Hollings Secures $29.5 Million for Port
U.S. Sen. Fritz Hollings announced today that he has secured a total of $29.5 million for port security efforts at the Port of Charleston as part of the fiscal year 2004 Omnibus Appropriations bill. The funding is directed to Charleston's Project Seahawk, the nation's first port security command and control center and a project Hollings helped create. The Omnibus spending measure, approved by the Senate Thursday, encompasses the 7 appropriations bills that have yet to be approved individually. The bill will now be sent to the president for his signature. "This Congress and this Administration have failed to provide the funding necessary to secure our ports, and I will not let their lack of foresight threaten security at our Port of Charleston," said Sen.
Senator Nelson Calls for More Security Money
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson called on Congress and the administration to do more to sufficiently fund port security or risk a potentially devastating attack at one of the nation's coastal sites believed to be highly vulnerable to terrorists. Without more funds for seaport security, Nelson told port officials in Tampa today, the United States won't be able to significantly increase the inspection rate of arriving shipping containers, which is now at just 3 percent. Nelson, like Florida's senior U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, believes that the nation's 361 ports remain among its most vulnerable assets. On Friday, he met with port officials to discuss the president's new budget proposal for port security. That proposal was just blasted by another of Nelson's key Senate colleagues, U.S. Sen.
Chairman Announces Hearing on USCG Budget
U.S. Sen. Fritz Hollings, Chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, announced an Oceans and Fisheries Subcommittee hearing on the Coast Guard budget on Tuesday, March 19, 2002, at 3:00 pm in Room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building. Sen. John Kerry will preside.
Jones Act Reform Legislation Reintroduced
Senators Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), Jesse Helms (R-N.C.), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), Conrad Burns (R-Mont.) and Peter Fitzgerald (R-Ill.) reintroduced legislation (S.1032) designed to reform the U.S.-build requirement of the Jones Act. This bill, similar to the one introduced by Brownback last summer, would allow foreign-built dry- and liquid-bulk oceangoing self-propelled ships over 1,000 tons to ply the U.S. Coastwise trade under U.S. flag. The U.S. ownership, manning and registration (flagging) requirements would remain in place. The bill comes during a time of much activity and debate regarding Jones Act reform. Recently…
PORT SECURITY: Status Report since 9/11
This article focuses on the necessity to craft an effective network system while meeting the government's objectives in the basic rules for security and surveillance of Ports throughout America. This approach explores, from a programmatic perspective, the notion that dealing with the safety issues facing Homeland Security can be successfully accomplished only if technology interconnects the various agencies defending our Ports. It should be noted that system integration can be achieved with technology that exists today, incorporating wireless and broadband services through a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to which all United States Administrators of Defense will have access. Defense budgeting with the intent to fight terrorism is here to stay.
Bentley Criticizes Congressional Funding Bias
maritime industry. "Congress gave the airports more money than they knew what to do with. Hilton Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico on July 22. "This has nothing to do with patriotism. in various capacities. "already 700 pages long. finished. to be imposed on the maritime industry. do business," said Bentley, a maritime lobbyist and consultant. years. Official Congressional estimates are now $8 billion. "That $8 billion is for the 700-page version they have now. costs. screeners authorities were in such a rush to hire," said Bentley. Sen. which will establish joint operation centers at major U.S. roof, and thus improve inter-agency cooperation and communication. will also require U.S. screenings four-fold within two years. the maritime community.
Senate Rejects Proposal to Increase Port Security Funding
Following months of repeated efforts to ensure funding to secure the nation's ports, U.S. Sen. Fritz Hollings offered an amendment to the Homeland Security appropriations legislation Wednesday that would have increased the port security-specific funding to $450 million without adding to the total cost of the bill. The amendment, which directed $300 million in critical infrastructure funding specifically to port security and added to the $150 million already in the bill, was defeated 50-48 largely along party lines. "With this amendment, I attempted to help meet the ports' needs while staying within the cost of the overall bill," said Hollings, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Senators Call for Increased Security Funding
Senators Fritz Hollings (D-SC), Charles Schumer (D-NY), and Patty Murray (D-WA) issued a Press Release
Commerce Committee Will Hold Port Security Field Hearing
U.S. Senator Fritz Hollings (D-SC), Chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, announced today a full Committee hearing on the implementation of the Port and Maritime Security Act on Tuesday, February 19th, 2002, at 1:30 PM at the Charleston, S.C., Maritime Center. Witnesses will include: Panel I, Norman Y. Mineta, Secretary of Transportation; Admiral James M. Loy, Commandant, United States Coast Guard; Robert C. Bonner, Commissioner, United States Customs Service; Panel II, Joseph P. Riley, Jr., Mayor of Charleston; Keith Summey, Mayor of North Charleston, Bernard S. Groseclose, Jr., President and CEO, South Carolina State Port ; Robert M. Burdette, City of Mt. Pleasant, City Administrator, Municipal Complex; Major Alvin A.
