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American Morning

President to Give Governors More Money to Use National Guard at Airports

Aired November 09, 2001 - 10:19   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEMMER: Once again, President Bush back in Washington now after his speech in Atlanta urging Americans to still remain strong in the face of terrorism. He also visited the CDC while in town here. To the White House this morning, and Kelly Wallace. A briefing just finished there. kelly, what's on the -- what's on the radar thus far this morning?

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bill, the big news coming from the White House today, President Bush to announce that he's going to make more federal resources available to the states so that governors can call up more National Guard troops to deploy them at the nation's airports.

As you know, the president urged governors back in September to call up National Guardsmen and deploy them at airport security checkpoints. Well, we understand the president again making more federal money available, and also the governors will have more flexibility about where they can deploy these troops. They can monitor them at security checkpoints, or at the departure gates. They can monitor curb side traffic, even guard air traffic facilities.

Again, the message is more money to be available. White House not announcing the price tag just yet, and governors: giving them the flexibility. Now, this all coming, Bill, senior administration officials saying the president trying to increase confidence in the airlines as the busy holiday season approaches. And while the House of Representatives and the Senate continue to be dead locked over airline security legislation.

The big sticking point continues to be over whether those airport and baggage screeners should become government employees. Democrats believe they should become federal employees, this would be the best way it guarantee you're getting the best workers. Republicans believe the federal government should have the flexibility to decide whether to use private contractors with federal oversight. Federal background checks. Federal standards.

So, lots of discussions expected to continue between lawmakers over the weekend, and you can expect the president to use the bully pulpit again today, as he did, Bill, last night, calling on Congress to get a bill to his desk right away. But again, aides say this is a stop-gap measure until he gets a bill he can sign.

HEMMER: All right, more later. Kelly Wallace, thanks.

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