House chairmen question air cargo security efforts

The chairmen of two House committees that oversee aviation security have raised concerns about how the Homeland Security Department will screen cargo aboard commercial aircraft.

House Government Reform Committee Chairman Tom Davis, R-Va., and Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., who heads the panel's subcommittee on national security, sent Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge a letter Wednesday expressing concerns about the Transportation Security Administration's new Air Cargo Strategic Plan.

The plan calls for the deployment of currently available resources and infrastructure to provide air cargo security, and outlines a path for accelerated research and development of more effective and comprehensive tools. However, the plan stops short of requiring airports and carriers to conduct 100 percent screening of all cargo on commercial aircraft. Rather, it requires 100 percent inspection of cargo determined to be of an elevated risk, and random inspections of cargo on passenger flights.

"In developing the strategic plan, TSA carefully evaluated the feasibility of physically screening 100 percent of all air cargo," the agency said. "Limitations of technology and infrastructure make such an undertaking impractical, from both a flow-of-commerce and resource point of view."

While Davis and Shays admitted that 100 percent screening may be an unreasonable goal, they pressed Ridge to explain how TSA will screen high-risk cargo, implement new training programs, strengthen field inspections and develop methods to assess the risk level of shipments.

The lawmakers also requested more information on the requirement for airlines to randomly inspect cargo. They want to know which airports need to do inspections, what technology will be used, what guidelines must be followed, and what protocols will be used if prohibited items are discovered.

Davis and Shays also asked Ridge to identify the cost, time frame and implementation of pilot programs to test new technology for air cargo screening.

"As we work to ensure that passenger and carry-on baggage are properly screened, we must also examine the need to screen cargo," the lawmakers said.