HOUSE PORT SECURITY BILL WOULD PROVIDE $225 MILLION IN GRANTS

HOUSE PORT SECURITY BILL WOULD PROVIDE $225 MILLION IN GRANTS    The port security bill passed by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Wednesday calls for $225 million in grants to help ports enhance security.
   The 'Maritime Transportation Antiterrorism Act of 2002' (H.R. 3983), provides the grants over a three-year period, though limits them to technology. The bill is modeled after the Oil Pollution Act, in which Congress outlined broad planning requirements, while leaving most of the details to the Department of Transportation.
   The American Association of Ports Authorities said H.R. 3983 differs from the Senate's 'Port and Maritime Security Act of 2001' (S. 1214), in that the House bill 'is focused solely on terrorism and is not as detailed on planning requirements.'
   While 'encouraged' about the House bill's promise of federal grants, the AAPA is concerned that 'the bill only covers areas that the Department of Transportation determines are at risk of having a catastrophic emergency in the event of a terrorist attack.' The bill also only focuses on DOT activities, not those of the U.S. Customs Service.
   The Senate bill also calls for $390 million in grants over a five-year period.
   Both bills require 'a family of plans, including national, area and vessel/facility plans,' the AAPA said.