Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Democrats Win on Federalized Airport Workers
NewsMax.com ^ | Thursday, Nov. 15, 2001 | NewsMax.com Wires and NewsMax.com

Posted on 11/16/2001 1:19:03 PM PST by Cacophonous

WASHINGTON – Fearing they might have to work over Thanksgiving, congressional negotiators Thursday reached a "compromise" on airport security that gave proponents of federalization nearly everything they wanted. One senior Democratic aide told CNN the deal was a "huge victory for federalization and a token gesture for privatization."

"For us it's a big victory because you're talking about five airports in the whole country not being federalized," the aide said. "Security companies may not be able to survive on only five airports."

House and Senate negotiators had been arguing over whether to make airport security workers and baggage screeners federal employees.

"I think we have an agreement," Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, told reporters on Capitol Hill after meeting with Senate and House conferees who have been working for weeks to reconcile two bills passed by the chambers.

The House GOP conference met Thursday afternoon to discuss the agreement. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., told reporters on his way in that he expected it to be accepted, even by conservatives who battled to kill the Senate approach.

"It's a victory for both sides" insisted Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss. He called it a "good agreement" that has the support of the White House.

The battle, which had grown increasingly contentious over the past week, raged between the unanimously passed Senate bill to federalize all airport security workers and a plan passed by the House to add federal supervision.

Under the terms of the deal, screeners will be, except in a few cases, federal employees, but some qualified airports might be able to retain private employees if they meet certain conditions. A broader opt-out program would be in place after three years.

The federal employees working at security checkpoints would fall under the Department of Transportation but would not be offered the same civil service protections as other federal employees, according to Rep. John Mica, R-Fla. They would be allowed to unionize but not to strike, he said. All employees would have to be U.S. citizens.

This deal, if it holds up through final floor votes, is much closer to the Senate approach.

House Majority Whip Tom DeLay and Majority Leader Dick Armey, both Republicans from Texas, led the fight against the ultimately successful Senate approach, apparently unable to change the bill substantially.

Republicans said federalization would expand the federal bureaucracy without any increased security benefits. They pointed to the incompetence of such federal agencies as the Immigration and Naturalization Service and FBI, noted that it would be much more difficult to fire government employees for incompetence, and said the Democrats wanted to add to their core of voters by increasing the government workforce.

Democrats and the Senate said that only federal law enforcement officers can protect airports.

Both plans were to be paid for through a flight surcharge and would allow the reinforcement of airplane cockpit doors to protect crews. The Senate version also would allow pilots to carry firearms at work, but it was unknown if that provision survived the conference talks.

Copyright 2001 by United Press International. All rights reserved.


TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS:
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 241-249 next last
Well, the "Party of Small Government" has done it again. I wonder of the GOP ever tires of castrating itself.
1 posted on 11/16/2001 1:19:03 PM PST by Cacophonous
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Cacophonous
Looks like Trent Lott and the other spineless GOP have fumbled another one.
2 posted on 11/16/2001 1:19:03 PM PST by NC Conservative
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cacophonous
There are so few spines in the entire GOP that it's laughable. Grand Old Patsies.

MM

3 posted on 11/16/2001 1:19:03 PM PST by MississippiMan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cacophonous
"I wonder of the GOP ever tires of castrating itself."

Apparently not.

4 posted on 11/16/2001 1:19:04 PM PST by itsinthebag
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cacophonous
We can always count on congress to be completely useless.

The terrorists knew what they were doing when they missed their chance to catch congress in session and hit more important targets instead. They left us hamstringed, and open for further terrorism at the hands of our own home-grown nest of congress-snakes.

5 posted on 11/16/2001 1:19:04 PM PST by piasa
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cacophonous
YEAH !!!!!!

Airports will now run as efficiently and effectivly as your local DMV.

6 posted on 11/16/2001 1:19:04 PM PST by michaelje
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cacophonous
Fearing they might have to work over Thanksgiving, congressional negotiators Thursday reached a "compromise"... "It's a victory for both sides" insisted Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss. He called it a "good agreement" that has the support of the White House.

Enjoy your freaking turkey, you spineless bitch.

7 posted on 11/16/2001 1:19:04 PM PST by mvscal
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NC Conservative
It makes one wonder if they fumbled it or spiked it...I mean, c'mon, no one could be that spineless all the time, or that unlucky, or that bad a negotiator.
8 posted on 11/16/2001 1:19:04 PM PST by Cacophonous
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: NC Conservative
That's TRAITOR LOTT - he gave Henry Hyde the Byrd and he's been sticking it to us ever since ... don't ever forget it.
9 posted on 11/16/2001 1:19:04 PM PST by Steven W.
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Cacophonous
Police state airports, ever deal with the government.
10 posted on 11/16/2001 1:19:04 PM PST by mbb bill
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cacophonous
The first eight words of this story explain the outcome.
11 posted on 11/16/2001 1:19:04 PM PST by 3AngelaD
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cacophonous
I wonder of the GOP ever tires of castrating itself.

Castration would imply that they actually had balls to remove in the first place.

12 posted on 11/16/2001 1:19:04 PM PST by mvscal
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cacophonous
Spineless Lott and the others are only good at voting to raise their own salaries; Heaven Forbid that they might have to stay a day or two into their Thanksgiving vacation so they can fight for principle. After all, that's what they were elected for.
13 posted on 11/16/2001 1:19:04 PM PST by laconic
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: piasa
This is the most ridiculous piece of legislation I have ever seen. I just posted on another thread but here goes again.

No one seems to realize or refuse to admit that the baggage screeners did absolutely nothing wrong on 9/11. Those box cutters were perfectly legal at the time. Geez...they even had steak knives in first class for crying out loud. The failure was at the INS, CIA, and FBI levels. But everyone needs a target so they rail against the baggage screeners!!

I get so mad just thinking about this. The fact that they bill allows for up to 2 years to federalize everyone should raise a red flag. Even the bozos in Congress know it isn't the screeners fault. What is ocurring here is blatant politics, pure and simple. All symbolism and no substance whatsoever. It stinks.

14 posted on 11/16/2001 1:19:04 PM PST by Wphile
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Cacophonous
Wimps!
15 posted on 11/16/2001 1:19:04 PM PST by aomagrat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cacophonous
I wonder of the GOP ever tires of castrating itself.

The GOP is not castrating itself. It's just as much a party of power and big government as the Democrats. When are we going to understand that fact?

The government is only interested in the government.

16 posted on 11/16/2001 1:19:04 PM PST by Beenliedto
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: mvscal
"Castration would imply that they actually had balls to remove in the first place."

Good obeservation.

17 posted on 11/16/2001 1:19:05 PM PST by michaelje
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Cacophonous
What I don't get is why is it that time after time they will make a stand on principle that gets them plastered in the press, then they cave AFTER the damage is done.

They have already abandoned the principle here, agreeing to a federalized screener work force makes them look weak for not standing up for what they believe, and vindictive for stretching out the time for it to happen. If they were going to agree to it, they should have just gone whole hog and implemented it today.

Stupid party. Put Rich Galen in charge or something.

18 posted on 11/16/2001 1:19:05 PM PST by blaster88
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Cacophonous
Well, this looks to me like a confirmation that Flight 587 was a terrorist sabotage. Congress wanted to make a quick move to offset the notion that they were not moving fast enough on airport security measures.
19 posted on 11/16/2001 1:19:05 PM PST by Azzurri
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cacophonous; Victoria Delsoul
House Majority Whip Tom DeLay and Majority Leader Dick Armey, both Republicans from Texas, led the fight against the ultimately successful Senate approach, apparently unable to change the bill substantially.

Add Ron Paul and you have, what, three honorable Congressmen?

20 posted on 11/16/2001 1:19:05 PM PST by Sir Gawain
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 241-249 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson