
eloquently described by the preceding speaker, Senator Torricelli. Its 
consequences are unknown. In fact, one of the great questions none of 
us can answer at this point is: What are the unintended consequences of 
what will follow this attack over a period of weeks and months?
  However, this is not our purpose. Our purpose is to get an aviation 
security bill done. That is why this Senator from West Virginia chooses 
to speak.
  I wish to make a couple of very clear points. We have not yet passed 
an aviation security bill. There were those who said, no, you cannot 
work on the aviation industry's financial condition until you have done 
an aviation security bill. That was an understandable argument, as well 
as those who talk about people who have lost their jobs. There really 
was not much point in doing an aviation security bill if there weren't 
any airplanes flying. That had to be done as a first order of business.
  They are flying. They have picked up a modest amount of business. It 
has increased about 7 percent in the last week, but they are still in a 
very bad position, even with the money we gave them after forcing them 
to ground all of their airplanes for a period of time.
  In any event, that and the loan guarantees part is done and so now we 
move on to aviation security, which we ought to do. One could say, 
well, that is a fairly easy subject. We could go ahead and do that 
promptly and without much fuss.
  That is not quite the case. There is a lot involved, which is 
serious, which is complex, a lot of back and forth about which is the 
best agency to do this or that and how do people feel about it, what 
are the costs involved.
  That being said, the Department of Transportation, under President 
Bush's leadership, immediately after September 11, took some very 
strong steps with respect to our airports and our airlines. Within 
days, Congress sent, as I have indicated, its strong support with an 
emergency financial package that, in fact, included $3 billion, still 
unknown to most people, for airport security. That was included to be 
used at the discretion of the President, which was fine. Most of that 
has been used for sky marshals and other items. Urgent aviation 
security efforts are already in place. The money is there. Now we are 
talking about a bill for a broader aviation security purpose.
  In the few weeks that have passed since September 11, a large group 
has been working around the clock through a lot of very contentious 
issues, not easy issues, to try to resolve what should be in an 
aviation security bill that would best serve the Nation, not just in 
the next months but in the coming years. One can say, therefore, that 
the Aviation Security Act is a result of these efforts. It is not 
finally worked out. There was to be a meeting this morning with the 
Secretary of Transportation. He was called to the White House. There 
are still details pending. That is not the point. We are on it and 
moving at the point, for those who come down to speak on it, because we 
want this done if at all possible this week, with the American people 
knowing that aviation security is at the top of our legislative agenda.
  I am very proud to have joined Senator Hollings, Senator McCain, 
Senator Hutchinson as original cosponsors, and I rise in strong support 
of the managers' amendment because we have been working closely with 
Senator Lott and Senator Daschle. I can report there is broad 
bipartisan support within this body on both sides of the aisle as to 
what we ought to do. That has come through in meetings and compromises. 
That is a very important fact and bodes well for the bill.
  The truth is, the horrific attacks of September 11 do reflect broad 
intelligence and other failures.

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