Schumer Secures Key Provision For Surescan Corp Of Endicott In Senate Appropriations Bill
Schumer Aggressively Lobbied For Measure That Would Allocate $50 Million to Select Companies Like SureScan
SureScan Developing State-of-the-Art Bomb-Detecting Device With Application for Airports, Ports, and Even Mail; Could Bring Hundreds of Jobs To Southern Tier
US Senator Charles E. Schumer announced today that he secured a measure that would allocate $50 million for the next generation of homeland screening technology, a move that means SureScan will be one of a few companies able to compete for this money once they are certified by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Schumer, who first brought the TSA to meet with SureScan in 2003, lobbied aggressively for inclusion of the language in the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations bill which recently passed Committee.
This is great news for SureScan and the entire Greater Binghamton region, Schumer said. Not only does this mean SureScan will get the financial help they need to make firstrate homeland security equipment, but this could also this mean hundreds of new jobs for the area.
SureScan plans to manufacture a bombdetecting device that is designed to be much faster than existing ones, processing 1000 bags per hour as opposed to the 300 that current devices can scan. In addition, this device will have fewer false alarms (10% as opposed to the 30% that current ones experience), and is less expensive than current technology. In addition, SureScan plans to manufacture larger machines for processing cargo.
To be able to sell the device to airports and other government agencies for potentially lucrative contracts, there needs to be official TSA certification. SureScan, a private company in Endicott is currently in close communications with the TSA and should be submitting for certification in the coming months. In May, Schumer met with EITs and Sure Scans leadership, including President and CEO James J. McNamara and LeeAnn Levesque General Manager of SureScan Corporation who urged Schumer to secure this measure. Schumer has been active in Sure Scans certification process, which involves sending the unit down to the Atlantic City TSA testing facility for rigorous tests to insure that the device performs at the levels specified by the company. In summer of 2003, Schumer persuaded the federal Transportation Security Administration that the device Sure Scan is planning to build would be ideal for airports and government agencies to use.
The Homeland Security Appropriations bill recently passed the Senate Appropriations Committee and now moves to the Senate Floor for final passage. A conference committee will reconcile the differences between the House and Senate versions before sending it to the President.