The Container Security Initiative and the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism: Securing the Global Supply Chain or Trojan Horse?

Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations

Thursday, May 26, 2005
09:30 AM

[view archive webcast]

In light of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, concern has increased that terrorists could smuggle weapons of mass destruction in the approximately 9 million ocean going containers that arrive in the United States every year. As part of its overall response to the threat of terrorism, the Department of Homeland Security’s Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (Customs) implemented the Container Security Initiative (CSI) to screen high-risk containers at sea ports overseas, thus employing screening tools before potentially dangerous cargoes reach our shores. Customs also implemented the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) to improve the security of the global supply chain in partnership with the private sector.

Both CSI and C-TPAT face a number of compelling challenges that impact their ability to safeguard our nation from terrorism. The Subcommittee’s May 26th hearing will examine how Customs utilizes CSI and C-TPAT in connection with its other enforcement programs and review the requirements for and challenges involved in transitioning CSI and C-TPAT from promising risk management concepts to effective and sustained enforcement operations. These important Customs initiatives require sustained Congressional oversight. As such, this will be the first of several hearings the Subcommittee intends to hold on the response of the federal government to terrorist threats.

Witnesses

Panel 1

• THE HONORABLE ROBERT C. BONNER [view testimony]
  Commissioner, U.S. Customs & Border Protection
  Department of Homeland Security

Panel 2

• MR. RICHARD M. STANA [view testimony]
  Director, Homeland Security and Justice Team
  Government Accountability Office

Panel 3

• COMMANDER STEPHEN E. FLYNN (USCG, Retired) [view testimony]
  Jeane J. Kirkpatrick Senior Fellow for National Security Studies
  Council on Foreign Relations
• THE HONORABLE C. STEWART VERDERY, JR. [view testimony]
  Principal, Mehlman Vogel Castagnetti, Inc.
  Former Assistant Secretary of Border & Transportation Security Policy, Department of Homeland Security