July 23, 2002

 

 

Tim Russert Asked the Right Questions About Extending the Deadline for Screening Airline Baggage for Explosives

 

Dear Colleague:

 

Last Sunday on Meet the Press, Tim Russert asked excellent questions about the recommendations of the Select Committee on Homeland Security to extend the deadline for screening checked airline baggage for explosives:

 

RUSSERT:…This is what the secretary of transportation, Norm Mineta, said less than 90 days ago, that all checked airline baggage for explosives would be done by the end of the year.  The 429 U.S. airports that have commercial airline service will get screening systems by December 31, the deadline Congress established in last year's aviation security bill, Mineta said.

 

Now, on Friday, you voted and pushed for an extension, a delay of a year for the screening of all checked airline baggage, which means that a terrorist could take a suitcase with a bomb, check it, get on the plane, and blow the plane up.

 

Why can't the United States of America, with all our know-how and technology, get these machines in place by the end of this year, and why would you delay it for now another year and a half?

****

 

RUSSERT:  But this is going to put Americans who fly commercial airlines at serious risk for at least the next year and a half. 

 

Tim Russert asked the right questions and we all need to answer these questions when we decide whether to support the extension of the deadline.  My answer is that the United States has the technology, know-how, and will to get these machines in place by the end of the year.  And Mr. Russert was right -- delaying this deadline would put Americans at serious risk and we must not do it.

 

During consideration of the Homeland Security bill, I intend to offer an amendment to strike this provision and, as you evaluate the issue, I ask that you keep the following facts in mind:

 

Ø            Extending the deadline is not needed to give the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) flexibility to implement the Aviation Security Act if TSA is unable to meet the deadline of the Dec. 31, 2002, for screening all baggage with explosive detection equipment.  The law already provides flexibility.  Under the Aviation Security Act, baggage that cannot be screened by explosive detection equipment shall be screened by alternative means including: bag match, manual search, search by canine detection, or search by any other means on technology approved by TSA.

 

Ø            It is simply not correct to say that if we await the development of new technology, the new technology will be better at detecting explosives.  The explosive detection systems now available have been certified pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 44913 as able to: “detect under realistic air carrier operating conditions the amount, configurations, and the types of explosive material that would be likely used to cause catastrophic damage to commercial aircraft.”  The new technology, which some have touted as the reason we should extend the deadline, is not expected to be any better at detecting explosives.  The new technology may be less costly or able to process more bags per hour, but it won’t be any better at detecting explosives.

 

Ø            None of the new technology that is currently being evaluated for certification is likely to be certified in time for it to be installed by December 31, 2003, the new deadline established by the Select Committee.

 

When these facts are considered, I think you will agree with me that an extension of the deadline is not needed, and that the result of delaying the installation of equipment will be, as Mr. Russert put it, to place “Americans who fly commercial airlines at risk for at least the next year and a half.”

 

We must amend the homeland security bill to strike the provision extending the deadline for screening checked baggage.

 

                                                                                 Sincerely,

 

 

 

                                                                                 James L. Oberstar

                                                                                 Ranking Democratic Member