U.S. Chamber Summit Spotlights Cargo Security Challenge

The U.S.Chamber of Commerce today gathered 300 business leaders to highlight the need for government-industry teamwork to secure the nation's borders and transportation network while facilitating sea, air, and land cargo traffic.

"Whether it's at our borders, ports, or airports, efforts to tighten security have translated into long, unpredictable delays for shipments moving through an already taxed transportation system," said Greg Lebedev, U.S. Chamber COO. "If our just-in-time economy is to remain strong, trade cannot become a permanent trade-off for heightened security."

The National Chamber Foundation cargo security summit — "Securing the Supply Chain: Cargo Logistics and the American Economy" — featured a luncheon keynote address by Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta and closing keynote by Adm. Charles Abbot, White House Homeland Security Office deputy director, as well as remarks by FedEx Corp. CEO Fred Smith and panel discussions with key policymakers and business and association leaders from a range of industry sectors.

"Government and industry must work together to design efficient ways to secure people and cargo without impeding the global supply chain," said Lebedev. "The terrorists struck at our buildings but their real targets were the American economy and way of life, and these are the assets which we must protect."

During the summit, business leaders voiced the common theme that millions of U.S. businesses rely on a secure, dependable, and integrated transportation system to stay competitive and that government must take new steps to increase efficiency and protect the economy.

"The short-term answer to the 9/11 attacks was to shut down our borders and airports for several days, nearly idling our economy," said Lebedev. "The long-term solution lies in embracing technologies, policies, and attitudes that will prevent any future terrorist attacks from putting America out of business."

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation, representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector and region.

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