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U.S. Response I: Defense, Maritime Security Bills Would Strengthen Anti-Terror Programs By Bryan Bender The legislation would direct the National Guard to establish weapons of mass destruction response units across the country, authorize acquisition of new chemical and biological protective gear, expand nonproliferation programs in the former Soviet Union and tighten security at U.S. ports. It also would call on the Energy Department to prepare for the potential lifting of the U.S. moratorium on underground nuclear testing in the near future so that underground nuclear tests could be conducted on short notice. Defense officials have recently raised the prospect of a resumption of nuclear tests (see GSN, Nov. 15). Before adjourning, the 107th Congress approved the National Defense Authorization Act and the Maritime Transportation Security Act. The defense act should authorize nearly $400 billion for programs in the Defense and Energy departments, while the maritime legislation would require improved cargo screening, strengthened security measures and better coordination at U.S. ports of entry considered vulnerable to terrorist attack. Defense Programs The defense bill directs the Pentagon to nearly double the number of National Guard weapons of mass destruction civil support teams, now totaling 32. The units provide “critical medical and technical advice following a terrorist attack with a chemical, biological, or nuclear weapon,” according to the legislation. “The secretary of defense [should] establish one WMD CST in every U.S. state and territory,” according to a summary of the bill. The defense bill, meanwhile, would authorize nearly $1 billion for research and development of new protective gear against weapons of mass destruction and equipment to detect and decontaminate chemical and biological weapons. It would also authorize more than $400 million to dismantle, secure, and eliminate weapons of mass destruction in the former Soviet Union under the Cooperative Threat Reduction program, while granting the president more flexibility to spend CTR funds without having to certify that Russia is committed to stemming proliferation. Lawmakers agreed with CTR proponents that “the heightened importance of stopping WMDs” requires the waiver authority. However, they also included language to require the Pentagon to provide a report on Russian proliferation of weapons of mass destruction technologies and know-how to Iran and other countries of concern, along with a plan to control these activities. The Defense Threat Reduction Agency, which manages the CTR program, would receive $456.5 million to develop ways to reduce and counter WMD threats. Half of the money would be spent on arms control programs and technologies capable of defeating nuclear, chemical or biological materials. The military would also be directed by the legislation to designate a senior Defense Department official to work with other agencies to identify and transfer promising defense technologies that might be useful to state and local first responders to a terrorist incident. Energy Programs The defense bill would also authorize spending on various programs in the Energy Department, which is responsible to maintaining the U.S. stockpile of nuclear weapons and materials and undertaking nonproliferation programs of its own in the former Soviet Union. The National Nuclear Security Administration would be authorized a total of $8 billion to manage the nation’s nuclear weapons and nuclear nonproliferation programs. The agency would spend $1.1 billion to address the threat of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, assisting in safeguarding excess Russian weapons and materials. The defense bill, meanwhile, also would authorize Energy to spend up to $5 million to assist Russia in safeguarding radiological materials that could be used to construct a so-called dirty bomb. It would set aside $10 million to help Russia down-blend highly enriched uranium into nonweapon-grade form as well as another $10 million to conduct joint research on “proliferation-resistant nuclear energy technologies.” As it funds nonproliferation programs, the legislation would also order steps to prepare for a possible return to underground nuclear tests. It would direct the department to assess options for restarting underground nuclear tests if it is determined necessary to maintain the health of the arsenal or to test new nuclear weapons designs. “Although the United States continues to observe a moratorium on nuclear testing, it is essential to the viability and safety of the nation’s nuclear deterrent to maintain an ability to resume underground nuclear testing,” according to the bill summary. The NNSA would be required to provide Congress with plans and cost estimates for “achieving and maintaining test readiness postures of six, 12, 18 and 24 months.” The NNSA would also now be required to specify a strategic force structure plan, outlining the number and types of nuclear warheads, weapon systems and infrastructure that the United States will need to maintain in the coming years. The plan should be consistent with the Nuclear Posture Review, which this year called for a reduced level of operational warheads to 3,800 by 2007 and between 1,700 and 2,200 by 2012, according to the final bill. Port Security Meanwhile, Congress last week also approved the conference version of the Maritime Security Act, which, among other things, would increase the Coast Guard budget by more than 15 percent to help secure U.S. ports and waterways. Sponsored by Senator Ernest Hollings (D-S.C.), the legislation would improve security at U.S. ports, increase information gathering, build a more secure shipping infrastructure and establish better cargo screening. “Perhaps the most vulnerable link in our transportation system is the components that few Americans ever see: our major ports,” Hollings said last week. A key measure in the bill would call for establishing an area security advisory committee at each port to coordinate security plans among agencies involved, including law enforcement and intelligence agencies, Customs, the Coast Guard, immigration and port authorities, shipping companies, and port workers. “This bill will require for the first time that we know more in advance about the cargo and crew members coming into the United States, says a summary. The more we know about a ship’s cargo — and where it originated — the better our Customs agents and other law enforcement officers can target the most suspicious containers and passengers.” The Coast Guard would also play a greater role with an increase from $5 billion to $6 billion in its annual budget. “Ensuring the Coast Guard has sufficient personnel and capital resources could not come at a more important time. Since the tragic events of Sept. 11, far greater demands have been placed on the Coast Guard in the area of homeland security,” the bill summary says.
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