Washington, DC – Today, when asked about “giant loopholes” in our nation’s security, President Bush asked the reporter for the “specific loopholes” they were referring to. [President Bush, 8/14/06] His comments came less than a week after loopholes in our nation’s aviation security became clear when a major terror plot to blow up transatlantic flights carrying Americans came to light and after the co-chairs of the 9/11 Commission both said that we’re “not as safe as we should be five years after” the September 11th attacks. [NBC News, “Meet The Press,” 8/14/06]
9/11 Commission Gave F’s And D’s To The Bush Administration. The 9/11 Commission gave the Bush Administration 5 F’s and 12 D’s on the implementation of the Commission’s recommendations for homeland security. [Final Report on 9/11 Commission Recommendations, 12/05]
Democrats Fought for Aviation Security; Republicans Blocked Effort To Increase Funding.
Since 9/11, Senate Democrats have repeatedly tried to increase investments in aviation security. For example, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) offered an amendment to the FY 2006 Homeland Security Appropriations bill to provide $302 million for improved screening of cargo carried on commercial airliners. House Democrats have also repeatedly fought to increase aviation security investments. For example, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) offered a motion to recommit the FY 2006 Homeland Security Authorization with instructions to authorize $400 million more in FY 2006 for in-line checked baggage screening system installations as well as to require that all air cargo on passenger planes be screened within three years. [2005 Senate Vote #180, 7/14/05; 2005 House Vote #188, 5/18/05]
AIRPORT SECURITY: Still No Unified Terrorist Watch List. There remains no unified terrorist watch list for screening airline passengers. In its December 2005 report card, the 9/11 Commission gave the Administration a failing grade for its efforts to improve passenger pre-screening, noting that “few improvements have been made to the existing passenger screening system since right after 9/11. The completion of the testing phase of TSA’s pre-screening program for airline passengers has been delayed. A new system, utilizing all names on the consolidated terrorist watch list, is therefore not yet in operation.” While $130 million has been spent on the Secure Flight program – a system that would match airline passengers against terrorist watch lists – the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports that it remains in development and faces considerable management and oversight challenges. The TSA is in the process of reassessing the viability of Secure Flight, after suspending the program in March due to security and privacy concerns. [9/11 Public Discourse Project, December 2005; govexec.com, 6/25/06]