James Oberstar: “I have always thought of America as a can-do Nation, not a can't-do Nation. In World War II, we put a million men under…”

“I have always thought of America as a can-do Nation, not a can't-do Nation. In World War II, we put a million men under arms in 1 year. In World War II, we produced an average of 60,000 war planes a year, starting from zero. Why can we not do this now? We can do it, is the point. I have heard the argument about long lines. The question you have to ask yourself is which do you fear more, long lines or a bomb aboard an airplane? ... This is a change in the fundamental way the program is operating. I was not aware of that until late last night, early this morning, reading this language more carefully. That should not be done. We have provided authority in the basic law that was enacted 410-9 for alternative means to check luggage, to screen luggage checked aboard aircraft if you cannot meet the December 31 deadline for explosive detection systems.”