House passes airport security bill

The House passed legislation on Tuesday to enhance security at U.S. airports.

Passed 411-1, the bill would direct the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency to verify that all U.S. airports have established response plans in the event of security or terrorism incidents.

{mosads}The plans would include strategies for evacuating people within the airport’s perimeter, how to coordinate a response with law enforcement and firefighters, and a schedule for testing and training workers to use emergency communication equipment.

Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.), the bill’s sponsor, cited the shooting at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in November 2013 as an example of why airports need to be prepared.

“The time to act is now. Everyone within the airport community from law enforcement and emergency medical personnel, to airport and airline personnel, to TSA officials and the traveling public, must know how to respond to an active shooter or other threat inside the airport,” Katko said.

The bill is named after Gerardo Hernandez, a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employee who was shot and killed during the November 2013 incident at LAX.

“The threats to our nation’s airports are ceaseless and constantly evolving. There could be another attack on any given day at any given airport. We must assume that it will happen. We must be more prepared. We must do better. We owe it to Officer Hernandez and his family,” said Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-N.Y.).

The House passed similar legislation last July by voice vote.