[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 84 (Friday, June 21, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S5905]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. HUTCHISON:
  S. 2668. A bill to ensure the safety and security of passenger air 
transportation cargo and all-cargo air transportation; to the Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Madam President, I rise today to introduce 
legislation to close a dangerous loophole in our aviation security 
network. The attacks of September 11 forced us to take a hard look at 
the way we screen passengers and luggage. Congress responded to the 
challenge with a comprehensive system to perform these tasks through 
the new Transportation Security Administration. We have required the 
TSA to check every passenger and every piece of baggage that is placed 
onboard a flight.
  While I am confident that these measures have improved security, 
Congress has left the back door open to terrorists with plans to 
disrupt passenger flights. We did not establish a similar regime to 
ensure the safety of cargo operations. This issue must be addressed. 
Twenty-two percent of all air cargo in the U.S. is carried on passenger 
flights, but only a tiny percentage of this cargo is inspected. There 
is no point to carefully screening every piece of luggage if the cargo 
placed aboard the same flight is not inspected.
  My legislation would also tighten rules for so-called known shippers. 
Under current procedures, any manufacturer, middleman, or receiver of 
goods can be classified as a known shipper, which allows the shipment 
to proceed without inspection. This is not sufficient to protect the 
public. We must be sure that companies claiming known shipper status 
are whom they claim to be and we must improve handling protocols to 
ensure that terrorists cannot tamper with shipments while they are in 
transit. My bill would accomplish these goals.
  The Air Cargo Security Act would create a comprehensive security 
process for shipment of cargo, particularly for shipments traveling on 
passenger flights. It would require that all cargo onboard passenger 
flights, including foreign-based flights heading for the U.S., be 
thoroughly inspected. The bill would also direct TSA to establish a 
``chain of custody'' for air cargo that ensures that merchandise is 
never out of the control of a known shipper. Under these restrictions, 
cargo could be placed aboard aircraft with confidence that no tampering 
had occurred in transit.
  The legislation would direct TSA to formulate a comprehensive system 
for certifying known shippers and assigning each one a unique encrypted 
identifier that must be produced to the air carrier before loading the 
cargo and cannot be counterfeited. All shippers, including haulers and 
middlemen, must be certified under the new system. If cargo has been 
handled in any way by an uncertified company, then it will not fly. The 
TSA would have to regularly inspect shipping facilities. To accomplish 
these tasks, the bill would provide TSA with additional manpower and 
equipment as needed.
  I know that air cargo security presents a challenge nearly as large 
as passenger security. Forcing shippers and carriers to submit to 
inspection of all cargo would allow only 4 percent of the current 
volume to be processed. I want to ensure that these inspections do not 
harm airline operations.
  However, if we fail to enact these reforms, we will leave aviation 
security only half-finished. I fear that we will lose our aviation 
system if we suffer another successful attack on a passenger flight. I 
call upon my colleagues to take these concrete, measurable steps to 
ensuring the safety of air passengers and those on the ground.

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