Maurine Fanguy News

The U.S. Coast Guard and the Transportation Security Administration announced Wednesday that Oct. 31, 2008, is the Transportation Worker Identification Credential program compliance date for owners and operators of facilities located within the U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port Zones of , , , , , Sault Ste. Marie, , and . The newly announced compliance date is in addition to the Oct. 15, 2008, compliance date previously set for the U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port Zones of , Northern New England and . The Coast Guard plans to announce those additional ports scheduled for the compliance phase of the TWIC program in coming weeks. Compliance will be phased in by Captain of the Port Zones between Oct.

Port workers, longshore workers, truckers and others at the Port of Huntington/Tri-State will begin to enroll in the Department of Homeland Security's Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program. The program's goal is to ensure that any individual who has unescorted access to secure areas of port facilities and vessels has received a thorough background check and is not a security threat. Nationwide, more than 1 million workers with unescorted access to secure areas will apply for TWIC between 2007 and 2008. "The start of enrollment is one more step in our effort to prevent persons who are a threat from gaining access to secure areas of port facilities," said Maurine Fanguy, TWIC program director for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

Port workers, longshoremen, truckers and others at the Port of Oakland will become the first in the region to enroll in the Department of Homeland Security's Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program. The program's goal is to ensure that any individual who has unescorted access to secure areas of port facilities and vessels has received a thorough background check and is not a security threat. Thousands of workers are expected to enroll over the coming months at the Port of Oakland and Port of San Francisco, which begins enrollment spring 2008. Nationwide, more than 1 million workers with unescorted access to secure areas will apply during the rest of 2007 and 2008.

Port workers, longshoremen, truckers and others at the Port of Tacoma, will soon become the first in the region to enroll in the Department of Homeland Security's Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program. The program's goal is to ensure that any individual who has unescorted access to secure areas of port facilities and vessels has received a thorough background check and is not a security threat. Thousands of workers are expected to enroll over the coming months at the Port of Tacoma and Port of Seattle which begins enrollment mid-December. Nationwide, more than 1 million workers with unescorted access to secure areas will apply during the rest of 2007 and 2008.

The Subcommittee on Border, Maritime & Global Counterterrorism of the House Committee on Homeland Security conducted an oversight hearing on Implementation of the SAFE Port Act. In his prepared statement, Committee Chair Bennie Thompson (D-MS) noted that the transportation worker identification credential (TWIC) program and the container security device regulations are far behind schedule. Subcommittee Chair Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) expressed her interest in the C-TPAT third party validator pilot program, the empty container security pilot program, long range vessel tracking, and the TWIC program. Ms. Maurine Fanguy, Transportation Security Administration (TSA), discussed recent progress in implementation of the TWIC program.

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation conducted an oversight hearing on Implementation of the SAFE Port Act, which was enacted by Congress in 2006. RADM David Pekoske, USCG explained Coast Guard port security efforts, including development of salvage response plans, unannounced inspections of maritime facilities, and long range identification and tracking. Ms. Maurine Fanguy, TSA, explained the significant progress made with respect to implementation of the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program. Mr. Thomas Winkowski, CBP, provided information regarding the Container Security Initiative (CSI) and other programs of the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Mr.

On April 26, the Subcommittee on Border, Maritime & Global Counterterrorism of the House Committee on Homeland Security conducted an oversight hearing on implementation of the SAFE Port Act. In his opening statement, Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) complained about the continual missing of deadlines in the port security program. RDML Craig Bone (US Coast Guard), Mr. Jayson Ahern (US Customs and Border Protection), and Ms. Maurine Fanguy (Transportation Security Administration) presented a joint statement summarizing the status of various maritime security programs. In her oral testimony, Ms. Maurine Fanguy discussed some of the complexities of the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC). She also released the list of TWIC Fixed Enrollment Sites. Mr.

On April 26, the Subcommittee on Border, Maritime & Global Counterterrorism of the House Committee on Homeland Security will conduct an oversight hearing on implementation of the SAFE Port Act. Witnesses consist of: RDML Craig Bone, US Coast Guard; Mr. Jayson Ahern, US Customs and Border Protection; Ms. Maurine Fanguy, Transportation Security Administration; Mr. Stephen Caldwell, Government Accountability Office; Mr. George Cummings, Port of Los Angeles; Mr. Richard Wainio, Tampa Port Authority; Mr. Leal Sundet, Longshore and Warehouse Union; and Mr. Manny Aschemeyer, Marine Exchange of Southern California. Source: HK Law