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Protecting
America's Seaports and Securing Cargo Shipments The President's FY 2005 budget requests resources for many important homeland security priorities. It includes a 9.7% increase in government-wide homeland security funding over FY 2004, nearly tripling the FY 2001 levels. It also includes a $3.6 billion (10%) overall increase over FY 2004 for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), doubling funding for DHS programs since FY 2001. The President's budget demonstrated his commitment to port and cargo security. It includes:
A total of $6.6 billion to maintain and enhance border security
activities, a 7% ($447 million) increase over FY 2004 and a 70%
($2.7 billion) increase over FY 2001. The U.S. maritime transportation system is vital to the global economy. Over 95% of non-North American trade enters the country through U.S. seaports, and our seaports handle over $740 billion and 2 billion tons of domestic and international freight annually. Foreign vessels make 50,000 port calls annually. Our seaports and maritime transportation infrastructure face a myriad of threats from the vessels, people, and cargo that move through them. Consistent with our approach to the overall War on Terrorism, our approach to seaport security calls for a layered defense that starts far beyond our mainland. Supporting the Coast Guard: The FY 2005 budget request includes a 9% (nearly $500 million) increase for the United States Coast Guard, bringing total Coast Guard funding to $6.3 billion (a 64% increase over FY 2001).
Upgrading Coast Guard Ships and Technology: The budget also continues support for the Coast Guard's Integrated Deepwater System acquisition program, which is systematically replacing the Coast Guard's aging fleet of vessels, aircraft, and command and control systems. The FY 2005 budget funds Deepwater at $678 million, an increase of $10 million over the FY 2004 level. Improving Information and Intelligence: The Coast Guard's maritime
domain awareness programs will help us better understand what transits
through or near our nation's waters. MTSA regulations require certain
commercial vessels to install Automatic Identification Systems
(AIS) by the end of 2004. AIS devices broadcast certain vessel
information that helps identify and locate vessels in our maritime
domain. The Coast Guard is on schedule to have AIS capabilities
at each of its Vessel Traffic Service locations by the end of 2004,
and is working towards a long-term goal of nationwide AIS coverage.
Moreover, the Coast Guard established COASTWATCH, a process through
which the intelligence community analyzes all-source information
and intelligence on ships, crew, and cargo to identify security
threats. Information from the intelligence community then helps
the Coast Guard and other agencies to institute appropriate control
measures before these vessels reach our seaports.
Radiation detection monitors are used to screen passengers and cargo coming into the United States. The FY 2005 budget includes $50 million for the next generation of radiation screening devices. To better identify high-risk cargo and passengers, the budget includes an increase of $20.6 million for staffing and technology acquisition to support the National Targeting Center (NTC) as well as additional Customs and Border Patrol targeting systems, which are used to review advance manifests and other information to determine which shipments are higher-risk and require closer examination. The Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) leverages
public/private partnerships to improve security along the entire
supply chain, from the factory floor, to foreign vendors, land
borders, and seaports, while expediting border processing for legitimate
shipments. The FY 2005 budget includes an increase of $20 million
for C-TPAT. This initiative will allow for the development and
approval security plans, ensuring foreign vessels arriving in the
United States are in compliance with the new standards, and enhance
its intelligence and surveillance capabilities. |