Shelley Berkley: “Aviation security is national security, and our government has the ultimate responsibility to ensure our national…”

“Aviation security is national security, and our government has the ultimate responsibility to ensure our national security. Last week, at the very time when we were debating this bill on the floor, the FAA closed one of the terminals at JFK Airport after screeners were allowing passengers to enter the concourse without being adequately checked. Yesterday, screeners allowed a man to bring seven knives and other weapons through a security checkpoint at O'Hare International Airport. This system is broken. Passengers and baggage screeners are the front line of law enforcement in our airports. The current system of contracting out to the lowest bidder is unacceptable and irresponsible. Restoring the public's confidence in aviation safety and getting people back in the planes are extremely important to Las Vegas and other cities that depend on tourism. The longer it takes to implement effective security measures in our airports, the longer people will stay out of the air and the longer people will stay away from tourist destinations.”