Aviation

Aviation Security

After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Senator Rockefeller was a driving force behind making air travel more secure as one of the co-authors of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act. His efforts led to the creation of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) - the federal agency responsible for security at the airports and the screening of passengers and cargo bound for airplanes.

The Aviation and Transportation Security Act also included several other dramatic safety measures such as increased security in and around airplanes -- including the securing of all cockpit doors; screening of everything and everyone that travels on a plane, including cargo; background checks of every employee who services the flight - including catering company workers; and, anti-hijack training for pilots and flight attendants. He has also championed the need to provide rural airports with the same level of federal funding received by larger airports to implement federal security mandates.

And, when it became clear that this new essential federal agency, TSA, wasn't getting the funding it needed from the Administration to do its job in protecting the traveling public, Senator Rockefeller fought for and secured increased funding.