White House continues to resist federalized airport security
Bush administration officials reaffirmed Monday that they want a new airport security system in which some, but not all, workers are put on the federal payroll.
The White House said today it continues to support allowing airport screeners to remain private workers with increased federal supervision, backing away from a statement White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card made over the weekend saying President Bush probably would sign legislation that fully federalizes the workers if it came to his desk in that form.
"That may or may not be the case," White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said today, when asked about Card's statement. Fleischer said it was "premature" to speculate on whether Bush would veto legislation federalizing airport workers.
"The President continues to believe that the best way to guarantee safety is through a more flexible system, where not everyone is on the federal payroll," Fleischer said.
Bush continues to back legislation by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Don Young, R-Alaska, that provides federal standards for airport workers but does not require that all become federal employees.
Card told NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday that if Bush received a bill federalizing airport security workers: "I suspect that he wouldn't want to sign it but he would. He wants airline security."
House Democrats appeared bolstered by Card's comments and are hoping for a win on a Democratic substitute that would federalize workers when the Young bill comes up for a floor vote Wednesday.
"This shows that the White House position against [making baggage screeners] federal employees is rather soft," said a spokesman for House Transportation and Infrastructure ranking member James Oberstar, D-Minn.
Oberstar has introduced an alternative to Young's bill that would federalize workers like the Senate bill, but place them under the Transportation Department. The Senate bill places much of the oversight with the Justice Department.
Democratic aides said that Democrats are likely to offer the Senate bill in order to move the legislation quickly. The Young bill goes before the Rules Committee Tuesday.
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