Conferees near compromise deal on air security personnel

House and Senate aviation security conferees appeared to be moving closer to a deal over airport security personnel, swapping new offers on the issue all day Wednesday in a process that could clear the way for the conference to be completed as early as today, lawmakers said.

Senate Commerce Chairman Ernest Hollings, D-S.C., cancelled a scheduled public meeting of conferees Wednesday in favor of meeting privately with a select group of House and Senate negotiators to discuss new suggestions on how to broach the thorny issue of whether screeners should be federal workers.

In meetings today, Hollings, ranking member John McCain, R- Ariz., Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Don Young, R-Alaska, and Transportation and Infrastructure Aviation Subcommittee Chairman John Mica, R-Fla., discussed a proposal that would require airports to employ federal screeners unless they petitioned to opt out.

Although lawmakers declined to discuss specifics, sources said the proposal originated with Senate Democrats and has the support of some Senate Republicans.

"I'm not going to talk about it," Hollings told reporters. "We're still working on it."

Minority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., who also is on the conference, said the idea was being discussed as a way to "give some flexibility to the people on the ground."

Also, House Republicans made some suggestions about a private screener workforce with federal supervision, as in their original bill. But they said they could agree to allow airports to opt into a federal workforce, sources said.

Another idea, by Rep. John Duncan, R-Tenn., would set up a public corporation to oversee the screening process, which a spokesman said could be considered if other options are rejected.

"There are several ideas on the table," said Hutchison, who proposed a system that would federalize workers at the busiest 31 airports Monday, adding that she was "cautiously optimistic" a deal could be reached today.

However, a key Democratic aide said "nothing has been presented that seems to be mutually acceptable so far."

Nicholas Calio, the White House chief lobbyist, was on Capitol Hill Wednesday and said that the White House wants to "resolve the issue as soon as possible." Calio said he took the cancellation of the public meeting as "an encouraging sign."

Aside from the screening issue, conferees are also discussing options behind the scenes to narrow the liability protection provisions from the House bill.

Also, the issue of whether the Transportation Department or the Justice Department should take charge is still up for debate, said Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., who would prefer the Justice Department take the reins.

Aides to the conferees were expected to continue to meet Wednesday and conferees said they would likely meet again in private today.