NCBFAA President Tells Senate House Bill’s 100% Inspection Isn’t a Solution

Washington, DC: In a letter commenting on H.R. 1 and counterpart Senate legislation relating to air cargo security, the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America, Inc. (NCBFAA) President Mary Jo Muoio said, "The 100% solution is an oxymoron -- it is the wrong way to secure the homeland and creates a false confidence in our ability to succeed."
       Directed to Senator Daniel Inouye, Chairman, Senate Committee on Commerce, the letter further stated, "NCBFAA recognizes the need to create a secure environment around cargo transported via air, most particularly through the resources of passenger aircraft." In an earlier letter, the NCBFAA committed itself to seeking a multi-layered, risk-based approach.
       "We strongly believe that, by targeting those shipments of highest risk and focusing on air cargo where we are most likely to yield positive results, we can make the best use of finite resources," President Muoio added. "One hundred per cent inspection requirements spread our efforts too thinly over a very broad range of shipments and reduce the effectiveness of air cargo screening."
       She recommended that any Senate legislation incorporate these principles of risk analysis:

• Support the Transportation Security Administration’s concept of identifying "trusted shippers."
• Organize direct air carriers, indirect air carriers and shippers to look for and report instances where security conditions are suspect.
• Link a real-time security profile of those engaged in the supply chain with other intelligence data to identify shipments of elevated risk.
• Perform whatever examination is necessary before those shipments are laden on aircraft.

      "At the same time, we ask the Committee," she continued, "to dismiss those proposals, which create arbitrary timelines and demand unavailable resources, without any reasonable assurance of success."
       Headquartered in Washington, DC, the NCBFAA represents nearly 800 member companies with 100,000 employees in international trade - the nation's leading freight forwarders, customs brokers, ocean transportation intermediaries (OTIs), NVOCCs and air cargo agents, serving more than 250,000 importers and exporters. Established in 1897 in New York, NCBFAA is the effective national voice of the industry. Through its various committees, counsel and representatives, the Association maintains a close watch over legislative and regulatory issues that affect its members. It keeps them informed of these and other related issues through its weekly Monday Morning eBriefing, NCBFAA Quarterly Bulletin, and various meetings and conferences throughout the year.