Markey to Introduce Legislation to Close Air Cargo Loophole on Cargo Planes

Press Release

Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-MA), who authored the 2007 law that requires 100% screening of all air cargo transported on domestic passenger planes and all international passenger planes entering the U.S., today announced that when Congress reconvenes following the elections, he intends to introduce legislation that would require 100% screening of all cargo on cargo planes. Markey's announcement comes in the wake of revelations that Al Qaeda terrorists based in Yemen attempted to ship explosives to two synagogues in Chicago.

"In 2007, my amendment on air cargo screening was enacted into law, closing a cargo security gap on passenger planes. At the time, strong opposition from the shipping industry, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and other business interests prevented the inclusion of a screening mandate for all-cargo planes. Following this recent foiled cargo bombing plot from Yemen, now is the time to finish the job," Markey said.

He added, "While we now have 100% screening of air cargo being transported on domestic passenger planes, and we are screening over a reported 80% of the incoming air cargo on international passenger planes, we are not yet screening all the freight on all-cargo carriers.

"Friday's incident shows that Al Qaeda is well aware of this loophole in the system, and they fully intend to exploit it. That is why I intend to introduce a bill that would close the air cargo plane screening loophole when Congress reconvenes following Tuesday's elections."

Rep. Markey also today released a chronology of his efforts since 2003 to close the gap in air cargo screening for both passenger and cargo aircraft along with Congressional action in this area. The chronology indicates how opposition from the Bush-Cheney Administration, Republicans in Congress, the air cargo industry, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and other business lobbyists prevented Congress from addressing the need to ensure screening of cargo being transported on domestic or international cargo aircraft when the 2007 law was being debated in Congress.

"It is time for the shipping industry and the business community to accept the reality that more needs to be done to secure cargo planes so that they cannot be turned into a delivery systems for bombs targeting our country," Markey concluded.

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