House to vote on aviation security measure next week

Bolstered by a letter of support that President Bush sent to House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., today, House GOP leaders scheduled a vote on their version of an aviation security bill for next Wednesday.

"This is later than we should have been to get this bill on the floor," said Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas, adding that it is a "shame a fight has to be made."

The major point of dissent is over whether to make most airport security officials federal workers, as the Senate bill does, or merely increase government standards and supervision while letting the President decide whether to federalize workers, as Bush and House Republicans prefer.

In the letter, Bush criticized proposals to federalize workers but stopped short of saying he would veto the bill, saying, "Such an inflexible, one-size-fits all requirement fails to permit security tailored to the very different circumstances that exist at airports across the country."

Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, appearing with GOP leaders to endorse their approach, said today there is "nothing wrong with a low bid, as long as you have high standards."

When asked why a vote has taken so long, since the Senate passed its bill 100-0 two weeks ago, House Republicans blamed Democrats.

"We're sorry we haven't been able to reach [an] agreement with the Democrats on it and we're sorry the issue has to be politicized," said Transportation and Infrastructure Aviation Subcommittee Chairman John Mica, R-Fla., who wrote the House GOP bill with Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Young.

But Majority Whip DeLay told reporters earlier this month the House would not schedule a vote on the bill until it had the votes.

House Democrats have proposed a bill of their own that would federalize workers, and say the U.S. public supports the idea.

"We're hopeful it will come up next week . and we'll have a good, sensible alternative," Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, D-Mo., said.

Gephardt said he expects Democrats will have an opportunity to offer their alternative. "The speaker has been very positive and encouraging," he said. "My belief is that if we sent [Bush] a reasonable bill that has bipartisan support that he would sign the bill."

Meanwhile, Transportation Department officials are attempting to reassure the public that they are taking steps to improve security in the interim, even as news organizations reported today that a man accidentally took a gun on a plane in his briefcase.

FAA Administrator Jane Garvey told the U.S. Conference of Mayors--which supports full federalization of airport security--that the administration is considering issuing "smart cards" to identify passengers who do not pose a risk, has deployed more sky marshals, and has freed up some funds airports could use for security operations temporarily that would ordinarily go toward airport infrastructure improvements.

The government also intends to be able to screen all luggage and cargo by 2004, Garvey said, which some mayors said was not soon enough. Garvey said she was "confident in the final analysis that all sides will be willing to compromise."