DHS appropriations: another reading from the Report together with Additional Views
From page 10 of the Committee Report:
In the area of air cargo, TSA has met the 9/11 Act mandate requiring 50 percent of air cargo carried on passenger aircraft be screened for explosives. However, the more challenging mandate of screening 100 percent of that cargo looms ahead, with a deadline of August 2010. TSA has informed Congress that, by that date, it will be able to screen all air cargo that originates domestically before it is carried on passenger aircraft but it may not be able to meet the deadline with international air cargo. Screening international air cargo poses unique challenges since TSA would need to place personnel overseas to screen U.S.-bound cargo and/or strengthen relations with foreign airports and companies to screen cargo before it is placed on an aircraft heading to the United States. This Committee believes that assuring 100 percent of air cargo carried on passenger aircraft is screened is an important mandate, one that TSA can meet within the timeframe Congress has set. Therefore, the Committee has provided $122,849,000 in fiscal year 2010 for these efforts. This recommendation includes funding for TSA to address the international challenge, as well as for incresed oversight activities to make sure that the certified shippers, freight forwarders, companies and other entities screening air cargo domestically adhere to our stringent security requirements.
