Bob Menendez: “we heard about facts. Fact: the House voted 410-9 for these deadlines. Fact: neither the President, the Secretary of…”

“we heard about facts. Fact: the House voted 410-9 for these deadlines. Fact: neither the President, the Secretary of Transportation, TSA nor the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has asked for an extension. Fact: the bill extends the execution of a plan for another year, but it has no deadline for deployment of explosive detection devices. Fact: technology to detect bombs exists now and is certified. No other technology is certified. Fact: alternatives exist under the law if the deadlines cannot be met, and they are the same as the bill before us. Fact: Congress delayed in a similar case in the '80s on technology to avoid collisions midair, and we had three midair collisions. Who went to those families and said, We're sorry we delayed; we waited for better technology'? Ask your constituents if after the events of September 11, would they rather save a few minutes or save lives? The answer would be, save lives. That is what this Oberstar-Menendez amendment does, and that is why you should be voting for it.”