Politics, Security Don’t Mix

The American airline industry is reeling. It is expected to lose at least $5.5 billion this year. Despite the $15-billion federal bailout, routes are being slashed and jobs eliminated. The latest sign of upheaval came on Sunday, when United Airlines Chief Executive James Goodwin resigned.

Given the severity of the crisis, you might expect that Washington would give priority to enacting comprehensive airline security measures. Not a chance. The House Republican leadership is opposing the federalization of airport security even though it’s the only way to impose uniform and reliable standards. As it stands, airports have followed a welter of rules. The result has been slipshod security that has yet to be corrected.

The Bush administration is trying to play it both ways. In his weekly radio address Saturday, President Bush supported the efforts of House Republicans. But Chief of Staff Andrew H. Card Jr. has stated that Bush would not veto a bill federalizing security if Congress approves it.

The Senate has unanimously passed an effective remedy for airport ills. The Senate bill would make airport screeners government employees and put the Justice Department in charge. It also endorses a number of other measures, including armed federal guards, permitting pilots to have firearms and increasing the sky marshals on commercial flights.

But House Republicans such as Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Texas) and Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-Texas) oppose the Senate bill.

Armey argued on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that federalization would amount to a new jobs programs for unions and the Democratic Party. No doubt many of the new federal employees might gravitate to the Democratic Party. But is that sufficient reason for the House Republicans to jeopardize public security? The House Republicans also oppose handing over responsibility for airport screening to the Justice Department; they and President Bush want the Transportation Department to be in charge. But the Justice Department should be in charge because this is a law enforcement issue.

The White House should do more. It should tell the House Republicans to stop delaying action. As Sen. John McCain has correctly noted, this is not about unions. It is about law enforcement. There are no winners in trying to play politics with airport security, but there is a clear loser--public safety.