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Since the IAAM Annual Conference
& Trade Show in August, significant changes have occurred in our country,
dramatically affecting the security of our buildings, travel and tourism. In
the wake of the events of September 11, the industry has faced unprecedented
cancellations of events, conventions and meetings. We all see the need to
heighten security across the board and to consider how to prevent terrorist
attacks on our facilities. As an industry, we responded to the immediate
aftermath of the terrorist attacks with grace and compassion, such as when
the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City became the gathering and
dispatch point for volunteers from across the country. As the immediate
needs have lessened, attention has begun to turn towards addressing
cancellations and rescheduling of events, including rescheduling of
cancelled conventions, Super Bowl XXXVI and the NFL Pro Bowl.
In Washington, D.C., things have
changed quite a bit. While many more security personnel are visible, fewer
tourists are visible on the Mall and other public places. Many streets and
public parking lots are closed next to the Senate and House office
buildings. Even the public tours of the White House and the Capitol have
been indefinitely suspended. While we continue to follow legislation and
regulations concerning the Americans with Disabilities Act, music licensing,
and other issues affecting our industry, the focus of the White House,
United States Congress and of our nation has shifted to security, safety and
economic issues related to the September 11 attacks on America. In this
regard, we have tracked and communicated with Congress through letters and
meetings. Below is a summary of IAAM activity in Washington, D.C.:
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September 21, 2001 – IAAM
letters to the United States Senate supporting financial aid to the
airline industry;
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October 1, 2001 – IAAM letter
to Ms. Jane Garvey, administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration,
supporting the FAA regulation, FDC 1/0298, to restrict the airspace over
and around major events;
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October 12, 2001 – Letter to
Congressman Bill Thomas concerning support for the business meals
deduction and spouse travel deduction;
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October 22, 2001 – Letter to
the Honorable Tom Ridge, Director of Homeland Security, requesting
participation from his office in the IAAM Safety and Security Task Force
meeting;
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November 3, 2001 – Letter to
Congress in support of the Travel America Now Act of 2001;
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November 14, 2001 – White
House and Congressional Briefings – Turner Madden along with about 45
other people met with the Speaker of the House, Senator John McCain and
White House Officials;
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November 29, 2001 – Meeting
with Congressional Committee on Energy and Commerce concerning Sports
Venue Security. IAAM also attended a congressional briefing on what steps
major sports organizations were taking to keep their events safe from
terrorist attacks. In attendance for the major sporting events were the
following: NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, NCAA and the Salt Lake Winter Olympics. All
of these organizations, except for the NCAA, attended IAAM’s Safety and
Security Task Force meeting in San Diego. Many of the sports organizations
commented that all security personnel, from FBI, Secret Service, state and
local police, and stadium and arena personnel had been working closely
during this crisis, but they are concerned that this cooperation and
working relationship may decline as time goes on and the sense of
emergency fades. We informed Congress that IAAM had formed a security task
force in order to develop and share “Best Security and Safety Practices”
throughout the industry, focusing not just on major sporting events in
stadiums and arenas, but on other public assembly facilities as well. IAAM
was recognized by participants at the briefing for having a broader
industry view and serving as a good source of communication between all
the major events and facilities.
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December 4, 2001 – Letter to
Congressman Cliff Sterns about the Sports Venue Security Briefing. IAAM
recently made three requests of Congress to assist us with increasing
security and helping restore public confidence in our industry. First, we
requested that the Committee assist the IAAM Safety and Security Task
Force in securing a representative from the Office of Homeland Security to
participate on the Task Force. In fact, once the “Best Practices” document
is completed by the Task Force, we plan to request that Governor Ridge and
the Committee on Energy and Commerce support the Task Force “Best
Practices” recommendations. Second, IAAM members support the recent
Federal Aviation Administration Regulation, FDC 1/0298, to restrict the
airspace over and around major events. The FAA regulation reinforces and
communicates to our patrons that the FAA is doing everything possible to
help make our public assembly facilities safe and free from terrorist
attacks. Furthermore, this regulation complements the other preventive
actions taken by our members to manage the safety and security at major
events. We urged the Congress to make the FAA Regulation a permanent part
of the FAA enabling statute. Lastly, we urged Congress to create tax
incentives for increased security at public assembly facilities. These tax
incentives would assist new facilities and existing facilities with
building security improvements, designs and structural modifications. All
the above would greatly improve security for the hundreds of millions of
American patrons that attend events each year.
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Proposed ADAAG Regulations -
The Access Board has stated that it is trying to finalize the new Access
Guidelines for publication sometime in the new year. The final guidelines
will combine the proposed Recreation Facility Guidelines and the final
changes to the ADAAG. The final rule will then go to the Department of
Justice, at which point, comments on the DOJ rules can be submitted before
the entire rulemaking process is complete. We have already submitted
comments to the Access Board on behalf of IAAM for both the recreational
facility guidelines and the revised ADAAG.
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House Bill 914 – ADA
Notification Act, Congressman Mark Foley, (R-FL) has re-introduced a bill
that would require a person or the Department of Justice to provide
facilities (any business or government entity) with a 90-day notice of a
violation under the Americans with Disabilities Act prior to filing a
lawsuit against the entity. No action has been taken on this bill. The
bill currently has 40 co-sponsors.
All IAAM members should feel
proud and confident that IAAM is taking a leadership role in the security
issues facing our industry in the aftermath of September 11. IAAM is
actively leading, organizing and participating in the process to make events
at public assembly facilities as safe as possible, preparing for
contingencies, and ensuring that safety concerns are of primary importance
for the long term, well after the healing process from September 11 has
concluded.
Turner D. Madden is an
attorney with the firm of Madden & Patton, L.L.C. in Washington, D.C. and
serves as IAAM’s general counsel and lobbyist in Washington.
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