H.R. 4355: Secure COAST Act
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H.R. 4355: Secure COAST Act
108th Congress · introduced 2004-05-12 · Transportation and Public Works · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.
federal
Follow this bill, step by step
- Where it came from: introduced 2004-05-12 · official record
- Who proposed it: Rep. Sanchez, Loretta [D-CA-47] · what a sponsor is
- What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
- Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
- If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.
Official title
Secure COAST Act
Plain summary
Secure Containers from Overseas and Seaports from Terrorism Act (Secure COAST Act) - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security, to: (1) establish standards and verification procedures (including those for seal verifications for cargo containers at loading) for the security of maritime cargo containers moving within the intermodal transportation system; (2) evaluate the benefits of existing technology for container tracking; (3) evaluate trade information, in addition to cargo manifest information, which would help the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection to carry out container risk analysis; and (4) evaluate the practices and policies in place to secure shipment of empty containers at U.S. ports. Directs the Commissioner of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection to conduct on site validations of security measures of individuals and entities in the intermodal transportation system participating in the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program. Directs the Commissioner to deploy radiation detection portal equipment at all U.S. seaports, other U.S. ports of entry, and major facilities (including foreign seaports participating in the Container Security Initiative (CSI)). Amends federal shipping law to direct the Secretary of Transportation to require uncleared, imported merchandise remaining on a pier for more than seven days to be removed and deposited in the public stores or a general order warehouse where it can be inspected and a delivery permit may be granted. Replaces the Secretary of Transportation with the Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security with respect to the establishment of a grant program to implement Area Maritime Transportation Security Plans and help fund compliance with the Federal security plan among port authorities, facility operators, and relevant State and local agencies. Changes from discretionary to mandatory the Secretary's authority to issue a plan to develop and implement a long-range automated vessel tracking system for all vessels in U.S. waters that are equipped with the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System. Authorizes appropriations for: (1) a grant to assist the maritime industry to develop and operate a collaborative maritime information sharing and analysis capability; (2) the acquisition and construction of vessels, aircraft, shore and offshore facilities associated with the Integrated Deepwater System program; (3) the acquisition and construction of shore-based equipment and infrastructure associated with the Automated Identification System (AIS); and (4) an increase in Coast Guard personnel.
Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.
What a vote does
A “Yea” vote
If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.
A “Nay” vote
If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.
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What does this mean? (plain words)
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Alternatives
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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes
Officials and money
Sponsor: Rep. Sanchez, Loretta [D-CA-47] · 38 cosponsors
Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.
Cosponsors on this site
Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Ed Case (D-HI), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY)
No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.
Words on this page, explained (3)
- Appropriation
- Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
- Ballot initiative
- A proposed law or constitutional amendment that citizens place on the ballot by gathering enough voter signatures, so voters decide it directly. About half the states allow some form of it.
- Securities
- Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.
Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.
Sources
- Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
- Congress.gov
- Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-108hr4355.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/108/hr>
Record fed-us-cong108-hr4355 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong108 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong108