[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 125 (Friday, September 29, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10632-S10633]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             SAFE PORT ACT

  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, shortly this evening, the Senate will 
adopt the conference report on the SAFE Port Act. This conference 
report includes all of the major port security improvements that were 
included in the Port Security Improvement Act of 2006 that passed the 
Senate just 2 weeks ago. It has been strengthened by including some of 
the provisions in the companion House bill.
  This is a major accomplishment for this Congress that will help to 
strengthen our Homeland Security in ways that really matter. The 
original template for the SAFE Port Act was the GreenLane Maritime 
Cargo Security Act I introduced with Senator Murray, Senator Coleman 
and Senator Lieberman almost a year ago.
  I commend Senator Murray for her steadfast commitment to 
strengthening port security. I also thank the Presiding Officer, 
Senator Coleman, for his leadership. He has chaired three hearings on 
cargo security that helped identify the vulnerabilities and shortfalls 
in the current systems. That investigation by the Permanent 
Subcommittee on Investigations, in fact, helped inform our legislation 
and, indeed, all of the problems that the Presiding Officer identified 
in his hearings have been addressed in this landmark legislation.
  I also commend the ranking member of the Homeland Security Committee, 
Senator Lieberman, who helped to shepherd this bill through our 
committee. This has truly been a bipartisan bicameral effort. It 
represents the Senate at its best. As a result, we have been able to 
produce significant legislation.
  America's 361 seaports are vital elements in our Nation's 
transportation network. Last year, some 11 million shipping containers 
came into this country. Now, when we look at the shipping containers, 
we hope they simply contain consumer goods or parts or other useful 
objects. But, in fact, every one of these 11 million shipping 
containers has the potential to be the Trojan horse of the 21st 
century.
  The vulnerability of our cargo is perhaps best illustrated by an 
incident that happened in Seattle earlier this year. In April, 22 
Chinese nationals were caught as they attempted to leave a shipping 
container. Those illegal aliens transited in a shipping container all 
the way from China to our shores to the port of Seattle. This container 
could have just as easily have contained not people seeking a better 
way of life but people seeking to destroy our way of life. There could 
have been a squad of terrorists in that container. There could have 
been the makings of a dirty bomb. There could have even been a small 
nuclear device. That is the vulnerability of the current system.
  In fact, the containers have been called the poor man's missile 
because a low budget terrorist could ship one across our oceans to a 
United States port for only a few thousand dollars. The stakes are very 
high.
  If you visit a port like Seattle, as I have, you see that the port is 
located in the midst of a large urban population, with two stadiums 
close by, with ferries bringing thousands of visitors. The loss of life 
would be devastating.
  But there is another impact of a possible attack on our ports; that 
is, the

[[Page S10633]]

economic loss that would ensue. We are aware that many plants and 
retailers now rely on just-in-time inventories that bring goods to 
their stores.
  I think we should look back at 9/11 and look at what happened to our 
system of commercial aircraft when we had the attacks on our airplanes. 
In fact, commercial aircraft were grounded for a number of days. And 
just as that happened 5 years ago, an attack on any one of our ports 
would most likely result in the closure of all ports, and the economic 
consequences would be devastating. It would affect the farmers in the 
Midwest, who would be unable to ship their crops. It would affect 
retailers across the country, who would soon have empty shelves. It 
would affect factories that would be forced to shut down and lay off 
workers because of the loss of vital parts.
  The best example I can give you of what the economic impact would be 
is to look back at the west coast dock strike of 2002. Unlike any 
terror attack, that was both peaceful and anticipated, and yet it cost 
the economy $1 billion a day for each of the 10 days it lasted.
  Since the attacks on our country 5 years ago, there have been some 
actions taken to improve security at our seaports. For example, the 
Department of Homeland Security instituted several important port 
security programs such as the Container Security Initiative and what is 
known as C-TPAT, the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism 
Program. Unfortunately, the investigation led by the Senator from 
Minnesota has demonstrated that those programs have been very unevenly 
implemented. Some have lagged, and some have not been effective because 
there has not been the proper verification that has been needed.
  What our legislation would do is provide the structures and the 
resources to strengthen those programs. The legislation before us is a 
comprehensive approach that addresses all levels and all major aspects 
of maritime cargo security.
  It will require the Department of Homeland Security to develop a 
comprehensive strategic plan for all transportation modes by which 
cargo moves into, within, and out of U.S. ports.
  It requires the Department of Homeland Security to develop protocols 
for restarting our ports if there were an incident, which we certainly 
hope this legislation will prevent or help prevent any attack on our 
seaports, but if one does occur, it is essential the Federal Government 
have a plan for reopening the ports and releasing cargo as soon as 
possible. Unfortunately, and in my opinion amazingly, we do not have 
such a plan today. So we will require the Department of Homeland 
Security to develop such a plan.
  We authorize $400 million for each of the next 5 years in risk-based 
port security grants. We also authorize training and exercises that we 
know are key to preparedness and effective response.
  We improve and expand several security programs, such as the 
Container Security Initiative, the C-TPAT Program, and we establish 
deadlines for action on these programs.
  We provide additional incentives for shippers and importers to meet 
the highest level of cargo-security standards. We also make sure the 
Department is meeting deadlines for such essential programs as the TWIC 
Program.
  Another critical provision in this bill is the requirement that all 
containers at our 22 largest ports be scanned for radiation by the end 
of next year. All the 22 largest ports, which handle 98 percent or 
virtually all cargo, would be required to have radiation detection 
devices in place by the end of next year. We also expand the radiation 
scanning that is done at foreign ports through the CSI program and the 
Megaports program. Obviously, our goal is to push off our shores and 
keep the danger from ever getting to our shores in the first place.
  Another security measure is the vital transportation Worker 
Identification Credential, or the so-called TWIC, Program. It has 
languished for years, and it should not have because the TWIC Program 
is necessary to control access to port facilities and vessels, and it 
is a vital program.
  We also--I know this has been of great interest to the Presiding 
Officer--establish a pilot program with real deadlines and real results 
at three foreign ports to test the feasibility of doing a nonintrusive 
scan; in other words, sort of an x ray of every container, have that 
scan actually analyzed, and combine it with a radiation scan.
  That is going to allow us, eventually, to get to the goal, once the 
technology is there, of a 100-percent integrated scanning program.
  There is still work to be done to address security for other modes of 
transportation, such as rail and mass transit. But tonight we should 
take great pride in the great progress we have made in strengthening 
the security of our seaports.
  Thank you, Mr. President.

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