PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S7554-7556)
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jun 12, 2007
Maritime Hazardous Cargo Security Act - Amends port security provisions to direct the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to: (1) establish an international committee for the safe and secure handling and transportation of especially hazardous cargo to the United States; (2) develop and implement a voluntary program under which foreign ports and facilities can certify their compliance with International Ship and Port Facility Code (ISPFC) standards (including a program under which independent, third-party entities are certified to validate such ports' and facilities' compliance with such standards); and (3) establish a strategic plan (under current law, program) to utilize assistance programs to assist foreign ports and facilities that lack effective antiterrorism measures in implementing port security antiterrorism measures.
Authorizes the Coast Guard (CG) to lend, lease, or otherwise provide equipment and technical training and support to foreign ports and facilities to assist them in complying, and validating such compliance, with ISPFC standards.
Authorizes the Secretary to establish a security cost-share plan to assist the CG in providing security for the transportation of especially hazardous cargo to facilities located on or adjacent to U.S. navigable waters.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Includes the establishing of regional response and recovery protocols to prepare for, respond to, mitigate against, and recover from a transportation security incident in area maritime transportation security plans.
Directs the CG Commandant to develop a CG national resource allocation plan to meet safety and security requirements associated with the handling of especially hazardous cargo at U.S. ports and facilities.
Directs the Secretary to ensure that federal, state, and local personnel responsible for the safety and security of vessels in port carrying especially hazardous cargo complete CG incident command system training.
Authorizes the Secretary to convey (with or without compensation) national defense reserve fleet vessels to owners or operators of U.S. or foreign ports for use in port safety or security operations.
Directs the Secretary to ensure that interoperable communications technology is deployed at all interagency operational centers for port security located at high-priority ports.
People & committees
Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ] · D–NJ
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S7554-7556)
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7554)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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