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Oct. 31, 2008 - Markey: TSA Agreement with EU on 100% Air Cargo Screening Marks Positive Progress
Reversing Statements from July, TSA Working to Screen Inbound Cargo on Passenger Planes for Bombs
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA), a senior member of the Homeland Security Committee and author of the 100 percent air cargo screening mandate signed into law in August 2007, expressed support today for the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) agreement with the European Union (EU) to screen air cargo on U.S.-bound passenger flights. Rep. Markey also reacted to a response he received from TSA Assistant Secretary Kip Hawley on overseas screening of cargo carried on passenger planes bound for the U.S.
"Billions of pounds
of cargo enter the United
States annually aboard passenger planes.
Fully implementing the 100 percent screening mandate according to the law
passed by Congress last year is critical to protecting passengers and crew
members in our commercial aviation system," Rep. Markey said.
During a Homeland Security Committee hearing in July, Rep.
Markey disputed the interpretation of the cargo screening mandate put forward
by the TSA witness, who asserted that it only covered cargo on flights
originating in the United
States.Following the hearing, Rep. Markey was joined by several of his
colleagues in writing to TSA Assistant Secretary Kip Hawley to dispute this interpretation,
provide the statutory language making clear that this interpretation was
inconsistent with the letter and intent of the law and seek TSA's written legal
analysis on this issue.Full text of the
July 31st letter here.
Mr. Hawley responded yesterday, Oct. 30th,
agreeing with the lawmakers.Specifically, Mr. Hawley wrote that a reading of the statute "leads one
to conclude that the definition of cargo includes cargo inbound to the United States from foreign countries" and
stating that the law does indeed apply to "the screening of cargo that enters
the United States from
points outside the United
States." Full
text of the Oct. 30th response here.
"I worked for more than five years to pass the law
closing the air cargo loophole and requiring 100 percent screening of cargo
carried in the belly of passenger planes. I am pleased that TSA has backed off
any claims that cargo packed overseas and transported to our country on a
passenger planes might be exempt from the screening requirement," said Rep. Markey. "The foiled London bombing plot two
years ago made clear that aviation is at the top of Al Qaeda's terrorist target
list. Questions remain about TSA's plans for ensuring the screening of air
cargo bound for our country and look forward to continuing to work on this
important issue."
The 100% air cargo screening
mandate must be fully implemented by 2010, with a 50% implementation deadline
in February 2009.