Senate Hearing on SAFE Ports Act
The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs conducted an oversight hearing on Implementation of the SAFE Ports Act. The Act assigned approximately 100 maritime security tasks. Mr. Stewart Baker, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), testified that the Department has completed half of the assigned tasks and is on track to complete most of the remainder within the statutory timeframe. He specifically cited the Secure Freight Initiative (SFI), Long-Range Tracking and Identification (LRIT), and Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) programs as high priority. He also discussed the gap between the pace of technology and the legislative mandates. Mr.
Senate Committee Approves GreenLane Bill
The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs stated that it approved, with several amendments, the GreenLane Maritime Cargo Security Act (S. 2459). This bill is largely similar to the SAFE Port Act (H.R. 4954), which awaits consideration on the House floor. Look for these bills to bed merged and enacted into law in the near future. Source: HK Law
Increase in Seaport Security Funding is Proposed
The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), the organization representing public ports throughout the Western Hemisphere, lauded Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Patty Murray (D-WA) for introducing a bill in the U.S. Senate that includes revisions and clarifications to the Department of Homeland Security’s Port Security Grant program. “AAPA praises the senatorial leadership of Susan Collins, who chairs the Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, and Washington State’s Patty Murray, who today have introduced the ‘GreenLane Maritime Cargo Security Act,’” said Kurt Nagle, AAPA’s president and CEO. Nagle added that while there are DHS programs that address cargo and port security…
