To amend title 46, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to prioritize maritime transportation security grants based on the risks and vulnerabilities of ports and the proximity of ports to critical infrastructure or urban or sensitive areas.

Amends federal shipping law to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to prioritize maritime transportation security grants awarded to port authorities, facility operators, and state and local government agencies required to provide port security based on the risks and vulnerabilities of ports and the proximity of such ports to critical infrastructure or to urban or sensitive areas.

[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4986 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4986

  To amend title 46, United States Code, to require the Secretary of 
Homeland Security to prioritize maritime transportation security grants 
 based on the risks and vulnerabilities of ports and the proximity of 
     ports to critical infrastructure or urban or sensitive areas.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 16, 2006

Mr. Frelinghuysen introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
                   the Committee on Homeland Security

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title 46, United States Code, to require the Secretary of 
Homeland Security to prioritize maritime transportation security grants 
 based on the risks and vulnerabilities of ports and the proximity of 
     ports to critical infrastructure or urban or sensitive areas.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. PRIORITY IN AWARDING MARITIME TRANSPORTATION SECURITY 
              GRANTS.

    Subsection (a) of section 70107 of title 46, United States Code, is 
amended to read as follows:
    ``(a) In General.--
            ``(1) Establishment of grant program.--The Secretary shall 
        establish a grant program for making a fair and equitable 
        allocation of funds to implement Area Maritime Transportation 
        Security Plans and facility security plans among port 
        authorities, facility operators, and State and local government 
        agencies required to provide port security services. Before 
        awarding a grant under the program, the Secretary shall provide 
        for review and comment by the appropriate Federal Maritime 
        Security Coordinators and the Maritime Administrator. In 
        administering the grant program, the Secretary shall take into 
        account national economic and strategic defense concerns.
            ``(2) Priority in awarding grants.--In awarding a grant 
        under the grant program established under subsection (a), the 
        Secretary shall prioritize port authorities, facility 
        operators, and State or local government agencies that provide 
        port security based on--
                    ``(A) the risks and vulnerabilities of the port for 
                which the port authority, facility operator, or State 
                or local government agency provides security; and
                    ``(B) the proximity of such port to critical 
                infrastructure or to an urban or sensitive area.''.
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