Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 116 Part 3.djvu/474

 116 STAT. 2066 PUBLIC LAW 107-295—NOV. 25, 2002 Sec. 436. Aleutian trade. Sec. 437. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore boundary revision. Sec. 438. Loran-C. Sec. 439. Authorization of payment. Sec. 440. Report on oil spill responder immunity. Sec. 441. Fishing agreements. Sec. 442. Electronic publishing of marine casualty reports. Sec. 443. Safety and security of ports and waterways. Sec. 444. Suspension of payment. Sec. 445. Prohibition on navigation fees. TITLE V—AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE COAST GUARD Sec. 501. Short title. Sec. 502. Authorization of appropriations. Sec. 503. Authorized levels of military strength and training. TITLE I—MARITIME TRANSPORTATION SECURITY 46 USC 70101 SEC. 101. FINDINGS. The Congress makes the following findings: (1) There are 361 public ports in the United States that are an integral part of our Nation's commerce. (2) United States ports handle over 95 percent of United States overseas trade. The total volume of goods imported and exported through ports is expected to more than double over the next 20 years. (3) The variety of trade and commerce carried out at ports includes bulk cargo, containerized cargo, passenger transport and tourism, and intermodal transportation systems that are complex to secure. (4) The United States is increasingly dependent on imported energy for a substantial share of its energy supply, and a disruption of that share of supply would seriously harm consumers and our economy. (5) The top 50 ports in the United States account for about 90 percent of all the cargo tonnage. Twenty-five United States ports account for 98 percent of all container shipments. Cruise ships visiting foreign destinations embark from at least 16 ports. Ferries in the United States transport 113,000,000 passengers and 32,000,000 vehicles per year. (6) Ports often are a major locus of Federal crime, including drug trafficking, cargo theft, and smuggling of contraband and aliens. (7) Ports are often very open and exposed and are susceptible to large scale acts of terrorism that could cause a large loss of life or economic disruption. (8) Current inspection levels of containerized cargo are insufficient to counter potential security risks. Technology is currently not adequately deployed to allow for the nonintrusive inspection of containerized cargo. (9) The cruise ship industry poses a special risk from a security perspective. (10) Securing entry points and other areas of port facilities and examining or inspecting containers would increase security at United States ports. (11) Biometric identification procedures for individuals having access to secure areas in port facilities are important

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