House panel rejects plan to check all cargo abroad

[BrklynLiberal]

Since this was 20 hours ago it is too late for LBN, but it appears to be important news that I did not hear anywhere except on Rachel Maddow this AM.

Reuters
WASHINGTON - A House of Representatives committee on Wednesday rejected a Democratic proposal to require physical inspection of all U.S.-bound marine containers but approved a separate plan that may lead to expanded screening.

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The cargo screening gap has prompted warnings from some lawmakers and security experts that sea cargo is still one of the nation's most serious security vulnerabilities more than four years after the September 11 attacks.

"We know from intelligence, their (terrorists') highest goal would be to bring a nuclear device to our shores," Massachusetts Democrat Edward Markey told the committee.

The Republican-led panel rejected, on a mostly party-line vote of 16-18, a Markey amendment to require overseas inspection of all U.S.-bound cargo and tamper-proof seals.

<snip>

Instead of the Democrats' proposal, the committee approved a plan to have the Department of Homeland Security evaluate nuclear and radiological detection systems for use at seaports within a year. (That would be 6 years after 9/11!)

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more...

http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=1893379

[rodeodance]

1. Headline for this Should be: Repubs Reject National Security

[BrklynLiberal]

2. You are right.