Dem senator wants to bolster airport security (The Hill)
Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) is planning to introduce legislation bolster airport security after a Russian airliner crash was tied to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
“In this age of terrorism, we can't afford to make any mistakes,” the Florida Democrat said in a statement.
The proposal, which is focused on internal airport security, comes after U.S. officials told ABC News last month that information intercepted from ISIS indicated that the terrorist group was in touch with someone at the airport where the airliner took off from.
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., separately told ABC's This Week that ISIS "may have concluded that the best way to defeat airport defenses is not to go through them but to go around them with the help of somebody on the inside."
To help "limit the potential threat posed by airport employees," Nelson added that his proposal will increase background checks and require the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to enhance its screening of employees at the airports where it oversees aviation security.
Nelson didn't specify when he would introduce his legislation, but noted that it's likely to go through the Commerce Committee, which is chaired by Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.).
The Florida Democrat said earlier this year that he wants all airport employees to screened with a metal detector and asked TSA to review its internal security procedures to identify any gaps.
He also, separately, suggested the the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) should help TSA cover the cost of screening any airline or airport employees that have access to secure areas.
Source: The Hill