James M. Loy, Dec. 31, 2002

Before the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, only 5% of bags were being checked by the airlines.

By midnight tonight, all checked baggage will be inspected for explosives, with more than 90% inspected by electronic means. If electronic means -- explosives-detection machines and explosives-trace-detection devices -- are not available, we will use other methods approved by Congress.

The legislation creating the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) authorized alternatives to electronic means, including explosives-sniffing dogs, hand searches and passenger-bag matching, because Congress realized no single "silver bullet" was available.

And when Congress recently created the Department of Homeland Security, extensions of today's deadline for fully deployed electronic screening were authorized.

At a handful of airports, I have approved extensions while directing the interim use of other congressionally approved methods. For security reasons, the TSA will not divulge how many waivers were issued or be specific about how baggage is screened at individual airports. Having such details could improve a terrorist's chances of gaming the system, thus jeopardizing security and putting travelers at risk.

It is flat wrong to think that airports lack effective explosives-detection capability if they use alternative means of detection. Even after electronic systems are fully in place, alternatives will be used as needed. They are part of our layered "system of systems," with each layer improving on and complementing the others.

Contrary to your editorial, it was not congressional intent to force at least one of the large, expensive explosives-detection systems into every airport. In some airports, electronic trace-detector machines -- highly efficient but much less expensive -- and other alternatives can be used to effectively enhance security.

The TSA does not use "security" as a smokescreen. Much of our work is done in the glare of airport lobbies.

With some 2 million people flying daily, we are constantly held accountable -- as we should be.

We are moving rapidly; 11 months ago the TSA existed only on paper. Since then we have hired, trained and deployed some 56,000 security screeners, put thousands of air marshals on flights and significantly improved our ability to assess terrorist threats.

Certainly, we look forward to that remaining handful of airports having all of their electronic equipment installed. And we have high hopes that American ingenuity will provide an even "better mousetrap" soon. Meanwhile, aviation security is at an all-time high, and we will work diligently to maintain and improve upon that standard.

Adm. James M. Loy is the undersecretary of Transportation for Security and heads the Transportation Security Administration.