Under a bill introduced in the House of Representatives on Thursday, 3D imaging technology and stronger public-private partnerships would be leveraged to enhance Transportation Security Administration (TSA) air cargo security protocols.
The Air Cargo Security Improvement Act of 2017,
H.R. 4176, would establish a pilot program that aims to expand the use of 3D imaging technology for screening, and it would create an air cargo security office within the TSA to cultivate stronger relationships with the private sector.
The Air Cargo Advance Screening Program would also be made permanent under the bill. The program, which is jointly administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) on a pilot basis, requires advanced cargo data to be submitted to the CBP before airplanes are loaded.
U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, introduced the bill in response to an alleged terrorist plot to down an airplane that Australian officials uncovered in July.
“It is clear after a foiled terror plot this summer — and others in the past — that the threat of a terrorist attack using air cargo on passenger planes is very real and should not be understated,” Thompson said. “The American public expects Congress act quickly to improve our aviation security to address this clear and present security threat. I introduced this legislation with the hopes that Congress will move with urgency to make the nation more secure from the threat of an air cargo-based attack and I urge my colleagues to join me and advance this necessary and straightforward homeland security legislation.”
The Air Cargo Security Improvement Act would take additional steps to identify shortcomings and improvements within air cargo screening programs. TSA would be required to report on Certified Cargo Screening Program improvements, and the Government Accountability Office would be directed to review the effectiveness of DHS air cargo security efforts.
U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Protective Security, said securing air cargo is just as critical as securing passenger safety.
“The Air Cargo Security Improvement Act of 2017 will help ensure that Congress is staying ahead of the ever-evolving security threats that face all who navigate our skies,” Watson Coleman said. “For that reason, I am proud to cosponsor this important legislation that will build upon the important work TSA is currently doing to safeguard and enhance the security on our aircrafts.”