[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 15]
[House]
[Pages 21406-21407]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                     FEDERALIZING AIRPORT EMPLOYEES

  (Mr. GRAVES asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, as we discuss the characteristics of an 
aviation security bill we must not lose focus of our responsibility to 
the flying public. Airline passengers must feel safe before they return 
en masse to the skies. Nothing will guarantee their safety until all 
items placed on an aircraft are thoroughly screened by skilled 
professionals using the best available technology. As we implement new 
changes to be aviation security, we must ensure that all baggage 
entering the plane is properly screened.
  I want to thank the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) and the 
gentleman

[[Page 21407]]

from Florida (Mr. Mica) for their untiring efforts to draft the most 
comprehensive, sensible transportation security legislation possible. 
Enforcing strict Federal supervision on the Nation's screening programs 
makes sense. Furthermore, it is a method proven to work. Simply 
federalizing 28,000 employees will not change the quality of our 
screening process.
  Now is the not the time to implement a one-size-fits-all cure. 
Rather, the security needs of each airport should determine what 
screening measures work best for their particular situation. It is 
absurd to think that mere federalization is the answer to such severe 
structural problems that presently exist.
  Mr. Speaker, I adamantly believe that the Federal role is to set the 
standard and enforce it. Then each situation must be met as it 
dictates. I urge my colleagues to vote for H.R. 3150, the 
Transportation Act of 2001.

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