J.C. Watts: “as I have served the last 8 years in the United States House of Representatives, I have often said we made a real…”

“as I have served the last 8 years in the United States House of Representatives, I have often said we made a real mistake 40 years ago by not creating a Federal Department of unintended consequences, because we often do things and after we have done it, we look back and say oops, we made a mistake. Let me tell Members, there are 25 percent of the Nation's airports that cannot comply with this deadline on December 31, 2002. It is unrealistic. The Transportation Safety Administration, these airports, many of these airports, they have submitted plans to comply that they need to have certified by TSA. They have not gotten the certification. In order for all airports to meet the deadline, TSA must purchase and install an EDS or EDT machine every 35 minutes between now and December 31. In order for all airports to have the security staff needed to operate the new machinery, TSA will need to hire and train and make operational a new screener every 4.5 minutes between today and December 31, 2002. We are saying that these people will be able to comply? If Members vote to strip the December 31, 2002 deadline, they are voting for 3- or 4-hour airport lines that are inviting targets for terrorists. I think we are making a huge mistake by not extending the deadlines. Get the bureaucracy off their duff, and have them certify the airport plans and then move forward.”