Secure Domestic Container Partnership Act of 2005

Secure Domestic Container Partnership Act of 2005 - Amends Federal shipping law to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to carry out an empty shipping container sealing pilot program to encourage shipping container handlers to seal empty shipping containers after they have unpacked them.

Allows the Secretary to authorize a shipper, cargo carrier, freight forwarder, terminal operator, port authority, or labor organization that is a qualified container handler to secure, under a seal approved by the Secretary, a shipping container that is emptied by the person.

Requires the Secretary to issue requirements for treating a person as a qualified container handler under this Act.

[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 163 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 163

   To amend title 46, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of 
  Homeland Security to carry out an empty shipping container sealing 
 pilot program to encourage shipping container handlers to seal empty 
   shipping containers after they have unpacked them, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 4, 2005

    Ms. Millender-McDonald introduced the following bill; which was 
             referred to the Committee on Homeland Security

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend title 46, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of 
  Homeland Security to carry out an empty shipping container sealing 
 pilot program to encourage shipping container handlers to seal empty 
   shipping containers after they have unpacked them, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Secure Domestic Container 
Partnership Act of 2005''.

SEC. 2. EMPTY SHIPPING CONTAINER SEALING PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) Authorization of Program.--Chapter 701 of title 46, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 70122. Empty shipping container sealing pilot program
    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall carry 
out an empty shipping container sealing pilot program in accordance 
with this section to encourage shipping container handlers to seal 
empty shipping containers after they have unpacked them.
    ``(b) Program Components.--Under the pilot program, the Secretary 
may authorize a shipper, cargo carrier, freight forwarder, terminal 
operator, port authority, or labor organization that is a qualified 
container handler to secure, under a seal approved by the Secretary, a 
shipping container that is emptied by the person.
    ``(c) Qualified Container Handler Requirements.--The Secretary 
shall issue requirements for treating a person as a qualified container 
handler for purposes of this section.
    ``(d) Deadline for Implementation.--Not later than July 1, 2006, 
the Secretary shall--
            ``(1) ensure that shipping containers are being sealed 
        pursuant to this section; and
            ``(2) report to the Congress steps that have been taken to 
        implement this section, including the number of shipping 
        containers that have been sealed under this section.
    ``(e) Consultation.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary 
shall consult with persons conducting other programs to develop 
industry standards for shipping container seals.
    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section 
there is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $500,000.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The chapter analysis at the beginning of 
chapter 701 of title 46, United States Code, is amended by adding at 
the end the following:

``70122. Empty shipping container sealing pilot program.''.
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