Plans to increase ports and shipping security which would have involved the scanning of every sea container consigned to the US have been defeated after concerted lobbying from American business. An amendment to the Improving America’s Security Act currently being considered by the Senate was defeated 58-38 due to opposition from Republicans and a number of Democrats. Nevertheless the Senator proposed at March 6 a new amendment.

U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) offered an amendment requiring Homeland Security officials to develop a plan with yearly benchmarks that leads to 100 percent scanning of cargo containers entering U.S. ports. This amendment builds upon the framework of the SAFE Port Act, which currently requires the Department of Homeland Security to report key insights from the pilot program currently underway at six ports. Menendez said scanning anything less than 100 percent of cargo containers is woefully inadequate and is a reckless security policy.

“Because of the proactive security procedures here in the Capitol complex, my chief-of-staff has to be scanned every morning before he is allowed into our office building,” Menendez said. “Yet Homeland Security officials insist on taking a passive security policy regarding our ports. Our nation’s port security policy has devolved into nothing more than algorithms - which are a sophisticated form of ‘eenie-meenie-miney-moe.’ I have yet to hear a persuasive argument for why we should not be scanning every cargo container entering our ports - and I will keep fighting until that is our homeland security policy.”

The Menendez amendment would expand reporting requirements by calling on the Homeland Security Department to submit a plan for achieving 100 percent scanning of cargo before it reaches U.S. ports. The amendment adds to the reporting requirements already in place from the SAFE Port Act. The amendment ensures American officials continue to stay focused on improving cargo scanning policies at U.S. ports. It pushes the Department of Homeland Security to show Congress it is making a concerted effort to implement 100 percent scanning procedures.

The previous amendment, proposed by U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Robert Menendez, required that within five years 100 percent of containers from all ports should be scanned before arriving in the United States. This amendment to the Improving America’s Security Act currently being considered by the Senate was defeated 58-38 due to opposition from Republicans and a number of Democrats.

Menendez commented prior to the vote: “One of the greatest risks facing our security is that a terrorist could easily smuggle a nuclear weapon from a foreign country and into our ports. A nuclear weapon detonated in a port would be a terrorist’s dream. It would inflict countless deaths, tremendous destruction of our infrastructure, and bring trade to a standstill. The bottom line is, programmes to screen for nuclear materials are delayed, funding for research and development squandered, and international security mismanaged.”

However industry bodies opposed the plans. They believed that scanning every container was unrealistic given the present state of technological development and that it would have had potential damaging effects on US manufacturing and consumers. However the defeat in the Senate may not be the end of the matter as the 100% scanning clause could be re-introduced at a later stage of the progress of the bill.

Sources:
01-03-07 SCHUMER, MENENDEZ OFFER AMENDMENT TO BOLSTER 9/11 RECOMMENDATIONS BILL THAT WOULD SET DEADLINE FOR 100% CARGO SCANNING
06-03-07 MENENDEZ INTRODUCES CARGO SCANNING AMENDMENT

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