Martin Sabo: “Mr. Speaker, as we meet today on the eve of September 11, I am one Member who remains very concerned about America's…”

“Mr. Speaker, as we meet today on the eve of September 11, I am one Member who remains very concerned about America's safety and the safety of the flying public. We can and must do more. My motion is just one important step in the right direction. This motion to instruct conferees is very straightforward. It is a motion to instruct the House conferees to insist on the highest possible level of funding for each homeland security, preparedness and disaster response program in the bill and to insist on the amendment adopted on the House floor by a vote of 278 to 146 to require the screening of cargo carried in the belly of passenger aircraft. As the conference on the fiscal year 2004 homeland security appropriations bill begins, we now have an opportunity to provide additional homeland security resources and help close known security gaps. We should do so. We should correct one of the most glaring gaps in our aviation security program, the fact that all passengers and their bags are screened for explosives and weapons, but cargo carried in the same place as passenger baggage is not screened at all.”