Port Security Bill Passes News

Congresswoman Hahn’s Port Security Bill Passes the House. Congresswoman Janice Hahn’s port security legislation has passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 411 to 9. H.R. 4005 “Gauging American Port Security Act” or GAPS Act directs the Department of Homeland Security to conduct a comprehensive classified examination of remaining gaps in port security and prepare a plan to address them. “The loopholes that continue to exist in port security keeps me up at night,” said Rep. Hahn. “My first question as a member of the Homeland Security Committee was to Lee Hamilton, vice chair of the 9/11 Commission, on what Congress should be doing to protect our ports. Mr. Ships make 50,000 calls a year on U.S. ports, carrying two billion tons of freight and 134 million passengers.

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.

The House of Representatives passed the Security and Accountability For Every 'SAFE' Port Act. The legislation is a comprehensive, bipartisan port security bill that will enhance security at United States ports, track and protect containers en route to the United States, and prevent threats from reaching U.S. soil. It would provide $7.4b in spending on new port-security inspectors, nuclear-weapons screening and the development of an automated system to pinpoint high-risk cargo. With an additional $7.4b over the next five years, the legislation would bolster the Homeland Security Department's existing Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, requiring the deployment of nuclear- and radiological-detection systems to all domestic seaports.