Report highlights another security concern: U.S.-bound air cargo

[maddezmom]

Source: CNN

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Airlines bringing cargo into the United States can exempt certain cargo from inspection, according to a congressional report released Monday, raising a fresh round of criticism from Democrats who contend the federal government is not doing enough to protect passenger planes.

According to the report, the Transportation Security Administration allows U.S.-bound airlines to "exempt certain cargo from inspection." That potentially creates "security weaknesses," says the report by the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress.



Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/04/30/monday/index.html

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TSA Continues to Ignore Congress and GAO; Air Cargo Still Vulnerable Mon Apr 30, 4:38 PM ET





WASHINGTON, April 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), and Rep. Christopher Shays (news, bio, voting record) (R-CT) released a report conducted by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on Federal efforts to secure U.S.-Bound Air Cargo.


~snip~

Currently, TSA's screening system only addresses domestic air cargo, leaving all air cargo entering the U.S. from abroad vulnerable. While it has issued the final rule and incorporated a number of provisions aimed at enhancing security of inbound air cargo, TSA continues to exempt some inbound cargo on passenger planes from inspection.


To address this vulnerability, GAO recommends the implementation of a systematic process to improve interagency communication to be used to strengthen TSA's efforts in securing inbound cargo. In addition, TSA must analyze air cargo security practices used by industry stakeholders and foreign governments to determine their applicability to the United States.


Chairman Thompson issued the following statement regarding the findings:


"Ignoring a mandate from Congress and recommendations from the GAO on this critical security issue borders on the criminal," said Thompson. "This Administration has left a gaping hole in our aviation security on which any terrorist can capitalize. This report further reinforces Congress's intent in HR 1 to screen all air-cargo on passenger aircraft. It is critical that the Department of Homeland Security comply with all of the GAO's recommendations. The flying public deserves no less."


Rep. Ed Markey added:


"Today's report is a wake-up call for the Bush Administration, which has failed to take the actions needed to close glaring cargo security loopholes," said Rep. Markey. "GAO has confirmed the concerns we have repeatedly raised about dangerous cargo security gaps, including the fact that not all of the cargo packed on passenger planes and flown into our country is ever inspected for explosives or weapons of mass destruction before it is loaded onboard. Instead, the Bush Administration claims that rubber-stamped paperwork checks and random inspections that exempt many types of cargo are sufficient. The reality is that this kind of security doubletalk and half measures provide an open invitation to a terrorist or troubled individual intent on using a bomb in a cargo box to destroy an airplane in flight."

more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20070430/pl_usnw/tsa_continues_to_ignore_congress_and_gao__air_cargo_still_vulnerable

[truthisfreedom]

1. bush has got to be feeling kinda funny lately.

He's basically hated by most of the planet, and can't catch a break here at home. Except for his fake purple heart.

[trof]

2. Some cargo is flying disaster area.

I was a cargo pilot for the last 10 years of my career.
Among a wide variety of freight, we hauled all the stuff that, by law, can't be carried in the baggage compartments of passenger aircraft.
A lot of HAZMAT (hazardous material).

One night we had 4 or five pallets of 55 gallon drums containing something with a name about 25 letters long. My co-pilot had a degree in chemical engineering.

"Know what we got back there?"
"Not a clue."
"Well, if we should crash right after take off, they'd have to evacuate Long Island."
whew