Albany, NY – After we reported a few Weeks ago Of a pair of Comair employees that were able to smuggle 13 handguns onto a plane out of Orlando Airport, Sen. Chuck Schumer figures if airline passengers have to be screened, so should airport employees who have access to secure areas.
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On Monday or Tuesday, he’ll be submitting a bill calling for exactly that.
His spokesman, Joshua Vlasto, today said it’s something that’s been on Schumer’s mind in the absence of a Department of Homeland Security-approved, tamper-proof identification card for airport employees.
If they had been terrorists who had managed to get a hold of employee uniforms and badges, Schumer reasoned, they could have hijacked the plane.
Schumer’s bill would require large hub airports, within six months of its passage, to develop a plan to screen all employees. All other airports would have to follow suit by 2010. [Record]
Was it such a slow news day that chucky shmucky schumer had what to say?
IRS agents have their tax returns audited as a condition of their employment.
There is no reason why DHS employees ought not be regularly screened and searched.
— Expatriate Owl (former IRS agent)