Airline-Security Vote in House Is Expected To Be Close

Passage Hinges on Support for Federalizing Baggage Screeners

By Juliet Eilperin

Washington Post Staff Writer

Tuesday, October 30, 2001; Page A06

House Democrats and Republicans both said yesterday that the vote over competing air-travel security bills is too close to call, although Republicans said they were confident they could win enough support to prevail on the floor later this week.

Lawmakers must decide between a Senate-passed bill, which would federalize 28,000 screeners in an effort to thwart future terrorist attacks, and a GOP proposal calling for stricter federal supervision of private contractors.

House Republican leaders said they may postpone a vote, scheduled for tomorrow, until Thursday so members can attend the funeral of former representative Gerald B.H. Solomon (R-N.Y.). Republicans also said the delay would give them more time to defeat the Democratic plan to create a new federal force of baggage screeners.

Democrats have attacked the GOP relentlessly on airline security, making it one of the most politicized issues on Capitol Hill.

Yesterday the Democratic National Committee, in concert with organized labor, sponsored nearly 30 rallies across the country where lawmakers blasted the leadership for opposing federalization.

"It's outrageous the right-wing ideologues in Congress, led by Tom DeLay, would put Americans' safety at risk over their ideological belief that this is going to create more union members," said DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe. DeLay (R-Tex.) is the House majority whip. McAuliffe predicted that during the next two weeks the committee would sponsor 50 events in 30 states.

DeLay spokesman Jonathan Grella, however, said Republicans were trying to follow the model of the Europeans, who use a mix of private and public employees to monitor airline baggage.

"This shouldn't be a political issue," Grella said. "The bottom line is we want a system that works."

Behind the scenes, Republicans and Democrats focused on winning the support of roughly two dozen members who are likely to decide what kind of legislation passes the House. Both bills would deploy armed federal marshals on flights, strengthen cockpit doors and provide a range of other security measures.

But Rep. Peter A. DeFazio (Ore.) -- who along with two other Democrats held a news conference with machinists, flight attendants and pilots in Portland yesterday -- said the differences between the Senate bill and the House GOP proposal would force negotiations that could delay the measure indefinitely. "That's the death sentence for needed legislation," he said.

To bolster their cause, Democrats are enlisting the aid of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who co-authored the Senate bill and will appear today at a news conference with a bipartisan group of supporters. McCain said he will "speak out" because "I've found that's the most effective way to get support."

"Public opinion is on our side," he added.

Republicans who oppose the Senate measure, however, have launched their own communications and legislative strategy in support of their bill. They have dubbed the effort "Team United for Secure Airlines," or Team USA.

Officials from the White House, the Department of Transportation and key House offices have met every day for the past week in DeLay's office to trade information and coordinate Republicans' television and radio appearances.

President Bush has said he prefers the House Republican measure but would sign legislation that required that baggage screeners be federal employees.

Outside groups have also entered the fray: Two American Airlines pilots will be making the rounds tomorrow urging lawmakers to allow pilots to be armed on flights. The Heritage Foundation has flown in Robert Poole, from the conservative Reason Public Policy Institute in Los Angeles, an opponent of federalization who recently published a study on the subject, to brief congressional staffers, appear on a few television shows and speak at a news conference today with House GOP leaders.