Senate OKs funds for McCarran security upgrades

Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2004 | 9:38 a.m.

The Senate on Tuesday approved legislation that secured $28 million for McCarran International Airport security improvements.

Senators approved on a voice vote an amendment introduced by Sens. Harry Reid, D-Nev., and John Ensign, R-Nev., to a Homeland Security spending bill. The legislation allocates an additional $75 million for eight of the nation's largest airports on a high-priority list for security improvement funding. The money will be added to $250 million for the airports that was already in the spending bill.

The federal government has committed to paying 90 percent of a $125 million security improvement project at McCarran, and the $28 million is the first installment, Reid spokeswoman Sharyn Stein said.

Airport officials have installed minivan-sized screening machines but they have said they need more money to move the machines to improve passenger flow.

The legislation also allocates money for baggage security improvements at airports in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Seattle/Tacoma.

The Las Vegas tourism industry depends on McCarran to move passengers through the airport safely and quickly, lawmakers say. Last year 36 million passengers traveled through the airport.

The 9/11 Commission report recommended that airport speed up their efforts to install new baggage screening technology.