Dave Hobson                   Ohio’s

U.S. Congressman        7^th District

 

   1514 Longworth HOB, Washington, DC 20515 (202) 225-4324

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For Immediate Release—November 16, 2001

 

HOBSON PRAISES PASSAGE OF REVISED

AIRLINE SECURITY BILL

 

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative David Hobson (R-Springfield) today supported the final House passage of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2001, which was approved by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 410 to 9.

 

The landmark aviation security package will create a federalized airport screening system and insure 100 percent baggage screening at our nation’s airports. It also creates a Transportation Security Administration responsible for transportation security and establishes a uniform, consistent security system at our nation’s airports.

 

“Everyone always agreed that the status quo was unacceptable. This airline security bill reclaims the federal government’s responsibility for screening passengers and baggage from the airlines,

sets rigorous standards and qualifications for baggage screeners and expands the federal air marshal program. These are real improvements for the flying public,” Hobson said.

 

The legislation passed today was a compromise between differing House and Senate versions of airline security bills, and was agreed to yesterday by the Members of a U.S. House-Senate Conference Committee.

 

Other improvements in the final legislation include:

• The legislation will use a pilot program at five airports to test the performance of federal employees versus private employees with federal oversight.
• A deadline of 2003 for all baggage to be screened by the most advanced screening technology. The Senate bill did not have a deadline.
• All baggage screeners must be U.S. citizens. The Senate bill would have allowed hiring discrimination against certain types of citizens.
• Passenger fees to help finance the improvements will be capped at $2.50. The Senate bill would have assessed fees for each leg of a trip.
• The Undersecretary of Transportation will have the authority to decide whether to allow the unionization of federalized baggage screeners, and employees could not strike under any circumstances.

 

The compromise bill also corrects a provision in the Senate bill, which would have given the Department of Justice jurisdiction over baggage screening and the training of air marshals with the Department of Transportation only providing the screening technology. But Justice officials said they did not have the necessary expertise in these areas.

 

“This entire process reinforces the reason why the Constitution specifically created two houses of Congress. Rather than rubber stamp the flawed Senate bill, we were able to focus on correcting the problems in the Senate bill in a conference committee,” Hobson said.

 

“We now have an aviation security bill that is first and foremost about safety and security.  This compromise takes prudent steps to fix the problems that exist, while planning ahead to secure our skies and get our nation moving again,” Hobson said.

 

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