Posted on 11/16/2001 1:17:08 PM PST by freedomcrusader
Aviation Bill to Federalize Workers
Updated: Thu, Nov 15 11:54 AM EST
By JIM ABRAMS, Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) - House and Senate negotiators reached a tentative agreement Thursday on legislation aimed at making the nation's airports and airplanes more secure. All airport screeners would become federal employees within two years.
"I think we have an agreement," the House Transportation Committee chairman, Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, said after an hourlong meeting of five negotiators from each chamber.
Young and other lawmakers declined to discuss specifics, but aides, speaking on background, said the negotiators had agreed to a phased-in system under which all airport baggage screeners would become federal workers.
Under the tentative deal, the government would take immediate responsibility for the oversight of screeners. Within two years all screeners would become employees of the federal government. However, individual airports that meet strict federal standards could opt out of the system and use local law enforcement officials or private security firms for screening functions.
The negotiators also agreed that passengers would pay a fee of $2.50 every time they get on a plane to finance increased security measures. There would be a maximum $5 charge per trip.
The House and Senate negotiators had been stuck for several weeks on the issue of screeners. The bill passed by the Senate would create a new federal work force of 28,000 screeners. The House bill would put screeners under the supervision of the federal government but left it to the administration to decide whether screeners would become civil servants or remain employees of private security firms.
With the holiday season approaching and Americans still shying away from flying because of post-Sept. 11 security concerns, President Bush on Tuesday urged Congress to work day and night to give him an aviation security bill.
"I plead with the conferees to quickly reach agreement," said Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., at a hearing of his Governmental Affairs Committee,where transportation officials outlined continuing security problems at airports since Sept. 11. "It will be truly outrageous if Congress leaves for Thanksgiving without passing aviation security legislation."
The two bills agree on most points, such as fortifying cockpit doors, increasing air marshals on flights and moving toward screening of all check-in bags. Differences remain on whether aviation security should be under the jurisdiction of the Justice Department or Transportation Department and on language in the House bill giving liability protection to building owners and others affected by the attacks on the World Trade Center.
But there was a consensus that the other parts would fall into place once the screener issue was settled. "The climate is there," said Sen. John Breaux, D-La., one of the negotiators.
Transportation Department Inspector General Kenneth Mead told the Senate Governmental Affairs hearing that numerous measures had been taken since Sept. 11 to bolster security. He cited reinforced cockpit doors, use of law enforcement officials and National Guard at airport checkpoints, background checks of airport personnel, use of FBI watch lists to identify suspicious passengers, and allowing only ticketed passengers beyond screening points.
But he said there were "still alarming lapses of security" and that steps taken would remain patchwork until Congress moves to enact fundamental changes.
Fewer than 10 percent of checked bags at the nation's airports are inspected for bombs and one overworked detection machine operator was found falling asleep on the job, Mead said.
He said that even those airports that have the $1 million machines often use them only sporadically. A survey by his office over the past weekend of 30 machines at nine airports found that 73 percent were not in continuous use.
Mead said checks over the past several weeks found some 90 security problems, including screeners missing dangerous items such as knives in carryon bags and airlines not carrying out random checks of passengers.
One of the big problems, those at the hearing said, was a lack of consistency. "You know something is wrong when screeners are confiscating thousands of nail clippers but allowing people with arsenals of weapons through," said Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.
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The House bill is H.R. 3150
The Senate bill is S. 1447.
See the following thread on the difficulties of firing these idiots once they become Federal employees:
The Pubbies cave again!
However, individual airports that meet strict federal standards could opt out of the system and use local law enforcement officials or private security firms for screening functions.
Huh?
It'll be interesting to see these standards. That will be the most telling part of this agreement.
This is what the GOP argued for. Strict standards that would be oversaw by federals.
If the AP is calling them strict, then they're probably impossible to meet.
The AP writer probably never read it.
What incentive, other than none apparent, do the local folks have to keep it local as opposed to going Federal?
Cost.
Also, some cities may meet the standards and the rest won't. Will you like living in a city where the employees are federal? You won't have a choice of an airport with non-federal employees if you want to fly...
Cowardly republicans who compromise away our great Republic are truly the dung on the bottom of a liberal's shoe.
It is time to start petitions to recall all of these cowardly republicans!
I assumed that the additional charge on passengers would be available to pay for a private security company and the airport would pocket the difference or offer lower fare.
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