Ed Markey: “Mr. Chairman, every time we fly we wait in security lines. We empty our pockets, we remove our shoes. Sleeping babies…”

“Mr. Chairman, every time we fly we wait in security lines. We empty our pockets, we remove our shoes. Sleeping babies are taken out of their baby carriers. We have to walk through metal detectors, we have to have our baggage inspected. Even grandma with her walker needs to be physically inspected at security checkpoints. We do not complain much as Americans because we all know this is all aimed at improving the security of every single flying passenger in our country. But what people do not realize is that right next to our baggage, right underneath our now-screened shoes, cargo is placed which has not been screened at all. For example, if a passenger were carrying onto a plane a package this size, it is going to get screened. It is going through the metal detector. It is going to be looked at. But if it is shipped as cargo and it is 16 ounces or less, it automatically does not get screened at all. They think this is not dangerous if it comes as cargo. But if a passenger carries it onto that very same plane, it is going to be checked. The only difference is if you are carrying it, you are on the plane with it. But if someone sends it as cargo, they are not on that plane. What is dangerous about that? What is dangerous about it is that the Pan Am flight over Lockerbie was brought down by a package this size. That is what is wrong.”