??FOLLOW-UP? AUDIT OF FAA’s CARGO SECURITY PROGRAM COMPLETE

áôFOLLOW-UPö AUDIT OF FAAÆS CARGO SECURITY PROGRAM COMPLETE    While the focus in the past two weeks has been placed on passenger and baggage processing, air cargo is expected to soon get a thorough review by U.S. congressional and administrative officials.
   The U.S. Transportation Department’s Inspector General Office recently completed a “follow-up” audit of the Federal Aviation Administration’s Cargo Security Program.
   “We continue to find weaknesses in FAA’s policy for allowing cargo on passenger aircraft,” said Kenneth M. Mead, DOT’s inspector general, in a statement'before a rare joint Senate-House hearing of the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittees in Washington yesterday.
   “We will not discuss the details of those weaknesses here today, but will be briefing the Secretary of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administrator, and the Secretary’s recently created Rapid Response Teams,” Mead said.
   Background checks of cargo handlers, airport access of cargo personnel, and cargo screening are'expected to be reviewed in the audit.