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Air-safety deal gets nod of approval

Passengers wait in line at a United Airlines security checkpoint in Terminal One of O'Hare International Airport on Nov. 6. A passenger got by screeners at O'Hare recently even though his carry-on bags contained knives, pepper spray and a stun gun. PHOTO: REUTERS

US lawmakers reached a deal on Thursday to turn airport security over to the government, after weeks of wrangling about how to make flying safer following the Sept. 11 hijack attacks.

They did so just in time to get something into law before the Thanksgiving holidays, traditionally the busiest travel time of the year. Leaders of both chambers endorsed the agreement and predicted its passage in votes expected this week.

"The fact is, the American people know when they start to travel for the holidays, life is going to be safe, and planes are going to be safe," House Speaker Dennis Hastert, an Illinois Republican, declared of the deal struck by a handful of key lawmakers.

Under the accord, within a year the nation's airports would be placed under one security system supervised by the Department of Transportation, with the baggage screeners that are now hired by private companies working for the government.

But after another two years, airports would be able to "opt out" of the system and go back to letting private companies do the baggage screening if they wished.

In the meantime, five pilot projects will also be allowed to demonstrate the public-private partnership in screening that many congressional Republicans wanted -- instead of an expanded federal workforce of screeners favored by many Democrats.

"This is the most comprehensive aviation security transportation measure ever ... This covers 100 percent of the airports and the travelling public," said Florida Republican Representative John Mica, chairman of the House aviation subcommittee.

"I predict it is going to pass overwhelmingly in both houses," said Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott, a Republican.

Congress has been battling for weeks over how to make the nation's aviation system safer in the wake of the Sept. 11 hijacked airliner attacks on Washington and New York.

The deal was reached at a morning meeting of key members of a House-Senate conference committee on aviation security.

The compromise they struck could deal a blow to commercial airport-security companies, the largest being Argenbright Security, a unit of British-based Securicor Group Plc that has more than 6,000 screeners at 42 US airports.

Argenbright in particular has come under heavy criticism by lawmakers for a series of recent security foul-ups. Asked if Argenbright would be able to continue to run airport security under the legislation, Republican Representative Don Young, chairman of the House Transportation Committee, said: "No."

But Mica emphasized that all companies would face new security standards in the one-year transition period -- and possible participation in the public-private partnership projects.

"Argenbright has to work under a whole new set of standards. It's going to be day and night as soon as this bill is signed into law," Mica said.

Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge said the deal was heartening. "I'm very encouraged. We need Congress to take action," he said.

On Oct. 11, the Senate unanimously passed a bill putting the government in charge of airport safety, making baggage screeners government employees.
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