NEW TRADE GROUP FORMED ON HOMELAND SECURITY INITIATIVES

NEW TRADE GROUP FORMED ON HOMELAND SECURITY INITIATIVES    A new trade association devoted to homeland security issues kicked off its formation in Washington Wednesday.
   The Homeland Security Industries Association, a group of 60 technology-related firms with an interest in homeland security, was formed in July as an outlet for industry and government to meet and discuss security initiatives.
   “The HSIA is the only trade association that focuses entirely on homeland security,” said Bruce de Grazia, chairman of HSIA. “There are associations where homeland security is part of their mission — they touch on it from a variety of areas.”
   HSIA President Bruce Aitken said he envisioned HSIA working closely with the U.S. Customs Service in the future. He added that Customs’ private-public initiative, the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism, intensifies the need for industry and government to work toward homeland security and trade. He said such an initiative calls on industry to share its knowledge with Customs to help the agency facilitate trade while tightening supply chain security.
   HSIA proposes to serve its members by monitoring homeland security-related legislation and regulations, while providing them a network forum to share information.
   HSIA also addressed port and maritime security in one of seven position papers it released Wednesday. Aitken said HSIA supported proposed requirements in maritime security legislation calling for background checks on personnel working in the maritime and port environment.