WASHINGTON, D.C.—The House Committee on Homeland Security today approved Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán’s (D-San Pedro) proposal for safeguarding America’s airports.
Rep. Barragán’s measure authorizes $45 million in grants for U.S. airports to pay for local law enforcement to patrol areas such as baggage claim and check-in terminals. The committee approved the measure without opposition.
“Police patrols make airports safer places to travel,” said Rep. Barragán. “There has been a significant increase in attacks at airports, including at my home airport of LAX, and this funding is vital to keeping our airports secure and our economy moving.”
The Transportation Security Administration relies on local police when criminal problems arise and staffing issues have presented a major challenge to the agency.
Police regularly patrol airports and typically step up their presence after incidents such as the 2013 shooting in Los Angeles International Airport, or terrorist attacks in foreign airports such as Brussels, Belgium and Istanbul, Turkey. Airports rely on federal funding to reimburse local law enforcement for their officers’ time.
Barragán’s proposal was an amendment (.pdf) to H.R. 2858, “The Department of Homeland Security Authorization Act of 2017.”
Watch the full committee markup session here.
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Nanette Diaz Barragán is proud to represent California’s 44th Congressional District, which includes the communities of Carson, Compton, Lynwood, North Long Beach, Rancho Dominguez, San Pedro, South Gate, Walnut Park, Watts, Willowbrook and Wilmington.