Bush backs House aviation security bill; debate coming Thursday

House Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas, this afternoon confirmed the debate over airline security would take place Thursday as the Bush administration stepped up its support of the bill backed by House GOP leaders.

Armey said the media had made too much of White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card's comments on the Sunday talk shows that while Bush did not favor the Senate's approach that would federalize airport security personnel, he would not likely veto such a bill.

"He was given a hypothetical question. He answered it the best he could," Armey said. "I don't think anybody should make much of it."

Asked whether House Republicans had the votes to pass the bill backed by GOP leaders, Armey deferred the question to Majority Whip Tom DeLay, R-Texas, but added, "I have not talked to any member of the Republican Conference that said they would vote against the president on airline security."

Armey said the "more curious question" was which substitute Democrats choose to offer as an alternative, noting jurisdictional disputes in Democratic proposals.

Meanwhile, senators stepped up their call for the House to act on a bill, preferably the House version of their bill as sponsored by Reps. Greg Ganske, R-Iowa, and Robert Andrews, D- N.J.

"We know ... we have the most comprehensive bill and the most thought-out," said Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, a key sponsor of the Senate bill, which would federalize most airport security workers. That measure passed the Senate 100-0 earlier this month. "We're asking the House to vote and at least go to conference," she added.

The Air Line Pilots Association and flight attendants back the federalization approach and appeared with senators at a news conference today. The Ganske bill has 15 Republican cosponsors and almost all Democrats behind it, which is enough to pass the bill if lawmakers do not change their votes, aides said.

It appears that Democrats will try to offer the Ganske bill as their substitute bill when the bill sponsored by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Don Young, R-Alaska comes to the floor, but are leaving the door open about modifying it, depending on how the floor rule to bring it up is structured, aides said.

But the administration is beginning a full-court press for the Young bill, which does not federalize all workers but would improve standards and give the government more direct oversight over security screeners.

Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta is scheduled to meet with members of the conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition today on the Young bill, and many Republican moderates have been called to the White House this afternoon for discussions on the issue.

Bush this afternoon will meet with two contingents of lawmakers to press the case for his position. The groups will consist of at least a dozen members each and include Democrats and Republicans, a White House aide said.

Mineta also announced today additional security measures DOT will be taking to beef up security, including using special DOT agents to supplement airport inspectors, and reiterated the administration's call for passage of the Young bill.