S.Amdt. 2936

SA 2936, submitted by Ms. Hassan, aims to add a pilot program to bill S. 2296. The purpose of this program is to see if big data analytics can be used to identify and predict when vessels are disabling or manipulating their Automatic Identification System to hide the transport of goods that evade United States export controls or sanctions.

Program Details

The pilot program would be established by the Secretary of Homeland Security through the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the National Targeting Center. Key aspects include:

• Intelligence Sharing: Actionable intelligence will be provided to the Coast Guard, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, other Federal law enforcement agencies, and appropriate foreign partner agencies.
• Data Consideration: The program may look at vessel destinations, types of goods, ownership and nationality of the vessel, shipper, and importer, and the frequency and duration of Automatic Identification System issues.
• Coordination: The Secretary will work with the Director of National Intelligence and the Secretary of Commerce.
• Timeline: The program must be established within 18 months of the Act and will end 4 years after the Act is enacted.

Accountability and Reporting

To keep officials accountable, the Secretary of Homeland Security must submit a report to Congress within 4 years. This report will:

• Assess if the program was useful.
• Detail whether interdicted vessels were actually evading sanctions and what penalties were imposed.
• Track vessels that were not interdicted to see where they traveled.
• Recommend if big data analytics should be used for this purpose in the future.

Constraints

The amendment specifies that no additional money is authorized for this program and it does not allow for any new collection of information that isn't already authorized by law.