09 April 2003
Ridge Outlines New Security Measures for Commerce, Transportation
(Says goal is security plus free flow of people and goods) (570) By Anthony Kujawa Washington File Staff Writer Washington -- The United States faces a "two-pronged challenge" in protecting its transportation and commerce systems, says Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Tom Ridge: safeguarding them and the nation's security while, at the same time, ensuring that the free flow of people, goods and commerce is not disrupted. Speaking April 9 to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Ridge outlined numerous security initiatives and updated the committee on progress made in organizing the new Department of Homeland Security, which brings together 22 government agencies. Senator John McCain, the committee chairman, stressed the importance of the new security initiatives for commerce and transportation, saying the policies being formulated by the DHS "will forever change how commerce and passengers move domestically and internationally" and have significant impact on U.S. relations with Canada, Mexico and other trading partners throughout the world. Ridge said the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) of DHS has made great progress. With additional air marshals, electronic baggage screening, and perimeter security at airports, he said, "commercial aviation is far, far safer and more secure today than it was on September 10th, 2001." He said approximately 95 percent of the 6000 U.S. commercial airliners now have hardened cockpit doors, and the first training session in the program to arm certain pilots will begin April 14. Responding to the concern of one committee member that security reforms not "gut civil liberties," Ridge stressed that assessments of individuals airline passengers as possible threats by the new CAPPS II (Computer-Assisted Passenger Prescreening System) will be deleted from TSAs computers immediately after the passengers' flights are completed. "Our goal is to enhance the screening of airline passengers. CAPPS II will not degrade the civil liberties of Americans," he said. Ridge also outlined numerous initiatives to facilitate efficient but safe trade. One such program is the Container Security Initiative (CSI), which identifies high-risk cargo containers and cooperates with other governments to prescreen those containers at foreign ports before they are shipped to the U.S. Another is the Customs-Trade Partnership Initiative (C-TPAT), through which over 2000 companies have performed "comprehensive self-assessments of their supply chain" and agreed to make security improvements to protect against potential terrorist exploitation. In return, the companies receive expedited processing through land, sea and air points of entry into the United States. Ridge said the DHS has also initiated a $28 million project, Operation Safe Commerce, that will "analyze existing supply chains and current security practices and provide a test-bed for potential solutions and improvements in the security and movement of container cargo." The DHS will also use its Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) computer technologies to help target "high risk cargo" while expediting "the vast majority of low-risk trade." These projects, said Ridge, will "ultimately improve the security of the international and domestic supply chain." Throughout his testimony, Ridge stressed that transportation security is a "collaborative effort" between Federal and local governments, the private sector and individuals. "Together we have made great advances in securing our transportation systems, protecting civil liberties, and ensuring the free flow of people and commerce, but we recognize that more needs to be done and we will continue to make progress every day," he said. (The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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