Rep.-Elect Meehan Urges Balance In Air Cargo Screenings
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Suburban congressman-elect Pat Meehan took a private tour of the UPS package facility at the airport on Friday morning, looking over the operation's security in light of the recent air cargo bombing plot that originated in Yemen.
This was not a photo-op -- no reporters or camera crews were permitted inside.
Later, Meehan left the plant on Hog Island Road insisting he was impressed with UPS's efficiency in moving cargo on a large scale.
Cranking up the screening process at places like this will be a challenge, he says, because you have to strike a balance:
"...both to assure safety but not have it impact on commerce so significantly that we shut down our ability to operate."
Meehan suggests that more onus needs to go on overseas facilities for better screenings, while recognizing that there will never be complete security worldwide.
But as terrorists change their tactics -- as they clearly have in the most recent bombing attempts -- Meehan says the US must change its response to keep up.
All this could, of course, cost private firms like UPS a lot more money. And that has to be taken into consideration, too.
Reported by David Madden, KYW Newsradio 1060.
