lily
05-27-2008, 09:11 PM
How Bush is not keeping us safer. (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24836264/)
Investigators find gaps in port security plan
Report: Weapons of mass destruction could be smuggled in cargo containers
updated 11:28 a.m. ET, Tues., May. 27, 2008
WASHINGTON - A Department of Homeland Security program to strengthen port
security has gaps that terrorists could exploit to smuggle weapons of mass
destruction in cargo containers, congressional investigators have found.
The report by the Government Accountability Office, being released Tuesday,
assesses the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT), a federal
program established after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks to deter a potential
terrorist strike via cargo passing through 326 of the nation's airports,
seaports and designated land borders.
Under the program, roughly 8,000 importers, port authorities and air, sea
and land carriers are granted benefits such as reduced scrutiny of their
cargo. In exchange, the companies submit a security plan that must meet U.S.
Customs and Border Protection's minimum standards and allow officials to
verify their measures are being followed.
A 2005 GAO report found many of the companies were receiving the reduced
cargo scrutiny without the required full vetting by U.S. Customs, a division
of DHS. The agency has since made some improvements, but the new report
found that Customs officials still couldn't provide guarantees that
companies were in compliance.
Among the problems
- A company is generally certified as safer based on its self-reported
security information that Customs employees use to determine if minimum
government criteria are met. But due partly to limited resources, the agency
does not typically test the member company's supply-chain security practices
and thus is "challenged to know that members' security measures are
reliable, accurate and effective."
- Customs employees are not required to utilize third-party or other audits
of a company's security measures as an alternative to the agency's direct
testing, even if such audits exist.
- Companies can get certified for reduced Customs inspections before they
fully implement any additional security improvements requested by the U.S.
government. Under the program, Customs also does not require its employees
to systematically follow up to make sure the requested improvements were
made and that security practices remained consistent with the minimum
criteria.
"Until Customs overcomes these collective challenges, Customs will be unable
to assure Congress and others that C-TPAT member companies that have been
granted reduced scrutiny of their U.S.-bound containerized shipments
actually employ adequate security practices," investigators wrote. "It is
vital that Customs maintain adequate internal controls to ensure that member
companies deserve these benefits."
The GAO urged Customs and Border Protection to require consideration of
third-party and other outside audits and take steps to make certain
companies comply with any additional security improvements requested. The
report also calls for some technological improvements to help improve
consistency and better information-gathering in Customs' security checks.
Customs officials respond
Responding in part, Customs officials in the report agreed they could do
more to follow up on suggested security improvements but noted that
employees often use their expert discretion in assessing the potential
danger before certifying a company. The agency has also said the program
overall has made the nation safer.
Congress has been working to improve port security after the independent
Sept. 11 commission cited the potential dangers in its 2004 final report.
The commission stated that compared to commercial aviation, "opportunities
to do harm are as great, or greater, in maritime or surface transportation."
DHS has said that while the likelihood of terrorists smuggling weapons of
mass destruction into the U.S. in cargo containers is low, the nation's
vulnerability and consequences of such an attack are potentially high.
Maine Sen. Susan Collins, the top Republican on the Senate Homeland Security
Committee, said the report shows the importance of the private sector's
continued cooperation in helping improve port security. "I will continue to
work with DHS and the private sector to ensure the effectiveness of the
crucial port security program," she said.
The GAO study examined a sample of 25 company reviews by Customs and Border
Protection from March 1, 2006 through Sept. 30, 2006. Investigators
interviewed officials, reviewed documents and studied the agency's minimum
security criteria to see if standards were being met.
Investigators find gaps in port security plan
Report: Weapons of mass destruction could be smuggled in cargo containers
updated 11:28 a.m. ET, Tues., May. 27, 2008
WASHINGTON - A Department of Homeland Security program to strengthen port
security has gaps that terrorists could exploit to smuggle weapons of mass
destruction in cargo containers, congressional investigators have found.
The report by the Government Accountability Office, being released Tuesday,
assesses the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT), a federal
program established after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks to deter a potential
terrorist strike via cargo passing through 326 of the nation's airports,
seaports and designated land borders.
Under the program, roughly 8,000 importers, port authorities and air, sea
and land carriers are granted benefits such as reduced scrutiny of their
cargo. In exchange, the companies submit a security plan that must meet U.S.
Customs and Border Protection's minimum standards and allow officials to
verify their measures are being followed.
A 2005 GAO report found many of the companies were receiving the reduced
cargo scrutiny without the required full vetting by U.S. Customs, a division
of DHS. The agency has since made some improvements, but the new report
found that Customs officials still couldn't provide guarantees that
companies were in compliance.
Among the problems
- A company is generally certified as safer based on its self-reported
security information that Customs employees use to determine if minimum
government criteria are met. But due partly to limited resources, the agency
does not typically test the member company's supply-chain security practices
and thus is "challenged to know that members' security measures are
reliable, accurate and effective."
- Customs employees are not required to utilize third-party or other audits
of a company's security measures as an alternative to the agency's direct
testing, even if such audits exist.
- Companies can get certified for reduced Customs inspections before they
fully implement any additional security improvements requested by the U.S.
government. Under the program, Customs also does not require its employees
to systematically follow up to make sure the requested improvements were
made and that security practices remained consistent with the minimum
criteria.
"Until Customs overcomes these collective challenges, Customs will be unable
to assure Congress and others that C-TPAT member companies that have been
granted reduced scrutiny of their U.S.-bound containerized shipments
actually employ adequate security practices," investigators wrote. "It is
vital that Customs maintain adequate internal controls to ensure that member
companies deserve these benefits."
The GAO urged Customs and Border Protection to require consideration of
third-party and other outside audits and take steps to make certain
companies comply with any additional security improvements requested. The
report also calls for some technological improvements to help improve
consistency and better information-gathering in Customs' security checks.
Customs officials respond
Responding in part, Customs officials in the report agreed they could do
more to follow up on suggested security improvements but noted that
employees often use their expert discretion in assessing the potential
danger before certifying a company. The agency has also said the program
overall has made the nation safer.
Congress has been working to improve port security after the independent
Sept. 11 commission cited the potential dangers in its 2004 final report.
The commission stated that compared to commercial aviation, "opportunities
to do harm are as great, or greater, in maritime or surface transportation."
DHS has said that while the likelihood of terrorists smuggling weapons of
mass destruction into the U.S. in cargo containers is low, the nation's
vulnerability and consequences of such an attack are potentially high.
Maine Sen. Susan Collins, the top Republican on the Senate Homeland Security
Committee, said the report shows the importance of the private sector's
continued cooperation in helping improve port security. "I will continue to
work with DHS and the private sector to ensure the effectiveness of the
crucial port security program," she said.
The GAO study examined a sample of 25 company reviews by Customs and Border
Protection from March 1, 2006 through Sept. 30, 2006. Investigators
interviewed officials, reviewed documents and studied the agency's minimum
security criteria to see if standards were being met.