U.S. Response I:  Customs Proposes New Cargo Security Measures

The U.S. Homeland Security Department’s Customs and Border Protection service formally proposed new regulations yesterday that would require cargo shippers to transmit advance information on shipments prior to their arrival in the United States (see GSN, July 2).

The proposed regulations establish timeframes, based on the mode of transportation, for advance information on shipments to be electronically transmitted.  The information would be processed through an automated targeting system linked to law enforcement databases to allow the Customs service to better target suspect shipments, according to a Homeland Security press release. 

Under the regulations, shipments arriving by air and courier would have to transmit information four hours prior to arrival or at the time of take-off from certain nearby areas, according to the Homeland Security release.  Shipments arriving by rail would have to transmit information two hours prior to arrival in the country, and those arriving by ship would have to transmit information 24 hours before landing at a port.

Those shipments arriving by truck would have an hour to transmit information, according to the Homeland Security release.  Those trucks certified under the Free and Secure Trade program, however, would only have a deadline of 30 minutes prior to arrival.

“These security measures developed by Customs and Border Protection are important to the protection of America and the American people,” Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said.  “Advance cargo information is essential to not only preventing instruments of terrorism from being shipped into this country, but also to speed the flow of legitimate cargo across our borders,” he said.

The proposed regulations also require that information on exports be transmitted before leaving the United States (U.S. Homeland Security Department release, July 22).  This is to allow Customs agents to inspect shipments for cash leaving the United States and to help provide security for other countries, a Customs spokesman said.

A 30-day comment period has been established for the proposed regulations.  The final version is set to be submitted Sept. 15 and will go into effect 15 days later, as called for under the Trade Act of 2002 (Hamilton/Goo, Washington Post, July 23).

For further information, see:

HSD Federal Register announcement, July 23

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U.S. Response II:  Senate Rejects Homeland Security Funding Increases

Republican senators yesterday voted down a measure that would have provided $1.75 billion in additional funding for homeland security efforts (see GSN, June 30).

Senator Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) proposed the measure to add $29.3 billion to the fiscal 2004 Homeland Security Department appropriations bill.  The additional funding, which was defeated 50-43, would have exceeded spending limits.

“Homeland security initiatives are falling behind,” Byrd said.

The proposal would have directed more funding to transit security, police, firefighters, border control, chemical plant protection and air cargo security, the Washington Post reported today.

Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), the chairman of the appropriations subcommittee for homeland security, said that homeland security efforts already receive billions of dollars.

There is “no end to the list of ways we could spend additional funds on homeland security,” he added.  Democrats might attempt to use the Republican vote against homeland security funding in congressional elections, according to the Washington Post.

“The American people believe that we here in Washington are taking care of the problem,” Byrd said.  “We must not mislead them,” he added (Helen Dewar, Washington Post, July 23).

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U.S. Response III:  House Members Criticize New Intelligence Center

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives yesterday criticized the recently established Terrorist Threat Intelligence Center, saying it has only created more bureaucracy, according to the Los Angeles Times (see GSN, April 30).

“There is an unclear division of responsibility and therefore no basis of accountability,” Representative Jim Turner (D-Texas) said during a joint hearing held by the House judiciary and homeland security committees.  “The robust intelligence unit envisioned by the Homeland Security Act does not exist today,” Turner said.

Representative Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.) said the center appeared to needlessly duplicate intelligence efforts.  “What this looks like is the intelligence community's jobs-forever program,” she said.

Center Director John Brennan sought to defend his agency during yesterday’s hearing, saying it was an “innovative joint venture.”

“We’ve already witnessed the force-multiplier effect of having agents from partner agencies sharing information, insight, analysis,” Brennan said.  “No single agency has the authority or capability to deal with the terrorist threat,” he said (Susannah Rosenblatt, Los Angeles Times, July 23).

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U.S. Response IV:  South Africa Joins Container Security Initiative

South Africa has agreed to join the U.S. Container Security Initiative, the U.S. Homeland Security Department’s Customs and Border Protection service announced last week (see GSN, June 17). 

The service plans to station U.S. inspectors at the South African port of Durban to help examine high-risk cargo containers destined for the United States, according to a Customs and Border Protection press release.  In addition, South Africa is planning to station customs personnel in the United States.

“This is an important step, it is not just historically important, it is also economically important,” Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Robert Bonner said.  “It is important that we stand shoulder to shoulder against a new and unusual common enemy to protect not only our citizens, but also our economic strength and well-being as well,” he said (U.S. Customs and Border Protection release, July 15).

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U.S. Response:  Bush Warns Iran, Syria on Terrorism

U.S. President George W. Bush said yesterday that Iran and Syria “will be held accountable” if they do not increase their efforts to fight terrorism (see GSN, July 15).

Appearing with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Bush called on Middle Eastern nations to “support the efforts” of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas by working to combat terrorism.

“This includes the governments of Syria and Iran,” Bush said.  “Syria and Iran continue to harbor and assist terrorists.  This behavior is completely unacceptable, and states that support terror will be held accountable,” he added.

Bush administration officials have criticized Syria for supporting the smuggling of people and goods in support of terrorism, according to the Washington Post (see GSN, May 5).  The White House wants Syria to use its influence in neighboring Lebanon to help force out terrorist groups operating there, administration officials said.

Bush’s comments yesterday appear to be timed to help bring attention to his plans for the Middle East at a time when the Bush administration appears to be bogged down with crises in Iraq, such as the controversy over Iraq’s alleged weapons of mass destruction, said Jon Alterman, director of the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Middle East Program.

“This administration has been very successful about managing its message, but that has been getting away from them on Iraq,” Alterman said.  “There has been very little positive in recent weeks,” he added (Mike Allen, Washington Post, July 22).

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U.S. Response:  Emergency Officials Say They Need Money

Regional emergency response officials went before Congress yesterday to push for additional federal funding to bolster homeland security efforts (see GSN, July 1).

“We need to get dollars from the federal government, and we need to get them fast,” said Orange County Assistant Sheriff George Jaramillo during testimony to the House Select Committee on Homeland Security.

Orange County has received $875,000 of the $12 million pledged by the federal government, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The Los Angeles Police Department was promised $6 million in homeland security funding from Washington, but it has yet to see any of the money, according to LAPD Lt. John Karle.

“Somewhere between Congress spending the money and first responders cashing the check there is a terrible bottleneck,” said committee Chairman Christopher Cox (R-Calif.).  “The state of California does not have the kind of financial statements that permit us to go in and look and see where that money is; we certainly couldn’t track it as we could a UPS package,” he added.

Cox is developing legislation that would streamline the funding process, the Times reported.

Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney appeared on behalf of the National Governors Association and said that many states distribute their federal funding well.  Representative Barney Frank (D-Mass.) questioned Romney for spending $900,000 in homeland security funding to secure the resort area of Oak Bluffs Marina in Martha’s Vineyard.

“That’s a prime example of what happens when the federal government gives appropriations directly to communities,” Romney said (Susannah Rosenblatt, Los Angeles Times, July 18).

When it comes to antiterror funding, lawmakers said they need to pay more attention to the needs of communities.

“We’ve been listening too much to the bureaucrats at the top and not enough to the first responders,” said Representative Curt Weldon (R-Pa.).

New Rochelle, N.Y., Fire Commissioner Ray Kiernan said his department had not received federal support.

“We’ve seen no money, no guidance, no standards,” Kiernan said.  “When all these plans don’t work — we’re the guys that inherit the mess,” he added.

Adding to communities’ financial problems are the periodic nationwide terror alert warnings that are issued by the government.  Romney told the House committee that state and local officials want to know if an increased security threat is targeted at specific areas of the country or types of targets, such as bridges, while police and fire officials said moving up to the “orange,” or elevated, alert level costs them a lot of money and resources, AP reported.

“Somebody else is determining the heightened alert, shouldn’t somebody else be determining the cost?” Jaramillo said.  “If they’re calling the shots at the federal level, they have to come up with the money,” he added (Lolita Baldor, Associated Press/Salon.com, July 17).

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