LIEBERMAN’S
AIRPORT SECURITY PROPOSALS ADOPTED
October
11, 2001
WASHINGTON - A proposal offered by Senator Joe Lieberman,
D-Conn., to improve airport and airplane security through better
technological screening of passengers, carry-on luggage and
checked bags cleared the Senate late Thursday.
The amendment has three primary goals: to expand the use of
current security technologies and procedures; to improve upon and
upgrade existing technologies and procedures; and to fund the
research and development of better, more cost-effective
technologies.
“Ultimately, the long-term recovery of air commerce will
require nothing less than developing ironclad confidence in the
safety of our airports and air carriers,” Lieberman said.
“My amendment is a first step toward that goal.”
The amendment was adopted by unanimous consent to the
Airport Security Act, which cleared the Senate later in the day.
The amendment was co-sponsored by Senator Richard Durbin,
D-Ill.
Among the amendment provisions:
9To ensure that those
working in and around airports pose no security threats, airports
and air carriers would be required to conduct intensive background
checks on all personnel at commercial airports who have not
undergone such checks in the past five years.
This includes FBI criminal checks.
9The Federal Aviation
Administration would be called on to expand the use of bulk
explosive detection technology, so that it is used more
effectively and more often.
9Airline carriers
would be required to increase the number of checked bags that are
positively matched with a boarded passenger until airports are
scanning all bags loaded onto a plane for explosives detection.
9Passengers
identified by the Computer-Assisted Passenger Pre-Screening
System, now in widespread use,
would have to undergo additional security checks of their
persons and carry-on luggage.
9The Department of
Transportation would be asked to recommend additional ways to
prevent unauthorized access to restricted airport areas, for
example, through the use of biometrics systems.
9For research and
development into new technologies to improve aviation safety, the
amendment sets aside $50 million. An addition $10 million is
authorized to implement upgrades that result from the R&D, and
another $20 million is earmarked for long-term security
improvements.
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