HR 1534 Introduced – Port Security Grant Authorization

As I mentioned last week Rep. Hahn (D,CA) introduced HR 1534, the Port Security Grant Act of 2013. This very simple bill (effectively one operational sentence) would extend the current $400 million dollar per year authorization for port security grants under 46 USC 70107 until 2017. This bill, it turns out, bears no similarity to HR 4005 in the last session.

If this bill makes it to the floor of the House (or Senate for that matter) it will almost certainly pass with significant bipartisan support. I suspect, however, that this will be folded into a Coast Guard authorization bill. Ms. Hahn represents at least a portion of the Port of Los Angeles so I suspect that the introduction of this bill was intended for inclusion in campaign literature as much as actual consideration in Congress.

Bills Introduced – 04-12-13

Yesterday with only the House in session, there were three bills introduced that might be of interest to the chemical security community; two port security bills and another WMD bill. Those bills were:

HR 1534 Latest Title: To amend section 70107 of title 46, United States Code, to authorize appropriations for the port security grant program through 2017. Sponsor: Rep Hahn, Janice (D,CA)

HR 1535 Latest Title: To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a study and report to Congress on gaps in port security in the United States and a plan to address them.  Sponsor: Rep Hahn, Janice (D,CA)

HR 1542 Latest Title: To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish weapons of mass destruction intelligence and information sharing functions of the Office of Intelligence and Analysis of the Department of Homeland Security and to require dissemination of information analyzed by the Department to entities with responsibilities relating to homeland security, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep Meehan, Patrick (R,PA)

I suspect that HR 1542 will be similar to HR 2764 that was passed in the House last year, but was never taken up by the Senate. Similarly HR 1534 will be similar to HR 4005 that suffered a similar fate. Both bills passed with bipartisan support and probably would have passed in the Senate if the leadership had been interested in bringing them to the floor for a vote.