TSA announces strengthening of air cargo screening rules
Shippers would bear some of the cost; House Homeland Security Committee Democrat says process still would not be airtight.
The Transportation Security Administration earlier this week announced what it called a comprehensive revision of its air cargo screening rules, but a key House Democrat on Friday said the plan has holes.
TSA said late Wednesday that to strengthen cargo security, it will merge 4,000 industry "Known Shipper" lists to create a database of companies using planes as a means of sending cargo. The agency also will seek to conduct more than 100,000 background checks of "off-airport freight forwarder" and cargo aircraft operator employees, and will require more than 4,000 industry employees to take security courses.
Air cargo companies such as Federal Express and United Parcel Service will pay for the background checks and the database, through a fee yet to be determined, said Jennifer Peppin, an agency spokeswoman. TSA will conduct the background checks, she said, and it is expected the database and background checks should take about six months.
House Homeland Security Committee ranking member Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., cited a Government Accountability Office report issued last October that illustrated problems with the reliability of cargo information. The report cited multiple inspection reports filed under the same identification number, raising concerns of duplicative work.
"If they cannot get the database right, there will be no real air cargo security," Thompson said.
He also said the agency has not eliminated "dangerous exemptions" to air cargo screening rules that GAO noted.
In a hearing earlier this week, TSA's hiring practices were questioned, as Homeland Security Department officials came under bipartisan attack over the department's failure to quell turnover. The committee Democrats cited a report that said 12 of TSA's senior-level positions, including in cargo, airports and international offices, are filled by "acting" assistant administrators instead of permanent officials.
TSA came under fire earlier this week from ports workers when it announced the workers would have to pay upward of $100 for required identification cards.
Despite the alleged shortcomings, TSA Assistant Secretary Kip Hawley said in a statement that accompanied the agency's announcement of its rules change that the skies will be safer with new regulations.
"Today's important policy enhancements, when combined with ongoing operational and technological initiatives, create a more vigorous, risk-based strategy for enhancing cargo security," he said. "We will continue to invest - along with our partners in industry - in policies, programs and ideas that raise the bar even higher."