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United States · Bill · HR

H.R. 4251 (112th)

SMART Port Security Act

referredUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

22 March 2012

Last action

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Status

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Sponsors

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Subjects

Discovery layer

Source updated

7 April 2025

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Summary

Securing Maritime Activities through Risk-based Targeting for Port Security Act or the SMART Port Security Act - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), acting through DHS's Office of Operations Coordination and Planning: (1) by July 1, 2014, to submit a plan for the coordination and cooperation of maritime operations undertaken by DHS agencies that updates the plan released by DHS in July 2011; and (2) by July 1, 2019, to submit an additional update to such plan. Requires any new asset deployment by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP's) Office of Air and Marine to occur in accordance with a risk-based assessment that considers mission needs, performance results, threats, costs, and other specified factors. Directs the Secretary to conduct a cost-benefit analysis to consider potential savings from co-locating aviation and maritime operational assets of Office locations that are within 25 miles of locations where any other DHS agency also operates such assets. Directs the Comptroller General to: (1) review port security and maritime law enforcement operations within DHS to identify initiatives and programs with duplicative, overlapping, or redundant goals and activities and recommend actions to reduce unnecessary duplication; and (2) submit a report that analyzes and compares the costs, capabilities, and missions of different aviation assets utilized by DHS to assess the relative costs and any benefits of unmanned aerial vehicles compared to manned aviation assets. Directs the Secretary to: (1) coordinate across DHS agencies before initiating the acquisition of any new boat or aviation asset; (2) establish a coordinating mechanism for aviation and maritime issues in order to decrease procurement and operational costs and increase efficiencies, (3) approve or disapprove a complete application under the Port Security Grant Program within 60 days of submission; (4) submit an assessment of interagency operational centers for port security, the deployment of interoperable communications equipment to such centers, and center mission execution and support activities; (5) submit a report analyzing the threat of, vulnerability to, and consequence of a terrorist act using a small vessel to attack U.S. vessels, ports, or maritime interests; and (6) submit a plan for optimizing CBP staffing levels. Amends the SAFE Port Act to: (1) revise requirements for the strategic plan to enhance the security of the international supply chain, including to add requirements to identify redundancies or overlaps in federal transportation security credentialing programs and to make recommendations for facilitating the efficient flow of legitimate commerce; (2) require the Secretary to submit an additional update to, and an implementation plan for, such strategic plan and, in developing the required reports and implementation plan, to consider current threats to the global supply chain; (3) authorize the CBP Commissioner to conduct an unannounced inspection of a Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) participant's security measures and practices; (4) direct the Secretary to promote information sharing among DHS, Tier 2 and 3 C-TPAT participants, and other private entities regarding potential vulnerabilities, attacks, and exploitations of the international supply chain; and (5) direct the Secretary, before negotiating or signing any arrangement between the United States and a foreign government providing for mutual recognition of supply chain security practices, to determine and notify Congress that the foreign government's program provides comparable security to that provided by C-TPAT. Requires the Secretary to develop a pilot program to determine whether allowing non-asset based third party logistics providers that arrange international transportation of freight to participate in C-TPAT would enhance port security, combat terrorism, prevent supply chain security breaches, or meet C-TPAT goals. Directs the Secretary to: (1) reform the process for the enrollment, activation, issuance, and renewal of a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) to require not more than one in-person visit to a designated enrollment center, except under extenuating circumstances; (2) issue the final rule for installation of electronic readers to verify TWICs as an access control and security measure; and (3) establish a process to ensure that an individual who is not lawfully present in the United States cannot obtain or continue to use a TWIC.

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Documents

10 official files

Referred in Senate (text)

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