Senators press House to federalize airport security

Senate Commerce Committee members asked President Bush today to increase pressure on the House to pass an aviation security bill while urging their House counterparts to move swiftly so a bill could become law. "Safety delayed is safety denied," said Senate Commerce Chairman Ernest Hollings, D-S.C., who along with ranking member John McCain, R-Ariz., pushed a bill through the Senate earlier this month on a 100-0 vote. Without a new law "the American people do not have the confidence they need to have to fly on an airplane," McCain said. "This is the cruelest kind of hoax on the American people," Sen. John (Jay) Rockefeller, D-W.Va., said. "Until we get an economic stimulus bill, this is the economic stimulus bill," Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., said. Hollings said House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., had indicated to him that a bill could be up in the House this week, but Hollings said he was unable to speak with House Majority Whip Tom Delay, R-Texas, who is a major opponent of the Senate bill. House Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas, said today there was some chance airline security legislation would come to the floor this week, but he said it was more likely to be on the agenda next week. He said the bill would probably come to the floor under a rule and that Democrats would be allowed to offer a substitute that calls for fully federalizing airport "screeners." The House GOP leadership supports language that would leave federalization to the President's discretion, Armey said, noting that President Bush has proposed a plan that would leave contract workers in place, supervised by federal officers. The Senate bill would federalize most airport security workers, secure cockpit doors and deploy more sky marshals, among other measures to beef up air safety. Some House GOP leaders so far have been resistant to bringing up a bill because they are concerned they would not have the votes to prevent security workers from becoming federal workers. Senators also dismissed arguments House Republicans have been using against federalization, such as calling for the United States to follow the European model of aviation security in which there is federal oversight but private workers. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, said while European airport security workers have federal oversight and the European government pays for their benefits, this would not happen in a U.S. system. McCain dismissed the concerns that have been raised about workers forming unions, saying the issue "should not in any way" be a part of the debate. Hollings noted that a provision in the Senate bill would keep workers from striking. President Bush continues to oppose full federalization of airport screeners and baggage checkers, calling into question whether a deal can struck on an airline security bill before the busy Thanksgiving travel season. Bush raised the issue during his weekly meeting at the White House with Hastert, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss. and House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, D-Mo. White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said Tuesday that Bush continues to support increasing standards for airport workers, but questions the utility of putting them on the federal payroll. Bush on Tuesday urged the leaders to come together quickly on the bill, but laid down no timetable. The possibility of Bush issuing an executive order revamping airline security procedures was raised at the meeting, but the President emphasized that congressional action was preferable, Fleischer said.