Cargo passing through the nation’s airports would be subjected to the same screening requirements that cover passengers’ baggage under a bill that won approval Tuesday from the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.
“The government must remain vigilant in its effort to provide security for our nation,” said Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, the committee chairman.
The proposal calls for all airport cargo, which could range from perishable food products to the mail, to be screened for explosives within three years. The House passed a similar bill last month.
“Improving our nation’s aviation security system is a continuous process,” said Sen. Jay Rockefeller,
D-W.Va. “Terrorists will always seek to exploit the weakest links of our transportation infrastructure. We have a responsibility to close the remaining gaps in aviation security.”
Last year, 350,825 tons of cargo was loaded and unloaded at Dulles International Airport, according to the Metropolitan Airports Authority, and 3,611 tons was loaded and unloaded at Reagan National. Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport handled 124,000 tons, spokesman Jonathan Dean said.
Advocates believe the legislation will make the country’s airports much safer, but opponents think requiring all cargo to be screened will hinder their ability to transport products and could increase prices consumers pay for goods.
A coalition of 18 business and aviation groups sent Inouye a letter earlier this month asking him to consider different screening requirements. They prefer a system that has heightened screening requirements for high-risk cargo, increases the use of bomb-sniffing dogs and offers incentives for shippers to keep their supply lines secure.
“We recognize that government and industry must address threats and vulnerabilities in air cargo, but this task must be accomplished in a manner that allows for the continued free flow of commerce that is so vital to this nation’s economic security,” the letter said.
