Alan Simpson: “it has been said the first casualty of any war is the truth. After listening to some of the rhetoric today on this…”

“it has been said the first casualty of any war is the truth. After listening to some of the rhetoric today on this floor, much of it embarrassingly irresponsible rhetoric, truth truly has been wounded today. Anyone listening to this debate would think that there are only two options, the Oberstar amendment, which would Federalize the employees and, therefore, we would have a secure airport system; or leaving everything as it existed prior to September 11, as if the underlying bill did nothing to improve security. The fact is the underlying bill improves security. My colleagues show us statistics about the turnover rate of screeners and about the pay rates of screeners, and so forth, as if that would be the case if we were to use private contractors in appropriate places. I can tell my colleagues that I live next to the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, the lead nuclear engineering laboratory in the Nation. Guess what? They have private contractors doing the security there, and they do a fantastic job. I would dare anyone to try to get on the grounds of the National Engineering Laboratory. Let me tell my colleagues what this bill does not do, what the Oberstar amendment does not do. First of all, it slows down the hiring of new screeners and air marshals. It gives 9 months to hire new screeners and air marshals. The Young-Mica bill makes that happen in 3 months. We need security as quickly as possible, not a year from now, not 9 months from now.”