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The Latest Headlines:

• Computer Virus Hits the State Department
• Bush Considers Additional Security for Airline Cargo
• Cargo-Screening Plan Excluded From ºÚÁϳԹÏÍøland Security Bill
• Loy: Transportation Network Will Never Be Completely Safe

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Computer Virus Hits the State Department

A computer virus disrupted systems at the State Department on Tuesday that check every visa applicant for terrorist or criminal history, the Associated Press reported.

The virus crippled the department's Consular Lookout and Support System and left the government unable to issue visas for about nine hours, AP said.

CLASS contains more than 15 million records from the FBI, the State Department and U.S. immigration, drug-enforcement and intelligence agencies. Among the names are those of at least 78,000 suspected terrorists.

Every visa applicant is checked against the names in the CLASS database. The State Department's automated systems are designed to not even print a visa until such a check is completed, AP said. Transport Topics

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Bush Considers Additional Security for Airline Cargo

The Bush administration is considering tighter rules for cargo shipped on passenger airlines, include requiring background checks for workers who deliver the cargo and additional scrutiny of shippers, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday.

A TSA official told the Journal that the goal of the plans would be to screen 100% of everything that is high risk, as opposed to every single box.

The government is also considering outfitting aircraft with hardened cargo containers that can withstand an explosion, but airlines have resisted purchasing these containers because of their $15,000 price tag.

The airline industry wants to avoid having to X-ray, swab or sniff the estimated 2.8 million tons of cargo carried on passenger airplanes each year, the Journal said. Transport Topics

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Cargo-Screening Plan Excluded From ºÚÁϳԹÏÍøland Security Bill

Senate and House of Representatives negotiators agreed Wednesday on a $29.4 billion bill to fund the new Department of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍøland Security next year after they dropped a requirement that all cargo carried on passenger planes be screened, news services reported.

The bill would boost homeland security spending by $1 billion more than Bush had requested.

The House had previously passed a provision that would have immediately required airlines to begin screening cargo carried on passenger planes like baggage.

The measure now goes to the House and Senate for final approval before being sent to President Bush. Transport Topics

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Loy: Transportation Network Will Never Be Completely Safe

James Loy, the head of the Transportation Security Administration, said that while the transportation system is safer now than before the 9/11 terrorist attacks, some security gaps will always remain, the Associated Press reported.

Speaking to the National Defense Transportation Association, Loy said that TSA continues to devise security plans for all modes of transportation.

Besides the prevention of potential terrorist attacks, Loy said the security plans needs to also include making people aware of threats and plan the response to terrorist acts if they happen. Transport Topics

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