DHS appropriations: another reading from the Report together with Additional Views
From page 11 of the Committee Report:
Maritime Security — Our nation’s ports are critical to ensuring that individuals and businesses have access to the many products on which they rely. Port security is in the hands of CBP, Coast Guard, port authorities and local police agencies. In 2002 Coast Guard estimated that $7 billion was needed to implement the sea port security improvements mandated in the Maritime Transportation Security Act. To date, Congress has appropriated $2.18 billion for grants to help ports meet these requirements. The Committee has provided an additional $250,000,000 for port security grants in this bill. In addition to these grants, over the last two years, the Committee has provided $93,800,000 in additional resources for Coast Guard efforts to increase maritime safety and security, over and above the Administration’s requests. These investments brought on more watchstanders and boat and marine inspectors, and increased capacity for security-related activities and investigations. As a result, the Coast Guard has a more robust capability to ensure the safety and security of U.S. ports through domestic and international activities. For example, the Coast Guard helps reduce risk to the U.S. by verifying the use of effective anti-terrorism measures in foreign ports. Out of 500 ports screened in 135 countries, seven were found to have serious flaws, requiring vessels from those ports to take additional security steps as a condition of entry into U.S. ports.
