McCaul urges Senate to take action on airport security bills

House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) urged the Senate on Tuesday to pass two bills that seek to close vulnerabilities at overseas airports.

The Counterterrorism Screening and Assistance Act of 2016, H.R. 4314, accelerates the transfer of certain border security systems to foreign partner governments and increases U.S. efforts to enhance counterterrorism screening abroad. The bill passed the House on March 21 by a vote of 371-2.

The Securing Aviation from Foreign Entry Points and Guarding Airports Through Enhanced Security (SAFE GATES) Act of 2016, H.R. 4698, seeks to improve passenger and airline safety at foreign airports that have direct flights to the U.S. and directs the Transportation Security Administration to conduct and implement a security coordination enhancement plan for last point of departure airports. The bill passed the House on April 26 by a voice vote.

“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,” McCaul said. “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.”