By Ron Thaniel
September 9, 2002

As U.S.MAYOR went to press September 6, the U.S. Senate by an overwhelming margin, 87 - 6, approved a measure Thursday, September 5, that would arm commercial airline pilots on a voluntary basis in a dramatic security step aimed at preventing hijackings.

The Senate approved the plan as an amendment to a bill creating the Homeland Security Department. This legislation may not come up for a vote for final vote for several weeks. The Senate measure is somewhat different from the legislation passed by the House on July 10 on a 310 - 113 vote allowing pilots to arm themselves after undergoing training. For instance, the Senate measure would not only provide self-defense training for pilots, but it also calls on providing self-defense training for flight attendants.

Differences in the two measures would have to be worked out during House and Senate negotiations on the Homeland Security bill.

The Transportation Security Agency (TSA) is considering allowing a small number of commercial pilots to carry guns in the cockpit, a move that would mark a reversal by the Administration, which has previously opposed arming pilots. One of the options being considered by Adm. James Loy, head of the Transportation Security Agency, is backing a small'scale trial program to arm a small number of commercial pilots, according to administration officials.

TSA Airport Exemption

Recognizing that promised airport security improvements are behind schedule, the TSA chief James M. Loy and a key senator agreed to propose select delays in the December 31 deadline to screen all passengers- checked luggage for explosives.

In a meeting on Wednesday with Senator John Ensign (NV), Admiral Loy said the TSA agreed to help craft legislation that would allow 20 to 40 airports an exemption from the deadline. He said details are still being worked out but he intends to propose that the measure be included in homeland security legislation.

"Technically they will be meeting the deadlines, but not with the machines - (with) the use of dogs and the use of other things so that no airports will become target," said Senator Ensign. He further said he did not know which airports, other than Las Vegas's McCarran International Airport in his home district, would be exempted.

Admiral Loy is scheduled to testify before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on September 10, and airports and lawmakers expect to get more details of the plan then.

Loy, who took over as chief of the TSA in July, recently said not every airport will be able to meet the deadline, and he has been working on other initiatives to help airport security make more sense to passengers.