[an error occurred while processing this directive]
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
Guest Commentary: October 3, 2001
We Need to Improve Security at Our Borders The Honorable John Kerry
Make no mistake about it, we have a real need for better security and cargo screening equipment in our nation's sea ports and border crossings.
The numbers speak for themselves. Since enactment of NAFTA, commerce between Canada and the United States has tripled while the number of Customs inspectors at our borders have remained the same.
More than 2 billion tons of freight enter our ports and harbors each year and prior to September 11, only slightly more than one percent of those cargo containers were inspected by either the Coast Guard, Customs, or Immigration and Naturalization officials.
There is no doubt that we need to improve security at our borders. At the same time we need to invest in the infrastructure and technologies, such as x-ray machines that would allow us to more easily inspect shipping containers and detect bombs, chemical weapons and other weapons of mass destruction.
All bags and cargo that enter this country via aircraft are screened by x-ray machines and are often searched both at the originating country and when the aircraft reaches the United States. Surely the same standard should apply for all cargo entering the United States via freighter, trucks and trains.
We should insist upon security measures in the country of origin and have security measure in place in U.S., ports for inbound containers.
Note: The above commentary has been adapted from comments Sen. Kerry made at a hearing of the Senate Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, September 27, 2001.
