Senate passes bill that would boost airport security

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate approved a bipartisan aviation policy bill Tuesday that would boost airport security, extend new protections to airline passengers and help speed the introduction of package-delivery drones.

The bill written by Thune, the Senate Commerce committee chairman, and Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida, the panel's senior Democrat, targets aviation safety, security and consumer concerns in ways broadly supported by both parties.

"Transformational air traffic control reform is absolutely necessary to end the unacceptable status quo at the FAA and to ensure the future of America's aviation system," he said in a statement.

—Authorizing an increase from 30 up to 60 in the number of government "viper teams" that stop and search suspicious passengers in airport public areas that are outside the security perimeter, often using bomb-sniffing dogs.

—Enhancing the vetting of airport employees who have access to secure areas, expanding random inspections of employees and reviewing perimeter security.

—Requiring secondary barriers on all new passenger airliners to keep unauthorized people from gaining access when a pilot opens the cockpit door.