Senate bill to federalize airport security stalls

Work in the Senate on a measure to have the federal government take over airport security ground to a halt Thursday, as at least two meetings between Senate negotiators and Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta were canceled.

Mineta did meet with the House GOP leadership, which is crafting its own version of an aviation security bill.

House leaders reportedly objected to going ahead with a possible compromise between the White House and the Senate calling for federalization of airport screeners.

While the Senate aviation security bill would federalize most airport security workers, House Republicans and the administration have been holding out for a combined, public- private response--noting that civil servants who do an inadequate job are more difficult to fire.

But a rift may be developing among House leaders on how to proceed with the bill, a key GOP aide told CongressDaily.

According to the Associated Press, some House GOP leaders-- including Majority Whip Tom DeLay, R-Texas--told Mineta that, rather than give ground to the Democrats on federalization, the House should abandon the effort to pass the aviation security legislation and let Bush impose many of the new security measures by executive order.

Keith Koffler contributed to this report.