Pete Stark: “S. 1447, the Conference Report on Aviation & Transportation Security Act is a victory for the American public who can…”

“S. 1447, the Conference Report on Aviation & Transportation Security Act is a victory for the American public who can rest assured that the federal government puts safety first. Although this urgently needed bill has taken far too long to complete its legislative course, and flawed provisions remain, it reflects a great deal of positive change in air travel safety. The conference agreement makes the federal government directly responsible for all passenger and baggage screening, requiring that all screeners be federal employees. This federal employee requirement is a great departure from current law. Currently, airlines are responsible for the screening of airline passengers and baggage. Airlines pass this responsibility on to the lowest-bid screening contractors who pay their employees minimum wage and have widely varying employment standards. The result, as documented by the General Accounting Office and the Department of Transportation's Investigator General, is high turnover in the screener workforce and a failure of the screening process to work effectively. Unfortunately, the bill allows airports to return to private contractors for screening, three years after enactment. I would hope that if the federal employees prove to be a successful change that Congress would revisit this provision. The bill also requires that all baggage screeners be U.S. citizens. I would have preferred a requirement that all baggage screeners be legal permanent residents.”