July
22, 2002
USA
Today Editorial Says it All
How
Can a Bill to Promote Homeland Security Include a Provision to
Extend the Deadline for Screening Airline Baggage for
Explosives?
Dear
Colleague:
H.R. 5005, the bill to
establish the Department of Homeland Security, ordered reported by the Select
Committee last week, includes a provision to extend the December 31, 2002
deadline for screening all checked airline baggage for explosives. This extension was not requested by the
Administration, which has repeatedly testified that the Department of
Transportation will meet the deadline.
An extension at this time will stop the program in its tracks and
substantially delay the installation of equipment that could be installed in the
next few months. Screening airline
baggage by explosive detection equipment is the only effective way to prevent a
suicide bomber from bringing down an aircraft.
An editorial in this
morning’s USA Today states the case compellingly :
“… In fact, just when a sense of urgency is most needed,
some members of Congress are trying to remove the pressure. Last Friday, a House committee amended a
homeland security bill to extend the baggage-screening deadline to the end of
2003 because it felt the 2002 deadline was impossible to meet and would cause
lengthy airport waits. In doing so,
lawmakers caved in to airport directors — a familiar pattern that has undercut
air security in the past.
“But Congress had already
given the TSA the ability to deal with screening delays by using alternative
methods until all the scanners are in place. The proposed deadline extension would
give the TSA unnecessary cover for further delays.”
When the Homeland
Security Bill gets to the Floor this week, we must amend it to
delete the provision extending the deadline for screening airline baggage for
explosives!
Sincerely,
James L. Oberstar
Ranking Democratic Member