Testifying recently before a US congressional subcommittee, the executive director of the US Airforwarders Association (AFA), Brandon Fried, acknowledged progress had been made on screening cargo in the belly holds of passenger aircraft, but warned three primary challenges still faced the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) aim of 100 per cent screening by the August 2010 deadline. “Serious issues have yet to be resolved, including the lack of approved pallet screening technology, ongoing financial barriers to participation, and the future of air cargo security policy in general,” Fried said.