Friday, March 5, 2010
TSA director: 100 percent air cargo screening two years away
It could take the Homeland Security Department another two years to ensure that all cargo is screened for weapons of mass destruction before being flown into the United States on passenger airplanes, much longer than originally estimated, a senior department official told lawmakers Thursday.
A 2007 law that Democrats wrote as soon as they took over Congress required the Transportation Security Administration to ensure that all cargo aboard passenger flights is screened for weapons of mass destruction by August 2010.
But the deadline for incoming international flights will be missed, Gale Rossides, TSA's acting director, told the House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee.
She said the agency might be able to ensure that only 65 percent of cargo on international flights is screened. But TSA will meet the deadline for screening all cargo aboard passenger flights originating inside the United States, she added.
Rossides said the biggest challenge is getting cooperation from the governments of 20 countries where nearly 85 percent of all cargo comes from.
- Global Security Newswire/CongressDaily
For the full story: www.globalsecuritynewswire.org
More Newswire stories
Senator Menendez urges DHS on with container-screen mandate
Kenworth cites sluggish low-emission engine sales for one-week plant shutdown
At least 30 ships still stuck in Baltic ice
“Partially clothed” man jumps off Port of L.A. dock, drowns
Click to browse past stories on these topics:
Logistics
Ports & Infrastructure
Economic Outlook
Environmental Impact
Technology
Home/Subscribe/Our Conferences/Ports Handbooks/Advertising Info/Multimedia/Publishing Services/About Us
Contact/Calendar/Past Issues/Upload Files
All contents of this site are copyright 2010 by Northwest Publishing Center and Cargo Business News and may not be reproduced in any way without express written consent of the author.