[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 26, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E584-E585]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         FUND PORT SECURITY NOW

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES L. OBERSTAR

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 26, 2003

  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the President requested $74.7 
billion for supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2003. Although 
$1.5 billion is requested for the 
Department of Homeland Security's Counterterrorism Fund, the 
Administration's proposal fails to address one of the major weaknesses 
in our national security strategy--port and maritime security. The 
Administration continues its abysmal track record of shortchanging our 
Nation's port security needs. The Supplemental Appropriations request 
includes no specific funding for assessing the security vulnerabilities 
of vessels and facilities along the navigable waterways of the United 
States. At current funding levels, the Coast Guard will not complete 
vulnerability assessments at the Nation's 55 largest ports until 2009. 
The Administration's request also includes no specific funding for port 
security grants.
  On November 25, 2002, President Bush signed into law the Maritime 
Transportation Security Act of 2002 (MTSA). This landmark legislation 
is designed to improve security in our seaports, on vessels operating 
on our navigable waters, and in the entire maritime transportation 
system to protect our Nation from a security incident resulting in 
significant loss of life or economic disruption. Under MTSA, the 
Federal government is required to conduct a vulnerability assessment of 
each vessel, port, and facility to assess any security weaknesses. 
Moreover, by July 1, 2004, the Coast Guard must review and approve a 
security plan for each port, facility, and vessel. If a port or vessel 
does not have an approved security plan by this date, it cannot 
operate.
  I am extremely concerned that this Administration is not taking the 
potential threat to port security or this responsibility seriously. 
Pursuant to MTSA, on December 30, 2002, the Coast Guard published a 
Federal Register notice that detailed its cost estimates for ports and 
vessel owners to comply with security standards that the Coast Guard 
will prescribe under the Maritime Transportation Security Act. The 
Coast Guard estimates that it will cost approximately $1.4 billion to 
comply with the Act in the first year and $6 billion over the next 10 
years, including:
  Facility security: $4.4 billion;
  Vessel security: $1.1 billion; and
  Port security plans: $477 million.
  The Administration has proposed nothing to address these enormous 
security needs. The Administration has neither requested nor provided 
adequate resources to conduct the Coast Guard vulnerability assessments 
quickly and secure our ports, facilities, and vessels. To date, the 
Administration has requested only $11 million for vulnerability 
assessments and

[[Page E585]]

not one dime for port security grants. Despite the Administration's 
unwillingness to provide any substantial resources for port security, 
Congress has appropriated almost $350 million for port security grants. 
Nevertheless, Congress has provided only six percent of the necessary 
funding and the Administration has awarded only $92 million, less than 
one-third, of the available funds.
  Mr. Speaker, we have a long way to go to secure out maritime system. 
To date, the Coast Guard has completed vulnerability assessments at 
only eight of our Nation's 350 ports. Moreover, the Coast Guard has 
conducted vulnerability assessments at only three of the top 25 ports. 
It has not conducted vulnerability assessments at any out largest 
ports, including Los Angeles/Long Beach, New Orleans, Houston, New 
York, San Francisco, Philadelphia, or Seattle/Tacoma. At current 
funding levels, the Coast Guard will not complete assessments at the 55 
largest ports until 2009. In addition, the Administration proposes to 
transfer the responsibility for conducting vulnerability assessments 
from the Coast Guard to the new Information Analysis and Infrastructure 
Protection (IAIP) Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security 
(DHS). I am concerned about transferring these responsibilities for 
vital security plans to a DHS agency that has been in operation for 
just three weeks and has few staff members. The Administration must 
dedicate the personnel and financial resources to get these 
vulnerability assessments done quickly and efficiently.

  Moreover, the Administration must support funding to secure our ports 
and facilities. The Coast Guard has estimated that facility security 
will cost $4.4 billion over the next 10 years. To date, the 
Administration has only awarded $92.3 million of the available port 
security grant funds. When the Maritime Administration solicited 
requests for these grants, it received requests totaling seven times 
the available amount. Although Congress has provided an additional $254 
million for port security, no further grants have been awarded.
  Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives considered H. Con. Res. 
95, the FY2004 Budget Resolution. Cong. Spratt, Ranking Democratic 
Member of the Committee on Budget, offered a substitute amendment to H. 
Con. Res. 95 that included $1.5 billion specifically for port security 
grants. Regrettably, the Republicans defeated this amendment. However, 
in the Senate, Senator Hollings offered an amendment to its FY2004 
Budget Resolution that would provide $2 billion ($1 billion in FY2004 
and $1 billion in FY2005) to fund the security requirements of the 
Maritime Transportation Security Act. It passed by voice vote. As the 
Budget Resolution goes to Page 4 conference, I urge this Administration 
and this Congress to strongly support Senator Hollings' amendment and 
ensure that we begin to provide the necessary resources to secure our 
national maritime system.
  I continue to believe that securing our Nation's ports and the cargo 
that moves through them is a Federal responsibility. All Americans, 
whether you live in a port city or whether you live in Boise, Idaho 
will benefit from that security. The impact on our economy and on all 
Americans if our Nation's ports are closed down for a few weeks because 
of a terrorist attack is simply too great. Factory lines will close 
down. Refineries will run out of oil. Stores will run out of goods.
  I urge this Administration and this Congress to act now to ensure 
that we provide the necessary resources to secure our ports, 
facilities, and vessels.

                          ____________________