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

To:  National Desk/Transportation Reporter
December 6, 2001

        Washington, D.C. - The implementation of the new law requiring explosive detection screening of all checked bags will be the focus of a Congressional oversight hearing Friday morning.

        The hearing by the U.S. House Subcommittee on Aviation, chaired by U.S. Rep. John Mica (R-FL), is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. Friday, December 7th, 2001, in 2167 Rayburn House Office Building.  A live audio broadcast of the hearing will be available at the Committee’s website:

        President Bush recently signed into law the “Aviation and Transportation Security Act” which establishes firm deadlines for the screening of checked baggage.  It also transferred responsibility for aviation security from the FAA to a new Transportation Security Administration (TSA) within DOT.

        By December 31, 2002, the law requires that explosive detection systems be deployed to screen all checked baggage.  The law does not actually require that all checked baggage be screened by that date - although Congressional authors of the legislation have stated that this was their desire - only that the explosive detection machines be deployed by that date and when enough machines are deployed, all checked baggage must be screened by them.  Until enough machines are in place, alternative means, such as those previously mentioned above, must be used to screen checked baggage.

        There is concern that it will be difficult to deploy enough explosive detection systems by the December 31, 2002 deadline.  This hearing will focus on what is being done and what needs to be done to ensure that this deadline is met and that the equipment deployed will be effective in keeping bombs off commercial aircraft.