6 U.S.C. § 982: Screening and scanning of cargo containers

The Secretary shall ensure that 100 percent of the cargo containers originating outside the United States and unloaded at a United States seaport undergo a screening to identify high-risk containers. The Secretary shall ensure that 100 percent of the containers that have been identified as high-risk under paragraph (1), or through other means, are scanned or searched before such containers leave a United States seaport facility. A container that was loaded on a vessel in a foreign port shall not enter the United States (either directly or via a foreign port) unless the container was scanned by nonintrusive imaging equipment and radiation detection equipment at a foreign port before it was loaded on a vessel. July 1, 2012 ; or such other date as may be established by the Secretary under paragraph (3). The Secretary shall establish a date under (2)(B) 1 pursuant to the lessons learned through the pilot integrated scanning systems established under 1 So in original. Probably should be “paragraph (2)(B)”. section 981 of this title . Systems to scan containers in accordance with paragraph (1) are not available for purchase and installation. Systems to scan containers in accordance with paragraph (1) do not have a sufficiently low false alarm rate for use in the supply chain. Systems to scan containers in accordance with paragraph (1) cannot be purchased, deployed, or operated at ports overseas, including, if applicable, because a port does not have the physical characteristics to install such a system. Systems to scan containers in accordance with paragraph (1) cannot be integrated, as necessary, with existing systems. Use of systems that are available to scan containers in accordance with paragraph (1) will significantly impact trade capacity and the flow of cargo. Systems to scan containers in accordance with paragraph (1) do not adequately provide an automated notification of questionable or high-risk cargo as a trigger for further inspection by appropriately trained personnel. Notwithstanding any other provision in the section, supplies bought by the Secretary of Defense and transported in compliance section 2631 of title 10 and military cargo of foreign countries are exempt from the requirements of this section. states what container traffic will be affected by the extension; provides supporting evidence to support the Secretary’s certification of the basis for the extension; and explains what measures the Secretary is taking to ensure that scanning can be implemented as early as possible at the port or ports that are the subject of the report. If an extension under paragraph (4) takes effect, the Secretary shall, after one year, submit a report to Congress on whether the Secretary expects to seek to renew the extension. establish technological and operational standards for systems to scan containers; ensure that the standards are consistent with the global nuclear detection architecture developed under the Homeland Security Act of 2002 [ 6 U.S.C. 101 et seq.]; and coordinate with other Federal agencies that administer scanning or detection programs at foreign ports. In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary shall consult with appropriate Federal departments and agencies and private sector stakeholders, and ensure that actions under this section do not violate international trade obligations, and are consistent with the World Customs Organization framework, or other international obligations of the United States. Not later than 6 months after the submission of a report under section 981(d) of this title , and every 6 months thereafter, the Secretary shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees describing the status of full-scale deployment under subsection (b) and the cost of deploying the system at each foreign port at which the integrated scanning systems are deployed. Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act [ Oct. 5, 2018 ], and not less frequently than once every 5 years thereafter until the date of full-scale implementation of 100 percent screening of cargo containers and 100 percent scanning of high-risk containers required under section 232 of the SAFE Port Act ( 6 U.S.C. 982 ), the Secretary [of Homeland Security] shall solicit proposals for scanning technologies, consistent with the standards under subsection (b)(8) of that section, to improve scanning of cargo at domestic ports. the rate of false positives; the delays in processing times; and the impact on the supply chain. The Secretary may establish a pilot program to determine the efficacy of a scanning technology referred to in subsection (a). solicit applications from domestic ports; select up to 4 domestic ports to participate in the pilot program; and select ports with unique features and differing levels of trade volume. an evaluation of the scanning technologies proposed to improve security at domestic ports and to meet the full-scale implementation requirement; the costs to implement a pilot program; the benefits of the proposed scanning technologies; the impact of the pilot program on the supply chain; and recommendations for implementation of advanced cargo scanning technologies at domestic ports. The results of the pilot testing of advanced cargo scanning technologies shall be shared, as appropriate, with government agencies and private stakeholders whose responsibilities encompass the secure transport of cargo.”