6 USC 945 - Container Security Initiative

Collapse to view only § 945. Container Security Initiative

§ 941. Strategic plan to enhance the security of the international supply chain
§ 942. Post-incident resumption of trade
§ 943. Automated Targeting System
§ 944. Container security standards and procedures
§ 945. Container Security Initiative

§ 941. Strategic plan to enhance the security of the international supply chain

(a) Strategic plan

(b) Requirements

The strategic plan required under subsection (a) shall—

(1) describe the roles, responsibilities, and authorities of Federal, State, local, and tribal government agencies and private-sector stakeholders that relate to the security of the movement of containers through the international supply chain;

(2) identify and address gaps and unnecessary overlaps in the roles, responsibilities, or authorities described in paragraph (1);

(3) identify and make recommendations regarding legislative, regulatory, and organizational changes necessary to improve coordination among the entities or to enhance the security of the international supply chain;

(4) provide measurable goals, including objectives, mechanisms, and a schedule, for furthering the security of commercial operations from point of origin to point of destination;

(5) build on available resources and consider costs and benefits;

(6) provide incentives for additional voluntary measures to enhance cargo security, as recommended by the Commissioner;

(7) consider the impact of supply chain security requirements on small- and medium-sized companies;

(8) include a process for sharing intelligence and information with private-sector stakeholders to assist in their security efforts;

(9) identify a framework for prudent and measured response in the event of a transportation security incident involving the international supply chain;

(10) provide protocols for the expeditious resumption of the flow of trade in accordance with section 942 of this title;

(11) consider the linkages between supply chain security and security programs within other systems of movement, including travel security and terrorism finance programs; and

(12) expand upon and relate to existing strategies and plans, including the National Response Plan, the National Maritime Transportation Security Plan, the National Strategy for Maritime Security, and the 8 supporting plans of the Strategy, as required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 13.

(d) Communication

(e) Utilization of Advisory Committees

(f) International standards and practices

(g) Reports

(1) Initial report

(2) Updates

(Pub. L. 109–347, title II, § 201, Oct. 13, 2006, 120 Stat. 1901; Pub. L. 115–254, div. J, § 1804, Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3533.)

§ 942. Post-incident resumption of trade

(a) In generalThe Secretary shall develop and update, as necessary, protocols for the resumption of trade in accordance with section 941(b)(10) of this title in the event of a transportation disruption or a transportation security incident. The protocols shall include—

(1) the identification of the appropriate initial incident commander, if the Commandant of the Coast Guard is not the appropriate person, and lead departments, agencies, or offices to execute such protocols;

(2) a plan to redeploy resources and personnel, as necessary, to reestablish the flow of trade;

(3) a plan to provide training for the periodic instruction of personnel of the United States Customs and Border Protection, the Coast Guard, and the Transportation Security Administration in trade resumption functions and responsibilities; and

(4) appropriate factors for establishing prioritization of vessels and cargo determined by the President to be critical for response and recovery, including factors relating to public health, national security, and economic need.

(b) VesselsIn determining the prioritization of vessels accessing facilities (as defined under section 70101 of title 46), the Commandant of the Coast Guard may, to the extent practicable and consistent with the protocols and plans required under this section to ensure the safe and secure transit of vessels to ports in the United States after a transportation security incident, give priority to a vessel—

(1) that has an approved security plan under section 70103(c) of title 46 or a valid international ship security certificate, as provided under part 104 of title 33, Code of Federal Regulations;

(2) that is manned by individuals who are described in section 70105(b)(2)(B) of title 46; and

(3) that is operated by validated participants in the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism program.

(c) CargoIn determining the prioritization of the resumption of the flow of cargo and consistent with the protocols established under this section, the Commissioner may give preference to cargo—

(1) entering a port of entry directly from a foreign seaport designated under the Container Security Initiative;

(2) from the supply chain of a validated C–TPAT participant and other private sector entities, as appropriate; or

(3) that has undergone—

(A) a nuclear or radiological detection scan;

(B) an x-ray, density, or other imaging scan; and

(C) a system to positively identify the container at the last port of departure prior to arrival in the United States, which data has been evaluated and analyzed by personnel of the United States Customs and Border Protection.

(d) Coordination

(e) Communication

(Pub. L. 109–347, title II, § 202, Oct. 13, 2006, 120 Stat. 1903.)

§ 943. Automated Targeting System

(a) In generalThe Secretary, acting through the Commissioner, shall—

(1) identify and seek the submission of data related to the movement of a shipment of cargo through the international supply chain; and

(2) analyze the data described in paragraph (1) to identify high-risk cargo for inspection.

(b) Requirement

(1) consider the cost, benefit, and feasibility of—

(A) requiring additional nonmanifest documentation;

(B) reducing the time period allowed by law for revisions to a container cargo manifest;

(D) such other actions the Secretary considers beneficial for improving the information relied upon for the Automated Targeting System and any successor targeting system in furthering the security and integrity of the international supply chain; and

(2) consult with stakeholders, including the Commercial Operations Advisory Committee, and identify to them the need for such information, and the appropriate timing of its submission.

(d) Regulations

(e) System improvementsThe Secretary, acting through the Commissioner, shall—

(1) conduct, through an independent panel, a review of the effectiveness and capabilities of the Automated Targeting System;

(2) consider future iterations of the Automated Targeting System, which would incorporate smart features, such as more complex algorithms and real-time intelligence, instead of relying solely on rule sets that are periodically updated;

(3) ensure that the Automated Targeting System has the capability to electronically compare manifest and other available data for cargo entered into or bound for the United States to detect any significant anomalies between such data and facilitate the resolution of such anomalies;

(4) ensure that the Automated Targeting System has the capability to electronically identify, compile, and compare select data elements for cargo entered into or bound for the United States following a maritime transportation security incident, in order to efficiently identify cargo for increased inspection or expeditious release; and

(5) develop a schedule to address the recommendations of the Comptroller General of the United States, the Inspector General of the Department of the Treasury, and the Inspector General of the Department with respect to the operation of the Automated Targeting System.

(f) Secure transmission of certain information

(g) Authorization of appropriationsThere are authorized to be appropriated to the United States Customs and Border Protection to carry out the Automated Targeting System for identifying high-risk oceanborne container cargo for inspection—

(1) $33,200,000 for fiscal year 2008;

(2) $35,700,000 for fiscal year 2009; and

(3) $37,485,000 for fiscal year 2010.

(Pub. L. 109–347, title II, § 203, Oct. 13, 2006, 120 Stat. 1904.)

§ 944. Container security standards and procedures

(a) Establishment

(1) In general

(2) Interim rule

(3) Missed deadline

(4) Deadline for enforcement

(A) Enforcement of rule

(B) Interim requirement

If the interim final rule described in paragraph (2) is not issued by April 1, 2008, then—

(i) effective not later than October 15, 2008, all containers in transit to the United States shall be required to meet the requirements of International Organization for Standardization Publicly Available Specification 17712 standard for sealing containers; and

(ii) the requirements of this subparagraph shall cease to be effective upon the effective date of the interim final rule issued pursuant to this subsection.

(b) Review and enhancement

(d) International trade and other obligations

(Pub. L. 109–347, title II, § 204, Oct. 13, 2006, 120 Stat. 1905; Pub. L. 110–53, title XVII, § 1701(b), Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 491.)

§ 945. Container Security Initiative

(a) Establishment

(b) Assessment

The Secretary, acting through the Commissioner, may designate foreign seaports to participate in the Container Security Initiative after the Secretary has assessed the costs, benefits, and other factors associated with such designation, including—

(1) the level of risk for the potential compromise of containers by terrorists, or other threats as determined by the Secretary;

(2) the volume of cargo being imported to the United States directly from, or being transshipped through, the foreign seaport;

(3) the results of the Coast Guard assessments conducted pursuant to section 70108 of title 46;

(4) the commitment of the government of the country in which the foreign seaport is located to cooperating with the Department in sharing critical data and risk management information and to maintain programs to ensure employee integrity; and

(5) the potential for validation of security practices at the foreign seaport by the Department.

(d) Negotiations

(e) Overseas inspections

(1) Requirements and procedures

The Secretary shall—

(A) establish minimum technical capability criteria and standard operating procedures for the use of nonintrusive inspection and nuclear and radiological detection systems in conjunction with CSI;

(B) require each port designated under CSI to operate nonintrusive inspection and nuclear and radiological detection systems in accordance with the technical capability criteria and standard operating procedures established under subparagraph (A);

(C) continually monitor the technologies, processes, and techniques used to inspect cargo at ports designated under CSI to ensure adherence to such criteria and the use of such procedures; and

(D) consult with the Secretary of Energy in establishing the minimum technical capability criteria and standard operating procedures established under subparagraph (A) pertaining to radiation detection technologies to promote consistency in detection systems at foreign ports designated under CSI.

(2) Constraints

The criteria and procedures established under paragraph (1)(A)—

(A) shall be consistent, as practicable, with relevant standards and procedures utilized by other Federal departments or agencies, or developed by international bodies if the United States consents to such standards and procedures;

(B) shall not apply to activities conducted under the Megaports Initiative of the Department of Energy; and

(C) shall not be designed to endorse the product or technology of any specific company or to conflict with the sovereignty of a country in which a foreign seaport designated under the Container Security Initiative is located.

(f) Savings provision

(g) Coordination

The Secretary shall—

(1) coordinate with the Secretary of Energy, as necessary, to provide radiation detection equipment required to support the Container Security Initiative through the Department of Energy’s Second Line of Defense Program and Megaports Initiative; or

(2) work with the private sector or host governments, when possible, to obtain radiation detection equipment that meets the Department’s and the Department of Energy’s technical specifications for such equipment.

(h) Staffing

(i) Annual discussions

(j) Lesser risk port

(k) Prohibition

(1) In general

The Secretary shall issue a “do not load” order, using existing authorities, to prevent the onload of any cargo loaded at a port designated under CSI that has been identified as high risk, including by the Automated Targeting System, unless the cargo is determined to no longer be high risk through—

(A) a scan of the cargo with nonintrusive imaging equipment and radiation detection equipment;

(B) a search of the cargo; or

(2) Rule of construction

(l) Report

Not later than 270 days after October 5, 2018, the Secretary, acting through the Commissioner, shall, in consultation with other appropriate government officials and the Commercial Operations Advisory Committee, submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees on the effectiveness of, and the need for any improvements to, the Container Security Initiative. The report shall include—

(1) a description of the technical assistance delivered to, as well as needed at, each designated seaport;

(2) a description of the human capital management plan at each designated seaport;

(3) a summary of the requests made by the United States to foreign governments to conduct physical or nonintrusive inspections of cargo at designated seaports, and whether each such request was granted or denied by the foreign government;

(4) an assessment of the effectiveness of screening, scanning, and inspection protocols and technologies utilized at designated seaports and the effect on the flow of commerce at such seaports, as well as any recommendations for improving the effectiveness of screening, scanning, and inspection protocols and technologies utilized at designated seaports;

(5) a description and assessment of the outcome of any security incident involving a foreign seaport designated under the Container Security Initiative;

(6) the rationale for the continuance of each port designated under CSI;

(7) a description of the potential for remote targeting to decrease the number of personnel who are deployed at foreign ports under CSI; and

(8) a summary and assessment of the aggregate number and extent of trade compliance lapses at each seaport designated under the Container Security Initiative.

(m) Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to the United States Customs and Border Protection to carry out the provisions of this section—

(1) $144,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;

(2) $146,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; and

(3) $153,300,000 for fiscal year 2010.

(Pub. L. 109–347, title II, § 205, Oct. 13, 2006, 120 Stat. 1906; Pub. L. 115–254, div. J, § 1812, Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3539.)