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John Sammon, assistant administrator for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, spoke today about the TSA’s actions toward fulfilling the air cargo security provisions of the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007. The act mandates that 100 percent of all air cargo aboard passenger aircraft be screened by the year 2010.

The major challenges faced by the TSA is that there is not enough capacity at all the airports to do all the screening that needs to be done, Sammon said. The lack of capacity makes it impractical to attempt to break down, screen and reassemble large consolidated loads on airport property with any timelines or efficiency and it also poses a security threat, he said.

Cathleen Berrick, director of the Homeland Security and Justice Issues at the U.S. Government Accountability Office, said that TSA faces five major challenges: TSA has noted some technologies that will be allowed but has not finished that assessment, TSA has not finished it’s air cargo vulnerability assessments, TSA may face resource challenges, TSA is working with outbound and domestic air cargo but more work is needed on inbound international flights, and finally TSA needs to set standards that all air cargo companies are willing to work with.