Date: 2001-11-16
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise in strong support of the Aviation Security conference report. First. I want to commend the conferees for their dedication and hard work in reaching a compromise that has broad support from the Congress and the American people. I want to especially thank the Ranking Members of the full committee and the Aviation Subcommittee. respectively. Mr. OBERSTAR and Mr. LIPINSKI for their persistence and leadership. After the terrorist attacks of September 11. 2001. the American people were understandably reluctant to fly again. In the period immediately following the resumption of air traffic. airlines reported that load factors on their flights had plummeted. even after cutting back on the number of flights available. Airlines were also reporting millions of dollars of operating losses each day. and some were on the verge of bankruptcy. The disruption of the airline industry also threatened small businesses located at our nations airports. such as restaurants and newsstands. who depend on heavy passenger flows through airports. Under those conditions. Congress acted swiftly to pass the Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act to provide an immediate infusion of funds for the airlines and to provide loan guarantees to ensure that the airlines regained access to capital markets. However. we all realized that passage of that legislation would be a Pyrrhic victory if Congress did not quickly enact legislation to restore the traveling publics confidence in security at our airports and in the skies. Although it has taken nearly two months. I am pleased that Congress is now finally taking that step. The conference agreement provides the additional security that Americans have- demanded by making all passenger and baggage screening at most airports in the nation a federal responsibility for at least two years. However. five airports. each of different size. will be allowed to participate in a DOTsupervised pilot program where passenger and baggage screening will be performed by private contractors. Afterthe initial twoyear period. individual airports will be given the option of requesting that screening be performed by private contractors or by local law enforcement officials. The applicants will have the benefit of the experience of the five pilot airports and still must meet or exceed baseline standards in order to have their applications to defederalize passenger and baggage screening approved by DOT. The conference agreement also includes numerous noncontroversial items. such as provision for additional air marshals. reinforcement of cockpit doors. and additionaltraining to flight crews to better equip them to respond to hijacking situations. I am particularly pleased that the conference agreement includes two provisions regarding background checks. First. the agreement provides that criminal background checks will be required for all persons with access to secured areas of airports. This was a suggestion that I conveyed to the leadership of the Committee on behalf of DFW International Airport in my district. Certainly. we want to ensure that terrorists or other dangerous individuals do not infiltrate such sensitive areas. Second. the agreement provides that bickground checks be required for any foreign national seeking instruction in the operation of aircraft over 12.500 pounds and that flight school employees will be trained to recognize suspicious activities. I believe this provision adequately addresses concerns raised by constituents and other residents of the DallasFort Worth Metroplex that Syrian nationals had been allowed to receive flight training at Forth Worths Meacham Airport after the events of September 11. Now that we have addressed the financial distress of the airlines and the security concems of passengers. we still have one important item of unfinished businessthe health and livelihoods of the more than 100.000 airline employees and others who have lost their jobs as a result of September 11. I strongly urge that provisions extending unemployment benefits and COBRA coverage be included in any economic stimulus package and hope that we can act on the legislation shortly after we return after the Thanksgiving holiday.