Aviation Security: TSA Has Made Progress but Faces Challenges in Meeting the Statutory Mandate for Screening Air Cargo on Passenger Aircraft
GAO-10-446
Published: Jun 28, 2010. Publicly Released: Jun 30, 2010.
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Highlights
Billions of pounds of cargo are transported on U.S. passenger flights annually. The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is the primary federal agency responsible for securing the air cargo system. The 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 mandated DHS to establish a system to screen 100 percent of cargo flown on passenger aircraft by August 2010. As requested, GAO reviewed TSA's progress in meeting the act's screening mandate, and any related challenges it faces for both domestic (cargo transported within and from the United States) and inbound cargo (cargo bound for the United States). GAO reviewed TSA's policies and procedures, interviewed TSA officials and air cargo industry stakeholders, and conducted site visits at five U.S. airports, selected based on size, among other factors.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation Security Administration | To enhance efforts to secure the air cargo transportation system and establish a system to screen 100 percent of air cargo transported on passenger aircraft, the Administrator of TSA should establish milestones for the completion of TSA's staffing study to assist in determining the resources necessary to provide Certified Cargo Screening Program (CCSP) oversight. |
Closed – Implemented
According to TSA, TSA delivered the staffing study in December 2010. The staffing study stated that TSA's statistical models for workforce planning take into account the number of certified cargo screening facilities, thus indicating that the study will assist TSA in determining the resources necessary to provide oversight of the Certified Cargo Screening Program. Based on this action, we consider this recommendation closed as implemented.
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| Transportation Security Administration | To enhance efforts to secure the air cargo transportation system and establish a system to screen 100 percent of air cargo transported on passenger aircraft, the Administrator of TSA should develop a mechanism to verify the accuracy of all screening data, both self-reported domestic data and inbound cargo data, through random checks or other practical means. For inbound air cargo, complete the agency's plan to obtain actual data, rather than estimates, for all inbound screening, including establishing time frames and milestones for completion of the plan. |
Closed – Implemented
TSA provided information that addresses the domestic and inbound portions of the recommendation. For the domestic portion, TSA verified that part of the Transportation Security Inspector-Cargo (TSI-C) inspection includes ensuring that cargo is being screened at 100 percent, and that TSI-Cs compare screening logs to shipping documentation to verify 100 percent screening in that way also. For the inbound portion, TSA verified that reporting mechanisms are in place and being used to report actual screening data rather than estimates for all inbound cargo, the specifics of which are considered sensitive security information. This information indicates that TSA has in place a mechanism to verify the accuracy of the domestic and inbound self-reported screening data, which is now all reported as 100 percent screened. Based on these actions, we consider this recommendation closed as implemented.
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| Transportation Security Administration | To enhance efforts to secure the air cargo transportation system and establish a system to screen 100 percent of air cargo transported on passenger aircraft, the Administrator of TSA should develop a plan, with milestones, for how and when the agency intends to require the screening of in-transit cargo. |
Closed – Implemented
In our June 2010 report on air cargo security (GAO-10-446), we reported that cargo that has already been transported on one leg of a passenger flight--known as in-transit cargo--may be subsequently transferred to another passenger flight without undergoing screening. Since the Department of Homeland Security's Transportation Security Administration (TSA) requires less inbound cargo to be screened than domestic cargo, not screening in-transit cargo that is transferred from an inbound flight to a domestic flight could pose a security vulnerability. As of February 2010, TSA was not planning to require in-transit cargo transferred from an inbound flight to a domestic flight be physically screened because of the logistical difficulties associated with screening cargo that is transferred from one flight to another. In our June 2010 report, we recommended that TSA develop a plan to require the screening of in-transit cargo. In its agency comments to this report, TSA stated that as of August 2010, the agency would require the screening of 100 percent of in-transit cargo. TSA reported that the agency published updated screening requirements, effective August 2010, that require 100 percent screening of in-transit cargo if it cannot be verified as previously screened. In October 2010, TSA reported that discussions with GAO played a role in the agency's decision to require 100 percent screening of in-transit cargo. As a result, in-transit cargo that is transferred from an inbound flight to a domestic flight is now required to undergo the same level of screening as domestic cargo.
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| Transportation Security Administration | To enhance efforts to secure the air cargo transportation system and establish a system to screen 100 percent of air cargo transported on passenger aircraft, the Administrator of TSA should develop a contingency plan for meeting the mandate as it applies to domestic cargo that considers alternatives to address potential CCSP participation shortfalls and screening technology limitations. |
Closed – Not Implemented
TSA reported to Congress on 9/21/2011 that 100 percent of cargo transported on flights of passenger aircraft originating within the United States was being screened in accordance with the 9/11 Commission Act. Therefore, a contingency plan for meeting the screening mandate as it applies to domestic cargo is no longer necessary.
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| Transportation Security Administration | To enhance efforts to secure the air cargo transportation system and establish a system to screen 100 percent of air cargo transported on passenger aircraft, the Administrator of TSA should develop a plan, with milestones, for how and when the agency intends to meet the mandate as it applies to inbound cargo. |
Closed – Implemented
TSA's air carrier security programs, effective 6/15/12 and 7/10/12, include provisions for meeting the 100 percent screening mandate as it applies to inbound cargo.
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Air transportationAircraftAirlinesAirport securityAirportsCargo screeningContingency plansSearch and seizureMaterials handlingInspectionRisk managementStrategic planningCompliancePolicies and procedures