U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
U.S. Rep. Don Young, Chairman

Contact:  Steve Hansen (Communications Director)  (202) 225-7749
    Justin Harclerode (Communications Assistant)  (202) 226-8767

To:  National Desk/Transportation Reporter
January 18, 2002

New Transportation Security Undersecretary To Testify About Aviation Screening Effectiveness At Congressional Hearing On Wednesday

        Washington, D.C. - The new Undersecretary for Transportation Security and other aviation experts will testify before Congress on Wednesday about the implementation of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act, and the effectiveness with which the Department of Transportation (DOT) and airlines have met the January 18th baggage screening deadline.

        The hearing of the House Aviation Subcommittee, chaired by U.S. Rep. John Mica (R-FL), is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 23rd in room 2167 Rayburn House Office Building.  A live audio broadcast of the hearing will be available at the Committee’s website:

www.house.gov/transportation

        Representatives of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the DOT Inspector General’s office, the airlines, and the airports have been invited to participate.

Wednesday’s Witness List

- Honorable John Magaw, Under Secretary of Transportation Security, Department of Transportation
- Honorable Kenneth R. Mead, Inspector General, Department of Transportation
- Carol Hallett, President and CEO, Air Transport Association
- David Z. Plavin, President, Airports Council International, North America (ACI-NA)
    Representing ACI-NA and the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE)
- Arnold Barnett, George Eastman Professor of Management Science, Sloan School of Management
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Background

        In response to the terrorist attacks of September 11th, the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (Public Law 107-71) transferred responsibility for aviation security from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to the new Transportation Security Administration (TSA) within DOT.  In response to concerns about checked baggage in particular, the law establishes firm deadlines for the screening of all checked baggage.

        Section 110 establishes two separate deadlines for checked baggage screening.  The first deadline – 60 days after enactment or January 18, 2002 – requires that all checked baggage be screened by some means.  The law lists four possible ways that checked baggage could be screened:

  1. A bag match program that insures that no checked baggage is placed aboard an aircraft unless the passenger who checked the bag is aboard the aircraft;
  2. Manual search, which involves opening the bag and searching by hand;
  3. Search by canine explosive detection units; and
  4. Other means or technology approved by the Under Secretary for Transportation Security.
        The second deadline is at the end of the year.  It requires the Under Secretary for Transportation Security to take all necessary actions to insure that explosive detection systems are deployed at all U.S. airports in sufficient numbers to screen all checked baggage.

        On December 7th, 2001, the Subcommittee held a hearing on the problems DOT would encounter in meeting the second deadline.  The purpose of this hearing is to focus on the first deadline that requires action by today, January 18th.

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