Thomas Mott Osborne: “I represent a rural district that has only small Class IV airports, none of the 142 larger ones. These smaller airports…”

“I represent a rural district that has only small Class IV airports, none of the 142 larger ones. These smaller airports are not subject to a uniform set of security standards under the substitute amendment. This is precisely what our problem is today, we have no uniform standards. The Young-Mica bill sets uniform standards for all airports, not just a select number. On September 11, the most prominent of the 19 hijackers boarded a plane at a smaller airport, flew to Boston, hijacked a plane and crashed it into the World Trade Center. Hijackers will enter the airport system at the weakest points, quite likely a small, relatively unsecured airport. Under the substitute, once past the security check point, a passenger can move freely throughout the system. The Young-Mica bill closes this loophole. Every airport manager in my district supports the House bill for the above reasons.”