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Manzullo Urges DHS to Revamp, Strengthen Security Credential Process for Port Workers

Wednesday, September 27, 2006


(WASHINGTON) House Small Business Committee Chairman Don Manzullo (R-IL) today said the government’s proposed security credential process for port workers is too cumbersome and costly for America’s small businesses and needs to be revamped and strengthened to be effective.

Manzullo, who held a full committee hearing on the issue today, said the U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not adequately consider the impact to America’s small businesses when it drafted the proposed rules to the Maritime Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC). The initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (RFA), required by law, was seriously flawed and did not accurately reflect the full small business impact of the rule.

“I’m glad that DHS is taking steps to secure our ports, but I want a workable solution for the long term,” Manzullo said. “We must make sure DHS doesn’t go through all this effort in developing this worker credential process only to have the small business community successfully challenge it in court.  Securing our homeland is way too important to be left to lawsuits.”

The TWIC is an expensive biometric identification card designed to ensure individuals who could pose security risks do not have access to our nation’s ports.  To apply for a TWIC, workers must travel to a remote credentialing facility and submit information for a security background check.  The rule also requires facilities and vessels to purchase an electronic reader, ranging in cost from $1,000 to $10,000, to verify the worker’s TWIC.

“The DHS received nearly 2,000 comments about this proposed program, many from small businesses who say the TWIC is too expensive and would cost them business,” Manzullo said. “I called this hearing today to give the DHS another opportunity to hear the concerns of small businesses so DHS can revamp and strengthen this proposed program.”

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