John W. Olver: “I think it is an entirely appropriate thing that we should be doing here; that is, asking for the highest possible level…”

“I think it is an entirely appropriate thing that we should be doing here; that is, asking for the highest possible level of transportation security funding. It goes far beyond just security for airports, although that is the area that, because of the horrendous events on September 11, has had the most attention. Clearly, we need better security in our tunnels, on our bridges, in our rail stations, in our subway stations. Since September 11, the economy has been in a steep slide toward recession. There are at least 100,000 direct employees, direct employees of the airline companies, who are out of jobs, and that does not say anything about the many-times-that of other employees, often part-timers and such in the tourism industry, that have been affected by the steep slide in the economy. It comes because air travel is a major portion of our whole economic system. The airports are half-empty.”