Homeland Security And Governmental Affairs Committee News

WASHINGTON - Coast Guard Director of Port Security, Rear Adm. Craig E. Bone, testified today on chemical facility security before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. “Considering the vast economic utility of our ports, waterways and coastal approaches, it is clear that a terrorist incident against a facility in our marine transportation system could have a disastrous impact on public safety, the environment, our nation’s economy, and international trade. Such an incident, if it were to occur in a strategic port, could also threaten our military mobilization capabilities. An incident at one of the 350 chemical…

Coast Guard Director of Port Security, Rear Adm. Craig E. Bone, testified today on chemical facility security before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. His written statement submitted for the record, follows. "Good morning Madam Chairperson and distinguished members of the Committee. It is a pleasure to be here today to discuss the U.S. Coast Guard’s role in securing the chemical facilities on the navigational waterways of the United States. The men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security remain committed to improving maritime homeland security each and every day through continued interagency cooperation and assistance from our partners at the local, state and international levels, as well as maritime industry stakeholders.

Early results of a pilot to test 100 percent scanning of U.S.-bound containerized cargo shows both promise and challenges, a top Department of Homeland Security official told lawmakers recently. Stewart Baker, assistant secretary of Homeland Security for policy, indicated there were many challenges to the goal of 100 percent scanning in every port but that the department will pursue that goal aggressively. The Sept. 11 commission recommendation law mandates the scanning of all U.S.-bound cargo containers at foreign ports by July 2012. The law gives the Homeland Security secretary leeway if he finds the available integrated scanning technology, which includes a combination of imaging — such as X-ray — and radiation detection, is not adequate.

The American Shipbuilding Association (ASA) announced that Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) is the 2007 recipient of the Herbert H. Bateman Award. This award will be presented on Wednesday, June 6th at 6:00 pm during ASA’s Salute to the 110th Congress reception. Senator Collins was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1996 and reelected in 2002, and is Ranking Member and former Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. She also serves on the Armed Services Committee. “Senator Collins is a consistent, strong advocate for the shipbuilding industry of the United States. She helped to defeat the Navy’s ‘One Shipyard’ policy to ensure that both Bath Iron Works and Ingalls continue to design and build surface combatants for the Navy.

Congress has approved a homeland security bill with measures that increase port security and that emphasizes Wi-Fi wireless solutions, according to WiFi Wireless, Inc., a company which markets an end-to-end wireless tracking and monitoring system for shipping containers. The bill provides new steps to prevent terrorism at sea ports such as putting nuclear, chemical or biological devices into the 11 million shipping containers entering the country every year. Further measures are expected. The Senate passed the bill by a voice vote and President Bush has signed it into law. Senator Susan Collins, chairwoman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said the legislation would be a "major leap ahead" in strengthening national security.

Republicans on the House Homeland Security Economic Security Subcommittee on March 30 rejected a proposal from Democrats that would have required all cargo containers headed for the United States to have tamper-resistant seals and be scanned for illicit materials. The proposal, offered as an amendment to the Security and Accountability for Every Port bill, was defeated on an 8-6 party-line vote before the subcommittee passed the bill by unanimous voice vote. The defeated amendment would have required the Homeland Security Department to issue new regulations within three years requiring all containers to have hardened seals and be scanned before leaving a foreign port.

Republicans on the House Homeland Security Committee have postponed work on the fiscal 2007 Homeland Security Department authorization bill, prompting heated criticism from Democrats who say the move might undermine the committee's credibility and prevent the measure from being completed this year. According to a committee aide, Republican committee leaders say the delay is temporary while they work to pass a maritime security bill. All 15 Democrats on the panel fired off a letter Thursday to Homeland Security Chairman Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., opposing the move. The committee did the first-ever authorization bill for Homeland Security last year, which overwhelmingly passed out of the House by a 424-4 vote.