It's Time For The Senate To Act On House Passed Bills That Counter Terror Threats To Aviation

Press Release

Planes that fly from overseas airports directly into the United States offer a distressing opportunity for terrorists to fly nonstop into our country. Today House Homeland Security Chairman McCaul (R-TX) urged the Senate to immediately act on legislation to close vulnerabilities at overseas airports. While security is tight at most Last Point of Departure (LPD) airports--which have direct flights to the United States--there are still alarming security weaknesses at others. Chairman McCaul recently led a Congressional Delegation to the Middle East and North Africa, where Members of Congress raised concerns about security screening at locations with U.S.-bound flights. The House has already passed two critical bipartisan bills that counter terror threats to aviation security at Last Point of Departure airports. But those bills are languishing in the United States Senate.

Chairman McCaul: "While investigators are still working to determine the cause of the crash of EgyptAir Flight 804, one fact is clear: terrorists are trying to bring down airliners, and the aviation sector is still one of their "crown jewel' targets. Terror operatives are only a plane-ride away from our shores, and we must make sure our foreign partners are prepared to detect and disrupt them. The House has passed bills to prevent Islamist extremists from exploiting security gaps overseas. It's unconscionable that the Senate refuses to act on these bills to protect the homeland and improve security at foreign airports where planes fly directly into the United States."

House-passed legislation to ramp up counterterrorism screening overseas and strengthen security at international airports with direct flights to the United States:

H.R. 4314, Counterterrorism Screening and Assistance Act of 2016, introduced by Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) and Rep. John Katko (R-NY), accelerates the transfer of certain border security systems to foreign partner governments and ramps up U.S. efforts to enhance counterterrorism screening abroad--to keep terrorists from reaching America's shores. This bill passed the House on March 21, 2016, by a vote of 371-2.

H.R. 4698, Securing Aviation from Foreign Entry Points and Guarding Airports Through Enhanced Security (SAFE GATES) Act of 2016 introduced by Rep. John Katko (R-NY), improves passenger and airline safety at foreign airports that have direct flights to the United States and directs the TSA to conduct and implement a security coordination enhancement plan to improve passenger and airline safety at LPD airports. This bill passed the House by on April 26, 2016 by voice vote.

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