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Bush Outlines Plan to Boost Aviation Security
US President George W. Bush Thursday outlined a series of new measures to boost the aviation security, including increasing the number of air marshals aboard flights and giving the federal government a greater role in airport security.
"One of the government's goals to restore confidence in the airline industry," Bush said at a rally at the O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. "We must address the issue of airline safety in smart and constructive way."
Bush proposed to spend 500 million dollars on plane modifications, including efforts to restrict the opening of cockpit doors during flights, fortify cockpit doors to deny access from the cabin, alert the cockpit crew to activity in the cabin and ensure continuous operation of the aircraft transponder in the event of an emergency.
New federal duties would include supervising passenger and baggage security, performing background checks and training screeners and other security personnel. Other duties would include purchase and control of all equipment and oversight of security patrols.
Bush called on governors to call up the National Guard to help boost security at the airports of the country until tighter measure can be put in place.
"With all these measures we are returning America's airlines back to the American people," Bush said during the speech.
Bush's proposal for a broad-based federal air marshal program would offer substantial if not complete coverage of commercial flights. The administration is already borrowing agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Naturalization Service and other federal agencies to serve temporarily as air marshals while others are hired and trained for this role.
The Federal Aviation Administration can act on some of the Bush proposals, but others would require congressional action.
Bush's aviation security proposals came after terrorists hijacked four airplanes on September 11, crashing two into the World Trade Center in New York and one into the Pentagon outside Washington. A fourth crashed in Pennsylvania. Authorities said 6, 788 people were presumed killed in the terrorist attacks.
Bush hoped that Congress would quickly act on the aviation security legislation and send it to the White House for his signature by the end of next week. House Speaker Dennis Hastert and House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt accompanied Bush in Chicago as a show of bipartisan support for quick congressional action on airline security improvements.
White House Unveils Aviation Security Measures The White House Thursday released an outline of President George W. Bush's aviation security plan which will significantly boost the federal role in airport security.
Bush proposed to expand the use of federal air marshals aboard commercial airliners.
"The requirements and qualifications of federal air marshals are among the most stringent of any U.S. federal law enforcement agency," the White House said in a statement.
Bush also proposed to put the federal government in charge of airport security and screening, including the purchase and maintenance of all equipment. Under his plan, the government would supervise passenger and baggage security and perform background checks on security personnel.
Bush's package also included spending 500 million dollars on plane modifications, such as efforts to restrict the opening of cockpit doors during flights, fortify cockpit doors to deny access from the cabin, alert the cockpit crew to activity in the cabin and ensure continuous operation of the aircraft transponder in the event of an emergency. The transponder allows air controllers to track a plane.
The White House unveiled the outline shortly before Bush was due to leave for Chicago, where he would announce his sweeping aviation security package and discuss the proposals with airline workers.
Bush urged governors to call up the National Guard to protect the airports.
"Fully implementing the extensive security proposal may take four to six months," the White House statement said. "During that time, the president will help ensure that every airport has a strong security presence by asking the governors of the 50 states to call up the National Guard -- at the federal government's expense -- to augment existing security staff at every commercial airport nationwide."
Bush said Wednesday that he was offering the "confidence- boosting measures and some concrete proposals" to "convince the American public it is safe to fly."
Bush's aviation security measures came after terrorists hijacked four airplanes on September 11, crashing two into the twin 110-story World Trade Center towers in New York and one into the Pentagon outside Washington. A fourth crashed in Pennsylvania. Over 6,500 people were presumed killed in the terrorist attacks.
Bush hoped that Congress would quickly act on the aviation security legislation and send it to the White House for his signature by the end of next week. House Speaker Dennis Hastert and House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt were scheduled to go to Chicago with Bush as a show of bipartisan support for quick congressional action on airline security improvements.
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