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{{cquote|<blockquote>I also want to reiterate my '''extreme concern''' with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) proposal, in the face of these serious threats, to cut the number of air marshals by canceling critical flight missions because those missions would have required air marshals to spend the night at a hotel.<ref>{{cite web | title= Senator Clinton Reiterates Call on TSA to Justify Security Cuts at Nation’s Airports | url=http://pogoarchives.org/m/hsp/clinton-press-release-20030730.pdf | date=2003-07-30 | work=[http://www.senate.gov/ Official Site of the U.S. Senate] | accessdate=2007-06-03}}</ref></blockquote>}}

{{cquote|<blockquote>I also want to reiterate my '''extreme concern''' with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) proposal, in the face of these serious threats, to cut the number of air marshals by canceling critical flight missions because those missions would have required air marshals to spend the night at a hotel.<ref>{{cite web | title= Senator Clinton Reiterates Call on TSA to Justify Security Cuts at Nation’s Airports | url=http://pogoarchives.org/m/hsp/clinton-press-release-20030730.pdf | date=2003-07-30 | work=[http://www.senate.gov/ Official Site of the U.S. Senate] | accessdate=2007-06-03}}</ref></blockquote>}}

U.S. Senator [[Barbara Boxer]] from California wrote this provision into ATSA.<ref>{{cite web | title= Boxer Calls Administration's Plan To Reduce Air Marshals 'Unacceptable,' Calls On Ridge To Fully Fund Homeland Security Needs  | url=http://boxer.senate.gov/en/senator/biography.cfm | date=2004-03-09 | work=[http://www.boxer.senate.gov/ Website of the U.S. Senate] | accessdate=2008-11-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title= Senator Barbara Boxer's official senatorial biography | url=http://boxer.senate.gov/en/senator/biography.cfm | date=2008-11-16 | work=[http://www.boxer.senate.gov/ Website of the U.S. Senate] | accessdate=2008-11-15 |archiveurl = http://boxer.senate.gov/en/senator/biography.cfm <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archivedate = 2008-07-31}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title= Senator Barbara Boxer's official campaign biography | url=http://www.barbaraboxer.com/about/ | date=2008-11-16 | work=[http://www.barbaraboxer.com/ ''Official Campaign Website for Barbara Boxer''] | accessdate=2008-11-16}}</ref>  Senator Boxer also called for better protection of the identities of Federal Air Marshals and greater oversight of the Federal Air Marshal Service.<ref>{{cite web | title= Boxer Amendments to Strengthen Homeland Security Included in Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Bill  | url=http://boxer.senate.gov/news/releases/record.cfm?id=226143 | date=2004-09-14 | work=[http://www.boxer.senate.gov/ Website of the U.S. Senate] | accessdate=2008-11-15 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080731050031/http://boxer.senate.gov/news/releases/record.cfm?id=226143 <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archivedate = 2008-07-31}}</ref>

U.S. Senator [[Barbara Boxer]] from California wrote this provision into ATSA.<ref>{{cite web | title= Boxer Calls Administration's Plan To Reduce Air Marshals 'Unacceptable,' Calls On Ridge To Fully Fund Homeland Security Needs  | url=http://boxer.senate.gov/en/senator/biography.cfm | date=2004-03-09 | work=[http://www.boxer.senate.gov/ Website of the U.S. Senate] | accessdate=2008-11-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title= Senator Barbara Boxer's official senatorial biography | url=http://boxer.senate.gov/en/senator/biography.cfm | date=2008-11-16 | work=[http://www.boxer.senate.gov/ Website of the U.S. Senate] | accessdate=2008-11-15 |archiveurl = http://boxer.senate.gov/en/senator/biography.cfm <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archivedate = 2008-07-31}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title= Senator Barbara Boxer's official campaign biography | url=http://www.barbaraboxer.com/about/ | date=2008-11-16 | work=[http://www.barbaraboxer.com/ ''Official Campaign Website for Barbara Boxer''] | accessdate=2008-11-16}}</ref>  Senator Boxer also called for better protection of the identities of Federal Air Marshals and greater oversight of the Federal Air Marshal Service.<ref>{{cite web | title= Boxer Amendments to Strengthen Homeland Security Included in Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Bill  | url=http://boxer.senate.gov/news/releases/record.cfm?id=226143 | date=2004-09-14 | work=[http://www.boxer.senate.gov/ Website of the U.S. Senate] | accessdate=2008-11-15 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080731050031/http://boxer.senate.gov/news/releases/record.cfm?id=226143 <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archivedate = 2008-07-31}}</ref>

{{cquote|<blockquote>"As reports of potential terrorist attacks on commercial airliners surface, homeland security officials should be strengthening the air marshal program, not weakening it. We cannot afford to cut corners when it comes to protecting the safety of Americans.  At a time of heightened alert, the thought of curbing the air marshal program to save costs on overnight hotel stays is absurd. Your statement today that 'every air marshal is being deployed' does not answer the question of whether air marshals are being removed from flights that would result in overnight hotel stays.  We note that such flights would typically be cross-country routes, like those hijacked on September 11.<ref>{{cite news | title= Langevin to Ridge: Removing Federal Air Marshals at a Time of Heightened Threat Defies Reason | url=http://langevin.house.gov/news/press-releases/2003/07/pr071803marshals.shtml | date=2003-07-31 | work=[http://langevin.house.gov ''Official Congressional website of Honorable Jim Langevin''] | accessdate=2011-09-06}}</ref></blockquote>}}

{{cquote|<blockquote>"As reports of potential terrorist attacks on commercial airliners surface, homeland security officials should be strengthening the air marshal program, not weakening it. We cannot afford to cut corners when it comes to protecting the safety of Americans.  At a time of heightened alert, the thought of curbing the air marshal program to save costs on overnight hotel stays is absurd. Your statement today that 'every air marshal is being deployed' does not answer the question of whether air marshals are being removed from flights that would result in overnight hotel stays.  We note that such flights would typically be cross-country routes, like those hijacked on September 11.<ref>{{cite news | title= Langevin to Ridge: Removing Federal Air Marshals at a Time of Heightened Threat Defies Reason | url=http://langevin.house.gov/news/press-releases/2003/07/pr071803marshals.shtml | date=2003-07-31 | work=[http://langevin.house.gov ''Official Congressional website of Honorable Jim Langevin''] | accessdate=2011-09-06}}</ref></blockquote>}}

Congressman Hal Rogers of Kentucky told Fox News:

U.S. Senator Ernest Hollings of South Carolina:

 

{{cquote|<blockquote>The word came categorically down from the White House they've got a scheme and a plan on course, 'Let's cut the taxes, cut the taxes, cut the taxes,' and then to sort of make it look legitimate, cut all spending.<ref>{{cite news | title= Uproar Over Air Marshal Cuts | url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/07/31/terror/main566052.shtml?source=search_story | date=2003-07-31 | work=[http://www.cbsnews.com/ CBS News] | accessdate=2008-08-01}}</ref></blockquote>}}

 

From the House floor, U.S. Congressmen Ken Calvert introduced a favorable news article into the Congressional Record:

{{cquote|<blockquote>The Federal Air Marshal program is absolutely critical to fighting terrorism and keeping the flying public safe. Given new warnings from DHS about possible hijacking attempts, it is foolish to even consider cutting back the number of air marshals on commercial flights.<ref>{{cite news | title= DHS: No Plan to Cut Number of Air Marshals | url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,93311,00.html | date=2003-07-30 | work=[http://www.foxnews.com/ ''Fox News''] | accessdate=2011-09-04}}</ref></blockquote>}}

:Did fired OC Air Marshal endanger flying public or protect it?

:Hon. Ken Calvert of California in the House of Representatives

:Friday, July 10, 2009

U.S. Senator Ernest Hollings of South Carolina:

::"Madam Speaker, I rise today to discuss the'' [Orange County Register] ''article titled 'Did Fired OC Air Marshal Endanger Flying Public, or Protect It?'"<ref>{{cite web | title= Did O.C. air marshal endanger public, or protect it? | url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/maclean-69628-air-federal.html | date=2009-05-15 | work=[http://www.ocregister.com/ Orange County Register ] | accessdate=2009-05-30}}</ref>'' The article was posted online on May 8, 2009 and I believe my colleagues in Congress will benefit from the article and the topic of whistleblower protection.''<ref>{{cite web | title= Congressional Record: "Did Fired OC Air Marshal Endanger Flying Public, or Protect It?" | url=http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CREC-2009-07-10/pdf/CREC-2009-07-10-pt1-PgE1721.pdf | date=2009-07-10 | work=[http://www.gpo.gov/ ''U.S. House of Representatives Congressional Record''] | accessdate=2010-09-25}}</ref></blockquote>}}

==White House Reaction==

==White House Reaction==