PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3931-3932)
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Apr 7, 2004
Intermodal Shipping Container Security Act - Directs the Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Border and Transportation Security, in carrying out his transportation security duties, to take into account a certain National Maritime Transportation Security Plan in order to ensure that the strategy for dealing with threats to transportation security incorporates relevant aspects of the Plan and addresses all modes of commercial transportation to, from, and within the United States.
Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to submit to specified congressional committees a strategic plan for integrating security for all modes of transportation by which intermodal shipping containers arrive, depart, or move in interstate commerce. Establishes the Senior Steering Group to meet from time to time to develop solutions to jurisdictional and other conflicts among agencies represented in the Group with respect to the security of intermodal shipping containers, improving coordination and information-sharing among them, and addressing other related matters.
Amends Federal shipping law to direct the Secretary of Transportation to develop a system to increase the number of intermodal shipping containers physically inspected (including nonintrusive inspection by scanning technology), monitored, and tracked within the United States. Requires, beginning in 2007, no less than 50 percent of all ocean-borne shipping containers entering the United States to incorporate "Smart Box" or equivalent technology. Prohibits from entering the United States, beginning 2009, any container not incorporating such technology.
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Sets forth requirements calling for the Secretary of Homeland Security to: (1) report to specified congressional committees a preliminary plan for strengthening the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection's container targeting system; (2) issue regulations reducing from 60 days to 45 days after arrival at a U.S. port the time period for revisions to a container manifest that is submitted to the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection; (3) develop a system to share threat and vulnerability information with all of the industries in the supply chain; and (4) substantially increase under the Container Security Initiative the number of U.S. Customs Service inspectors assigned to duty outside of the United States with responsibility for inspecting intermodal shipping containers being shipped to the United States.
People & committees
Sen. Hutchison, Kay Bailey [R-TX] · R–TX
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3931-3932)
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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