Political Quotes

“we have been talking about aviation security. While the chairman of the Commerce Committee is still in the Chamber, I want to get a few things straight. The amendment that is hanging out there for this piece of legislation has nothing to do with airport security--nothing. In all other parts of the debate, we are so close to agreement it is unbelievable. And those areas can be ironed out. I am one, as the chairman knows, who has an amendment that would put the authority of airport security under the Justice Department. There is a very good reason for that. The model is already in front of us. The Attorney General can either have the Marshals Service or the FBI, whichever, put them in charge of airport security, and then give them the leeway if they wanted to contract using their standards and their clearance, making sure, I would imagine, that the people who work as screeners or baggage handlers or with the cargo could stand the scrutiny of a security clearance. The chairman of the Commerce Committee, and rightly so, invited members of El Al's security team in to visit with us. We sat there and listened to them. I was impressed with what they did. I think the Senator would have to admit that. But they only have 31 airplanes. They have 7,000 employees, and 1,500 of them are security people. They do nothing but security.…”