Move Follows ISIS Attack In Brussels

The House Committee on Homeland Security has passed out of committee bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Representative John Katko (R-NY), H.R. 4698, the Securing Aviation from Foreign Entry Points and Guarding Airports Through Enhanced Security Act (SAFE GATES), to improve passenger and airline safety at foreign airports that have direct flights to the United States. Representative Katko’s legislation is now headed to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives for a vote.

The legislation, introduced by Representative Katko (pictured) earlier this month, is the result of tremendous bipartisan efforts on the House Homeland Security Committee to address insider threats both at domestic airports and international airports with direct flights to the United States.

“In the wake of yesterday’s horrific attacks in Brussels, there is no question that terrorists remain committed to attacking aviation. As Chairman of the Transportation Security Subcommittee, I have looked extensively at insider threats at airports both domestically and abroad, and as a result, we’ve acted to pass security reforms. Still, we must redouble our efforts in Congress to keep our country safe in this heightened terrorist threat environment,” said U.S. Representative John Katko. “Today the House Homeland Security Committee passed important, bipartisan legislation that I introduced to help keep our country safe by improving security at foreign airports with direct flights to the United States. This bill will help ensure that individuals traveling from these airports are held to the same scrutiny as individuals within our country.”

Combining Representative Katko’s work with the Task Force on Combating Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel and the Transportation Security subcommittee, the Securing Aviation from Foreign Entry Points and Guarding Airports through Enhanced Security Act:

• Directs the TSA to conduct and implement a ‘security coordination enhancement plan’ to improve passenger and airline safety at Last Point of Departure (LPD) Airports, airports that have direct flights to the United States.
• Authorizes the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to donate security equipment to foreign LPD Airports.
• Functions to increase cooperation between partner nations to ensure safe skies.
• If TSA finds that a LPD Airport does not meet requisite standards, TSA will have the authority to quickly fill security gaps with screening assistance.
• Requires an assessment of foreign cargo security programs to ensure that our federal law enforcement agencies, as well as Congress, are informed of the current security environment to prevent any shipment of nefarious materials via air cargo.

Congressman John Katko serves on the House Committee on Homeland Security, where he chairs the Transportation Security Subcommittee. He led the Committee’s bipartisan Task Force on Combating Terrorist & Foreign Fighter Travel, which produced 32 findings and 50 recommendations on combating terrorist travel. More than half of these recommendations are on their way to becoming law. Since being elected to represent Central New York in Congress, Congressman John Katko has fought through gridlock to deliver results for his constituents and has focused extensively on improving airport security.

Meanwhile, Senate Democrats are reportedly preparing a package of domestic airport security measures to be included with the FAA reauthorization bill currently under consideration in Washington.

Politico reports that the effort was announced by Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) (pictured)  during an appearance Tuesday in Washington.

“We’re going to learn more about what happened in the coming days,” Schumer said. “When we do, it’s going to be critically important that we look again at the safety and security of our transit systems to ensure this type of attack doesn’t occur on American soil.”

Schumer said that Democrats will work to include three measures dealing with aviation security in the FAA bill.

They include:

• Screening for TSA officers to place more emphasis on counterterrorism training and funding for that screening
• Tougher vetting of aviation workers that have access to secure areas at airports
• Tighter security at airport perimeters, and funding for that security.

Senate Democrats outlined the measures as part of an anti-terrorism package introduced in December which was passed unanimously by the Senate Commerce Committee.

(Images from file)

FMI: https://katko.house.gov, www.schumer.senate.gov