United States Seaport Multiyear Security Enhancement Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security to make grants to seaports to enhance security if the grant will improve security at the seaport or improve its efficiency without lessening security.
[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 478 Introduced in House (IH)]
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 478
To improve seaport security.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 1, 2005
Ms. Millender-McDonald (for herself, Ms. Harman, Ms. Corrine Brown of
Florida, Ms. Bordallo, and Mr. Nadler) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To improve seaport security.
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 ``United States Seaport Multiyear
Security Enhancement Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The Nation's 361 seaports are considered a major
terrorist target. Al Qaeda has strong ties to the shipping
industry and one of the aims of this terrorist network is to
weaken the economic security of our country.
(2) The Nation's coastline is our longest border, which is
a 95,000-mile coast that includes the Great Lakes and inland
waterways.
(3) Protecting America's seaports is critical to the
Nation's economic growth and vitality. Seaports handle 95
percent of our Nation's overseas trade by volume, support the
mobilization and deployment of the Armed Forces, and serve as
transit points for millions of cruise and ferry passengers.
(4) Maritime industries contribute $742,000,000,000 per
year to our Gross National Product.
(5) The United States Coast Guard has issued final
regulations that call for an immediate and long-term investment
in the security of our seaports.
(6) According to the United States Coast Guard,
implementing these regulations will cost $1,125,000,000 in the
first year and $5,450,000,000 over 10 years.
(7) Given the Nation's economic dependence on our seaports
and our ongoing national security concerns, seaport security
funding and the need for Federal support for the Nation's
security should be ongoing.
(8) Given the enormity of the seaport capital
infrastructure projects, Congress needs to establish a multi-
year seaport grant program that resembles the Letter of Intent
measures established in the aviation security program.
(9) The continuing security and economic needs that face
the Nation and our seaports should be recognized by the
implementation of this Act.
SEC. 3. SEAPORT SECURITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
(a) Grant Authority.--Subject to the requirements of this section,
the Secretary of Homeland Security may make grants to seaports to
enhance security.
(b) Applications.--A seaport seeking a grant under this section
shall submit to the Secretary an application in such form and
containing such information as the Secretary prescribes.
(c) Grant Awards.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary, after consultation with the
Secretary of Transportation, may approve an application of a
seaport for a grant under this section only if the Secretary
determines that the project will improve security at a seaport
or improve the efficiency of the seaport without lessening
security.
(2) Priority.--The Secretary shall give priority in
awarding grants under this section to seaports that the
Secretary considers will impact or enhance the Nation's seaport
security.
(d) Matching Requirements.--
(1) 75-percent federal funding.--Except as provided in
paragraph (2), Federal funds for any eligible project under
this section shall not exceed 75 percent of the total cost of
such project.
(2) Exceptions.--
(A) Small projects.--A seaport with a project under
subsection (a) that costs less than $25,000 shall not
be required to match Federal funds.
(B) Higher level of support required.--If the
Secretary determines that a proposed project merits
support and cannot be undertaken without a higher rate
of Federal support, the Secretary may approve grants
under this section with a matching requirement other
than that specified in paragraph (1).
(e) Letters of Intent.--
(1) Issuance.--The Secretary may issue a letter of intent
to a seaport committing to obligate from future budget
authority an amount, not more than the Federal Government's
share of the project's cost, for a seaport security improvement
project (including interest costs and costs of formulating the
project).
(2) Schedule.--A letter of intent under this subsection
shall establish a schedule under which the Secretary will
reimburse the seaport for the Government's share of the
project's costs, as amounts become available, if the seaport,
after the Secretary issues the letter, carries out the project
without receiving amounts under this section.
(3) Notice to secretary.--A seaport that has been issued a
letter of intent under this subsection shall notify the
Secretary of the seaport's intent to carry out a project before
the project begins.
(4) Notice to congress.--The Secretary shall transmit to
the Committees on Appropriations and Transportation and
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the
Committees on Appropriations and Commerce, Science and
Transportation of the Senate a written notification at least 3
days before the issuance of a letter of intent under this
section.
(5) Limitations.--A letter of intent issued under this
subsection is not an obligation of the Government under section
1501 of title 31, and the letter is not deemed to be an
administrative commitment for financing. An obligation or
administrative commitment may be made only as amounts are
provided in authorization and appropriations laws.
(6) Statutory construction.--Nothing in this subsection
shall be construed to prohibit the obligation of amounts
pursuant to a letter of intent under this subsection in the
same fiscal year as the letter of intent is issued.
(f) Application of Additional Requirements.--The Secretary may
require as a condition for issuance of a letter of intent such
reasonable administrative requirements as necessary to carry out the
provisions of this Act.
(g) Secretary Defined.--Unless otherwise provided, in this section,
the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Homeland Security.
(h) Notification to Committee.--The Secretary shall notify the
appropriate committees of Congress when a grant is made under this
section.
(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $800,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2006 through 2010. Such sums shall remain available until
expended.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H256-257)
Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Security, infrastructure Protection, and Cybersecurity.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H8037)
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line