The Department of Homeland Security has received disparate and, attimes, contradictory direction from Congress, which has resulted ina plethora of unrealistic mandates. Congress's firstobjective should be to address the lack of effective congressionalleadership, and consolidate congressional oversight.
Yesterday, in a hearing before a subcommittee of the SenateScience, Commerce, and Transportation Committee, Homeland Securityofficials briefed legislators on the results of the Secure FreightInitiative (SFI) test. Congressionally mandated, the SFI testevaluated the feasibility of scanning 100 percent of the over 11million oceangoing containers shipped annually to the UnitedStates. The report concluded that such a requirement would beimpractical and unwise.
New Secretary for Homeland Security Janet Napolitano issued a directive requiring her staff to report to her by the end of the month on five top issues facing the Department of HomelandSecurity. While the secretary needs to get these answers from herstaff, she will have to work with Congress to make substantivechanges a reality.
A new Government Accountability Office report found that blanketscanning is not only bad for trade but hinders the ability of the international community to improve supply chain security worldwide.This report is not the first round of bad news for 100 percentscanning, and indications are that it will not be the last.Congress must recognize the disastrous consequences of 100 percentscanning and begin to examine alternatives that would maintaineconomic viability while protecting Americans.
Cargo must be screened but it is impossible to screen 11.6 million containers every year without bringing the global economy to its knees. How to avoid the paralyzing cargo clog of the Department of Homeland Security's mandate for 100 percent cargo screening? Heritage Foundation homeland security policy analysts lay out a smart plan for risk-based screening which can keep the country safe and prosperous at the same time.