Democrats: Implement 9/11 Commission recommendations

Now that the Democrats have taken control of the U.S. Congress, they plan to introduce legislation that would beef up homeland security. Specifically, they want to implement "unfinished 9/11 Commission recommendations that fall under the Homeland Security Committee's jurisdiction."

Here is what an Associated Press article, published on the Airport Business website, had to say about the proposed legislation:

The bill would require private companies to prepare for terrorism and the government would have to inspect cargo on passenger planes and shipping containers leaving the largest ports. Airport screeners would be given whistle-blower protection, money would be set aside to develop technology for detecting explosives at checkpoints and an appeals process would be established for airline passengers mistaken for terrorists on watch lists.

Democrats have said the Republican-controlled Congress didn't implement the commission's 41 recommendations aimed at improving safety after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

The commission itself met a year ago to hand out failing grades to the government, giving an "F," for example, to improving airline passenger screening and homeland security spending for cities considered most at risk of attack.

The bill will be debated and voted on Tuesday - without going through the committee process - as part of the Democrats' "100 hours" plan to quickly accomplish their priorities.

Read the rest of the article here: Democrats Seek Full 9/11 Implementation for Airports - Airport Business

Technorati Tags: airport security, aviation security, security legislation