Herb Kohl: “I rise this afternoon to introduce the ``Safe Ground through Safe Skies Act of 2001.'' This legislation strengthens…”

“I rise this afternoon to introduce the ``Safe Ground through Safe Skies Act of 2001.'' This legislation strengthens security measures for those aircraft that are currently not required to comply with an FAA approved security program. The events of September 11 have shown us a new reality, that our aircraft can be used as lethal weapons against innocent civilians on the ground. I applaud the FAA, the Administration, and Congress for quickly moving to address this threat as it applies to commercial aircraft. With the new security measures put in place by S. 1447, I am certain we will not again see a commercial common carrier be hijacked and turned into a bomb. However, the proposals under consideration today do nothing to stop other aircraft, such as chartered planes, leased planes, and cargo planes, from being hijacked and crashed into buildings or landmarks. I believe many of my colleagues would be surprised to learn that, for purposes of security, these aircraft are virtually unregulated. The protection of these aircraft, some as big or bigger than those used in the September 11 attack, is left to the private sector owners and operators, an approach we now reject for commercial common carriers. As the Senate continues to work on legislation to enhance security measures for commercial common carriers, it is vital that we address the gaping hole in our security as it relates to currently unregulated aircraft.”