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| May 25, 2005 | |||
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SENATORS COLLINS PRESSES DHS SECRETARY CHERTOFF ABOUT NEED FOR ‘NO FLY LIST’ PROCEDURES
International Flights Diverted to Bangor Maine Illustrate Immediate Need for Clear Regulations |
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WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Susan Collins is calling on DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff to promptly establish a system to prescreen international passengers before they board flights. Recently diverted flights to Bangor International Airport illustrate the need for “No Fly” passenger lists to be reviewed prior to passengers ever boarding flights.
In a letter to Secretary Chertoff, the Senator Collins pointed out that the current system is not working because, on two recent occasions, passengers whose names matched those on the “No Fly” list were not identified until their flights had taken off and were enroute to the US. The Collins-Lieberman Intelligence Reform legislation that was signed into law last December, directs the Department of Homeland Security establish a passenger prescreening system. Senator Joe Lieberman, who is the Ranking Member on the Committee also signed the letter. The text of the letter to Secretary Chertoff is as follows: May 24, 2005 The Honorable Michael Chertoff Secretary U.S. Department of Homeland Security Washington, DC 20528 Dear Secretary Chertoff: We are writing to urge that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) promptly implement the provisions of Section 4012(a)(2) of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (IRTPA) which required that DHS establish a system for prescreening international passenger prior to departure. Under the law, the Department was required to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking by February 15, 2005 to ensure that passenger information is compared against the consolidated and integrated terrorist watchlist in advance of boarding, prohibiting passengers who match information in the terrorist watchlist from boarding the flight. - NO FLY LIST, 2 - In recent weeks, two international flights have been diverted to Bangor, Maine, as a result of passenger information matching an individual record on the No Fly List. We are sure you would agree that these incidents demonstrate the current passenger prescreening system is not working. Not only does it create a serious security vulnerability, but it imposes tremendous costs on air carriers, taxes government resources, inconveniences hundreds of passengers, and has a ripple effect on the travel and tourism industry. We are certain that the decision to divert an aircraft is not made lightly and is a result of limited options once a hit has been identified on a flight already en route to the U.S. That, in fact, is the problem. The potential terrorist is already on board an aircraft headed to the U.S. We urge the Department to move expeditiously to comply with the provisions of the IRTPA and issue the required notice of proposed rulemaking. We further request you provide us with a timetable for doing so. Sincerely, Susan M. Collins Joseph I. Lieberman Chairman Ranking Member |
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