Lawmakers eye latest technologies to protect ports

Lawmakers want the Homeland Security Department to bolster security at the nation's ports next year by buying security technologies such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), biometric readers and devices able to detect weapons of mass destruction.

Lawmakers are in the final stages of negotiating a $33 billion appropriations measure for the department in fiscal 2005. The House passed its bill, H.R. 4567, by a vote of 400-5, and the Senate Appropriations panel unanimously approved its measure, S. 2537. The two chambers must compromise on the legislation after the Senate votes on its bill.

The House bill would give Homeland Security's customs and border protection directorate $4.6 billion next year-$31.5 million more than President Bush requested and $241.6 million more than provided this year. Under the Senate bill, the agency would receive $4.5 billion. The division was formed in March 2003 and combined employees from the Agriculture Department, the former Immigration and Naturalization Service, Border Patrol and Customs Service.

The two bills recommend $500 million-an $11. 4 million boost over last year's level-to modernize the agency's information technology systems in order to receive and transmit data automatically.

Both measures include $64.2 million to expand and upgrade the agency's integrated surveillance information system, which employs computer-assisted detection, remote video surveillance and ground sensors. The Senate bill also would order the department to submit a report by December about a "master plan" for nationwide deployment of the system, according to the Appropriations panel's report.

The bills would provide $10 million to purchase UAVs equipped with sensors and cameras to patrol borders. One Homeland Security official said recently the department hopes to incorporate data captured by UAVs into the surveillance information system.

To detect radiological and nuclear materials, the House bill would allocate $165.2 million for inspection and detection devices, and the Senate bill calls for $115 million. The department received $140 million for fiscal 2004.

For targeting systems, the Senate bill would provide $30 million, compared with $29.8 million in the House measure. The systems are used by customs and border officers to target high-risk shipments, vehicles, vessels or passengers, as well as radiological or nuclear materials in containers or cargo.

Both chambers' bills recommend the same funding for two international seaport initiatives, the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) and the Container Security Initiative (CSI). The appropriators recommended $37.8 million, which is $15 million more than Bush requested, for C-TPAT. CSI would receive $126.1 million-$25 million more than Bush proposed.

C-TPAT is a partnership program with the private sector to certify security within shippers' and manufacturers' operations and facilities in order to expedite security checks in domestic and foreign ports. CSI allows inspectors and intelligence officers to pre-screen containers at foreign ports before they are sent to the United States. It began in 2002, and currently 18 countries and 38 ports participate in the program.