News Release - With Holiday Travel Taking Off, Etheridge Tours Security at RDU

News Release
Congressman Bob Etheridge
North Carolina

December 15, 2004

Contact: Sara Lang
Phone: (202) 225-4531

With Holiday Travel Taking Off, Etheridge Tours Security at RDU

RALEIGH -- With many North Carolinians preparing for holiday travel on the roads and in the air, U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-Lillington) toured the federal security operations and screening facilities at Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) today. Etheridge is the only North Carolina member of the U.S. House Select Committee on Homeland Security, which is charged with oversight of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

"Aviation security is a critical priority, especially during this holiday season," Etheridge said. "As North Carolina's only member of the House Select Committee on Homeland Security, I have been carefully monitoring the progress of homeland security since the Department of Homeland Security's creation in 2003. That's why it was important for me to come to RDU today and see firsthand the security measures in place at our airports. I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress, on the committee and at DHS to make sure that we keep our hometowns, our skies and our homeland safe."

On the tour, Etheridge saw firsthand the security procedures and equipment in place at RDU. He also had an opportunity to meet with TSA employees working at RDU and discuss progress, concerns and challenges. Etheridge was joined on the tour by TSA Federal Security Director Ron Juhl and representatives from RDU.

TSA has also released tips for travelers during the busy holiday season. They can be found online at http://www.tsa.gov/public/display?theme=183&content=09000519800e12f4 and include:

Pack your valuables, including jewelry, money and laptops, as well as fragile items in your carry-on baggage.
Do not overstuff your bags.
When approaching passenger screening, place all your metallic items, including keys, coins and phones in your carry-on bag or a plastic bag before you get to the x-ray machine.
Remove your overcoat as well as your jacket, blazer or suit coat before going through the x-ray machine.
Take your laptop and video cameras out of their carrying cases and place them in a plastic bin for screening before going through the x-ray machine.
Before going through screening, remove your shoes and place them on the belt for screening.
Bring your gifts to the airport unwrapped.
Check the TSA website, www.tsa.gov, for expected wait times at airport security checkpoints to plan your arrival time at the airport.