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Dems to Pass Nadler Plan for 100% Cargo Screening

Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-08) today praised the Democratic leadership for bringing H.R. 1 to the House floor.  The bill, likely to pass, calls for implementation of the 9/11 Commission Recommendations, including a provision Rep. Nadler has personally advocated for more than four years ensuring 100% scanning of every cargo container loaded on a ship bound for the United States.


“Today, America is taking a step in the right direction by requiring that 100% of cargo containers be scanned for nuclear and bomb-making materials before they are put on a ship bound for the United States,” says Rep. Nadler.

“The experts agree that our ports are vulnerable to nuclear attack and the Bush Administration has failed to take the threat seriously.  Today, the Democratic Congress has adopted common sense measures to protect America’s ports from terrorist attacks,” he adds.

In order to ensure that every container is checked for radiological or other hazardous substances, H.R. 1 would phase in a requirement for 100% scanning of cargo containers bound for the United States.  This provision would require all cargo containers to be scanned and sealed using the best available technology before being loaded onto U.S.-bound ships.  The containers must be scanned by both X-ray machines and radiation detectors.  Large ports would be given three years to comply and smaller ports five years.  The Department of Homeland Security could grant a one year extension to a port if the scanning equipment is unavailable for the port to purchase and install. (Two of the busiest port terminals in the world – in Hong Kong – already currently scan 100% of cargo containers.)

“It’s simple. No container should be placed on a ship bound for the United States unless it has been screened for nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and their components,” says Congressman Nadler.

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