[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 21612]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 21612]]

             SECURE TRANSPORTATION FOR AMERICA ACT OF 2001

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, November 1, 2001

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 3150) to 
     improve aviation security, and for other purposes:

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to H.R. 
3150, the Secure Transportation Security Enhancement Act of 2001. Mr. 
Chairman, this legislation is a misguided attempt to provide security 
for our nation's airport system. This legislation continues to rely on 
federal oversight of airport security rather than taking the additional 
steps to make airport security a federal responsibility. Therefore, 
H.R. 3150 does not meet the stringent test needed for adequately 
protecting the public.
  Mr. Chairman, H.R. 3150 is about seven weeks late in making its way 
to the floor of the House of Representatives. We all realize that 
patience will be required in our current war against terrorism. This 
will be a long journey. Nevertheless, this Congress must be diligent to 
put forth timely legislation that will protect the public and sustain 
our economy. Although I am pleased that we are voting on this measure 
today, I am disappointed that H.R. 3150 does not address the security 
needs of our nation's airports.
  For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to support the Oberstar 
Amendment which will be offered in the nature of a substitute. The 
Oberstar Amendment incorporates the text of S. 1447, as passed by the 
Senate.
  The Oberstar substitute contains a number of provisions that would 
significantly improve airport security.
  First, under the Oberstar substitute, FAA is directed to develop a 
program leading to 100 percent screening of checked baggage. While this 
program is being developed, FAA is required to make increased use of 
positive passenger bag match.
  Secondly, the Oberstar substitute mandates cockpit doors and locks 
that cannot be opened by anyone other than the flight crew, with no in-
flight access, except for entrance and exit by members of the flight 
deck crew.
  Thirdly, the Oberstar substitute authorizes the Department of 
Transportation to place Air Marshals on all aircraft. Finally, this 
substitute provides anti-hijack training for flight crews.
  Mr. Chairman, the Oberstar substitute would require Under Secretary 
of Transportation for Security to develop a personnel system for 
airport screeners employed by the Transportation Security 
Administration. When fully implemented, these screeners will be 
equipped with the equipment and skills to protect the public. These 
screeners, Mr. Chairman, will be paid well and directly accountable to 
the Under Secretary for Transportation. I believe that this provision 
is a balanced approach to meet airport security concerns because the 
Secretary would be able to hold the employees accountable for their 
service and work product.
  Mr. Chairman, H.R. 3150 does not take this approach. In fact, H.R. 
3150 does nothing to make Americans feel safe to fly again, even though 
82 percent of the American public favors a system where federal 
security screening personnel are employees of the Transportation 
Security Administration. I was recently on a flight that had only 16 
passengers. After the September 11th terrorist attacks on America, 
Americans have grave concerns about the safety of airline travel.
  While Argenbright Security Inc. says it followed regulations for 
screening the highjacked flights, aviation experts say the company is 
part of a system badly in need of a more fundamental fixing--a system 
where the work goes to the low bidder, not to the company with the most 
experience.
  H.R. 3150 perpetuates the problems of the current airport security 
system whereby the bottom line is money rather than security. This 
system leaves traveler's safety to a system of screeners who are paid 
less than fast-food restaurant workers, and who leave the job as fast 
as they come. This market-oriented federal supervision of airport 
security must come to an end. Furthermore, Mr. Chairman, the future of 
airport security lies in Biometrics--a method of measuring a person's 
physical characteristics such as fingerprint patterns or the geometry 
of the hand or face. I am confident that screeners, under the current 
system, will not be properly trained to handle advanced technologies 
such as Biometrics.
  Mr. Chairman, we still have considerable unfinished legislative 
business to conduct as a result of the September 11th attack on 
America. We need to move quickly to provide extended unemployment and 
health insurance benefits to more than 100,000 airline industry 
employees who have lost their jobs.
  Mr. Chairman, we need to pass the Hastings legislation that would 
include the extension of unemployment benefits from 26 weeks to 78 
weeks. Also, the Hastings legislation would extend job training 
benefits from 26 weeks to 78 weeks, and provides up to 78 weeks of 
federally subsidized COBRA premiums.
  Also, we need to pass H. Con. Res. 228 because the children who lost 
a parent as a result of the attack on America are in need of services 
such as foster care assistance, adoption assistance, medical, 
nutritional and psychological care.
  The children of these families may have developed Post Traumatic 
Stress Disorder as a result of experiencing or witnessing the horrific 
deaths caused by these tragic events.
  This resolution prioritizes the delivery of such federal services 
already available under current law. To expedite the fastest possible 
delivery, this resolution expresses the sense of Congress urging the 
head of each Federal agency responsible to put the highest possible 
priority on delivery, and to the maximum extent possible, to do so 
within 60 days of the date of the determination of the death of the 
child's parent or guardian.
  Also, Mr. Chairman, we need to pass legislation to protect our 
homeland from terrorist attacks. As a member of the Homeland Security 
Task Force and Vice-Chair of the Domestic Law Enforcement Working 
Group, I helped develop a legislative initiative entitled ``The 
Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2001'' (BioP Act). We need to bring this 
legislation to the floor as soon as possible so that we can ensure 
Americans that this country is serious about every aspect of our 
safety.

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