Security Debrief

Port Security Grant Funding Moves Forward in Congress

Despite the President’s budget to limit port security grant funding to $210 million for FY’09, the Senate passed its version of the Fiscal Year 2009 Congressional Budget Resolution last week (March 14) by a vote of 51-44. Originally, port security grant funding was not in the President’s budget but cam about out of a bipartisan effort to ensure security funding was a priority in the Congressional budget. To move the funding where it is today has not been an easy task, and we now must focus to ensure the grant program can sustain our security levels

Balancing Security & Convenience in Amtrak Travel

As a longtime train traveler with an interest in security issues, the recently announced Amtrak regulations were of particular interest to me. From initial reports, the regulations appear as if they are likely to improve security without impeding the convenience of rail travel.

Small Boat, Big Threat

Threat is found in all sorts of places and even in the smallest of places such as small boats. These craft come in all shapes and sizes, from smaller pleasure craft all the way to speedboats, and a thousand other private and commercial platforms. The U.S. Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security faces a difficult task in trying to track, control and mitigate the risks posed by the millions of small boats that regularly operate in U.S. waters. Congress and the Administration should invest in assets that improve the overall security of the maritime domain.

TSA Taps Seven Airports for Employee Screening Programs

A key development in the aviation security arena occurred yesterday when TSA formally announced the seven airports that will take part in airport employee screening pilot tests as required by the Omnibus Appropriations Act passed by Congress in January 2008. In the formal TSA announcement, TSA Administrator Kip Hawley said that “[t]hese pilots will give […]

Markey Perpetuates 'Security Theatre'

Rep. Markey has demagogued the cargo security issue for years, purely for political reasons it seems to me. Given the body of evidence that requiring physical inspection of each piece of air cargo will not measurably add to improved security, yet it will certainly add significantly to the costs to the customer, one wonders if Representative Markey is aware of how hollow his comments seem to be?

Technology Will Prove Crucial to Air Cargo Security

With Congress threatening to force TSA to physically examine every piece of cargo prior to accepting it for transport, the air cargo system faces a near-certain failure. Today’s US aviation industry is fighting for its very survival; industry consolidation will take place as carriers look for cost savings. Jet fuel prices are beyond sustainable levels with the current ticket pricing structure. A Congressional mandate along an apparent misinterpretation of the 9/11 Law to mandate physical screening of every box, may well cause the Perfect Storm that causes the demise of the airline industry.

Homeland Security: Five New Year's Resolutions for Congress

Congress has much to do to improve on its below-par performance on homeland security in 2007. These five priorities are good places to start: Consolidate congressional oversight of DHS; stop turning DHS grants into pork barrel grabfests; establish an Undersecretary for DHS; repeal the damaging mandate to scan 100 percent of all cargo; finish immigration reform.

Port Security Grant Funding reaches a Milestone of $1.5 billion

This is the first time Congress has fully funded the ports’ annual security request of $400 million — an important step forward for the nation’s critical security of its port infrastructure.

100 Percent Scanning & Air Cargo Security

By Kevin R. McCarthy, Special Guest to Security DeBrief
Board of Advisors, SPADAC Inc.

Scanning 100% of the packages that process through this system is a focus of the 9/11 Bill. Many people interpret this process as being similar to the treatment a traveler’s bag receives at the airport security checkpoint. Logistically, however, this is simply impossible. Implementing the 100% requirement will create a net effect to completely cripple our economy.

Are We Ready For 100% Cargo Scanning?

Last week in a hearing of the House Homeland Security Committee, Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-MS) made statements that shed light on the potentially problematic process of implementing a 100% screening requirement for cargo containers.

In addition to raising valid questions about the technological feasibility of the mandate, Thompson’s statements should also prompt a re-examination of the much more important security implications of a 100% cargo scanning system. We are similarly lacking evidence that shows replacing the current risk-based system of security with a “100%” approach will actually make our country’s ports safer. In fact, most of the evidence we do have says just the opposite.