The New York Times reports that expensive screening machines get little use.

Even as the Transportation Department races to install million-dollar machines in airports to screen checked baggage, most of the devices are operated less than two hours a day, and some hardly screen any bags at all, two congressmen said today.

..Citing figures from the inspector general of the Transportation Department, Representatives Henry A. Waxman of California and James L. Oberstar of Minnesota, both Democrats, said in a letter to the domestic security director that only 4 of the 155 machines installed in June were even screening at what the inspector called “minimum capacity,” or 125 bags an hour for 10 hours.

“You’d think they’d be increasing their efficiency as we get close to the deadline, so the gap won’t be so enormous,” Mr. Waxman said in a telephone interview.