WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Representative Edward Markey (D-MA), a senior member of the House Homeland Security Committee, today responded to the release of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report he requested along with other Members of Congress to investigate the security of cargo carried on passenger planes arriving in the United States.  The GAO report identified dangerous security gaps in Department of Homeland Security (DHS) policies for ensuring the safety of commercial cargo carried on U.S.-bound passenger planes.

“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.”

In its report, entitled “Federal Efforts to Secure U.S.-Bound Air Cargo Are in the Early Stages and Could Be Strengthened”(GAO-07-660), GAO concluded that:

    - “The agencies [Transportation Security Administration and Customs and Border Protection] are only beginning to implement inbound air cargo security programs and opportunities exist to strengthen these efforts” (Page 6)
[A]ir carriers in some foreign counties inspect air cargo for potential WMDs prior to its loading on a U.S.-bound flight, which neither TSA nor CBP requires. (Page 8)
    - TSA “has not yet assessed which areas of inbound air cargo are most vulnerable to attack and which inbound cargo assets are deemed most critical to protect.”  (Page 6)
    - “TSA requirements continue to allow inspection exemptions for certain types of inbound air cargo transported on passenger air carriers.” (Page 7)

Rep. Markey is the author of legislation and amendments to create a 100 percent inspection mandate for cargo on passenger planes.  On January 9, 2007, the House of Representatives passed, as part of H.R. 1, the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Implementation Act, an air cargo security provision Markey authored to require the physical screening of all cargo carried on passenger planes within three years.  Similar language has been included in the Senate version of H.R. 1.

“We cannot afford to wait until disaster strikes to close the cargo security loophole.  We know that Al Qaeda and its affiliates have placed aviation at the top of their terrorist target list.  Last summer’s foiled plot to detonate liquid explosives on multiple airliners bound for the United States and last week’s roundup of Saudi terrorists planning to fly airplanes into targets such as oil refineries are yet another reminder of the urgent need to strengthen the security of commercial airlines.  Pilots and flight attendants, government investigators, the 9/11 Commission and homeland security experts have all highlighted the dangers posed by uninspected cargo.  I am pleased that both the House and Senate versions of legislation implementing the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission include a requirement I authored to screen 100 percent of cargo on passenger planes for explosives and other dangerous materials. As the final version of this legislation is negotiated, I will be working to ensure this important provision remains in the final bill,” concluded Markey.

For a full copy of the report please contact Jessica Schafer (an online copy will be posted shortly).