Nuclear security

Lawmakers Concerned Over Threat Of Dirty Bomb To US Ports

During the hearing, Rep. Janice Hahn (D-Calif.) said although ports are the “economic engine” of the country, in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks more time, effort and money has been devoted to airports than to the protection of US ports.

“When people ask me what keeps me up at night? A dirty bomb at the Port of Los Angeles, or Long Beach,” Hahn said. “Ships make 50,000 calls a year on our US ports. They carry 2 billion tons of freight, 134 million passengers -- they are incredibly important and one dirty bomb at Long Beach, Los Angeles would be disastrous.”

Hahn also reiterated her call for 100 percent scanning of all cargo at US ports, noting that only 3 percent of the cargo shipped through US ports is scanned for contraband and dangerous materials, like explosive devices. Hahn recalled incidents in 2002 and 2003 where ABC News smuggled depleted uranium through the ports of New York and Long Beach and no one detected it.