Senators Give TSA Screeners Union Rights

In this photo, released by the Florida Keys News Bureau, passengers enter a Transportation Security Administration security screening zone, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2007, at Florida Keys Marathon Airport in Marathon, Fla. Thursday marked the first day since April 2000 that commercial air service flew to and from Marathon. Originally, Delta Connection service, between Atlanta and Marathon was to have begun in November, but last August, TSA officials, citing budget constraints, said they could not provide security screening. That decision was reversed in early December clearing the way for service to start Thursday. (AP Photo/Florida Keys News Bureau, Andy Newman) (Andy Newman - AP)

The head of the union that represents other TSA employees hailed the measure's passage, saying it "will provide stability to the work force that TSA and the flying public so desperately need," said John Gage, national president of the American Federation of Government Employees.

The TSA provision was part of a larger measure passed by the committee on a vote of 16-0, with one Republican, Sen. Tom Coburn, Okla., abstaining. The bill is intended to implement the remaining recommendations made by the 9/11 Commission. Last month the House passed its version, which differs in some respects from the Senate bill, but does contain TSA screener rights.

The Senate bill would also:

_Improve information-sharing among federal, state and local governments, and set standards for intelligence fusion centers where all levels of government can come together and share information that might prevent an attack, or help respond to one.

_Establish a new grant program to help state and local governments improve their emergency communications systems, to be based within the Federal Emergency Management Agency or FEMA.

_Change some of the provisions of the program that allows citizens of 27 favored countries to visit the U.S. without visas. The bill would strengthen security measures but also broaden the program to additional countries, including some helping the U.S. effort in Iraq.

_Create or change several different grant programs for aid to local first responders, with counter-terroism programs based on risk, and other funding based on giving all states the ability to respond to any kind of calamity, whether natural or man-made.

Sens. Diane Feinstein, D-Calif., and John Cornyn, R-Texas, introduced legislation that would give a higher percentage of homeland security money based on risk. Their formula is much closer to that passed by the House and supported by the Bush administration.