TSA Cargo Rule Includes Screening Packages Forwarded To Ticket Counters

The Transportation Security Administration will screen 100% of packages delivered directly to airport ticket counters for particular flights, the agency's chief said yesterday.

"We have in place significantly upgraded security screening for packages that go on passenger planes," said TSA Administrator Kip Hawley. "From a risk basis, we'll say 'Yes, we're going to do 100% screening of any package that's targeted to a specific flight."

The ticketing area screening is part of a package of cargo screening measures, including a new rule requiring centralized information and background checks for shippers and the people who work for them (DAILY, May 18).

Under the new rule, about 4,000 industry known shipper lists will be consolidated into one central database managed by TSA. TSA also will require background checks of about 51,000 off-airport freight-forwarder employees and another 50,000 cargo operator employees. TSA is extending airport secure areas to include ramps and cargo facilities.

While TSA is exploring ways to expand screening of other cargo on passenger aircraft, Hawley conceded "it will be short of 100%." Hawley said he didn't want to focus on packages and other cargo to the exclusion of other threats in and around cargo areas, such as unauthorized personnel or people with phony credentials.

The new rule was praised by the Airforwarders Association, which worked with TSA in developing some of the provisions. "We will continue to support TSA's risk-based strategy to air cargo and will work closely to distribute information to freight forwarders throughout the implementation process," the association said.

But House Democrats said the cargo security measures don't go far enough. Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), who has repeatedly introduced legislation requiring 100% screening of all cargo on passenger flights, said not doing so is like "locking your front door, but leaving your back door wide open."

Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, the senior Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, said the known shipper database consolidation is a good first step, but he also wants TSA to eliminate "dangerous exemptions" to cargo screening rules. A Government Accountability Office report last November found TSA wasn't doing enough to secure cargo carried on passenger airplanes. It noted that exemptions of some cargo from inspection create potential security weakness. Hawley said limiting exemptions is among the priority items the agency is working on.

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