WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) says he's filing legislation that would require the Transportation Security Administration to tighten internal security at airports across the nation.

Employee security procedures at airports in the U.S. have come under increased scrutiny since reports that an Egyptian airport worker may have planted the bomb that recently caused the crash of a Russian aircraft.

Nelson says the measure would, among other things, limit the potential threat posed by airport employees by enhancing background checks and requiring the TSA to increase screening of aviation workers at the 450 U.S. airports at which they are responsible for security.

“In this age of terrorism, we can't afford to make any mistakes,” Nelson said.   

Earlier this year, Nelson, the top Democrat on the Senate Commerce Committee which oversees our nation’s airline industry, called on the TSA to thoroughly review internal security procedures at all U.S. airports for possible gaps in the process.  

He then met with TSA officials at both the Orlando and Miami international airports – which were, at the time, the only two airports in the nation to voluntarily impose passenger-like screening on all their employees – to review their internal security procedures.

Nelson cited both airports as models for the nation, and now wants to increase employee screening at other airports across the country. The lawmaker said he plans to file the bill in the coming days, likely with Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune (R-SD).