S. 2297: Intermodal Shipping Container Security Act

108th Congress · introduced 2004-04-07 · Transportation and Public Works · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3931-3932)

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Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2004-04-07 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Hutchison, Kay Bailey [R-TX] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3931-3932) 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.

What does this mean?

Official title

Intermodal Shipping Container Security Act

Plain summary

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. 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.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Intermodal Shipping Container Security Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Hutchison, Kay Bailey [R-TX] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

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)

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.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.
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 Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-108s2297.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/108/s>

Record fed-us-cong108-s2297 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong108 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong108