09.29.06

Congress Passes Cantwell Northern Border Measures as Part of Homeland Security Legislation

Cantwell touts proposals to patrol northern border with unmanned aircraft, ban border tunnels, invest in bomb detection R&D

WASHINGTON, DC – Late Friday night, Congress gave final approval to proposals by U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) to ban construction of border tunnels, invest in explosive detection research and development, and create pilot programs to patrol the northern border with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and use a new system for scanning all U.S.-bound cargo containers at three foreign ports. The measures were passed by both the House and Senate as part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations Act to fund the agency during 2007. The president is expected to sign the legislation in the coming days.

“We need to be smart and tough in our fight against global terrorism,” said Cantwell. “Our first priority must be ensuring that Americans here at home are safe. We’ve come a long way since 9/11. We’ve worked hard and made progress and we are safer today. But it’s clear: We need to do more to stop terrorists. We can’t let down our guard at our borders, at our ports, or on our passenger planes. This legislation builds on our progress by making the strong and serious investment in the security of our nation that every American deserves.”

A proposal backed by Cantwell and included in the final version of the legislation will provide $87 million to accelerate bomb detection research and development through the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate. Cantwell requested the funding in a letter to Judd Gregg, Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security and a member of the conference committee.

The funding will help address the risk posed by liquid explosives used by terrorists. A homemade explosive compound can be created by mixing chemicals easily obtained and concealed. However, federally-funded technologies currently under development in Washington state could boost our ability to detect liquid explosives at airport checkpoints. In late August, Cantwell toured the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Richland for a first-hand look at homeland security technology under development in Washington state, including liquid bomb detection technology. A device pioneered by PNNL can identify a liquid in three to four seconds, including 11 specific chemical warfare agents. The funding passed Friday will help support and accelerate this type of research and development. The legislation also includes a provision providing $2 million for engineering designs for homeland security facilities at PNNL.

The Homeland Security legislation passed today also includes a provision which criminalizes the construction, use, and financing of border tunnels. Currently, tunnel construction is not a crime. Suspects only face drug conspiracy or illegal immigration charges, and are not charged for the actual tunnel construction. According to the Drug Enforcement Agency, well over 30 tunnels have been discovered along America’s borders since 9/11—including a 360-foot tunnel in Whatcom County. In March, Cantwell joined Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Jon Kyl (R-AZ) to back a border tunnel ban. The measure was later included in the DHS bill passed today.

A proposal by Cantwell to begin a pilot program to test the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) along America’s northern border in also included. The proposal is backed by Spokane, Okanogan, and Stevens County officials. UAVs have already been tested and used along America’s southern border. Using UAVs along the northern border would expand the reach and effectiveness of border agents in a cost-effective way, and could help law enforcement reduce drug smuggling, human trafficking, and other crimes.

The final version of the legislation also contains a Cantwell-sponsored amendment to improve communication among state, local, federal, and Canadian law enforcement and security agencies in time for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia. Cantwell’s amendment requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to work with the State Department, the Federal Communications Commission, and Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, and Alaska state governments to develop a plan for interoperable communications.

A second provision included in the bill and originally cosponsored by Cantwell as an amendment to the Homeland Security Appropriations bill was also included in this legislation. It would create a pilot program at three foreign ports to test a an Integrated Container Inspection System to scan cargo containers before shipping them to the U.S. The ICIS system is currently being tested by the Port of Hong Kong and represents the best available technology for achieving 100 percent container screening.

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