§ 901. Definitions

In this Act:

(1) Appropriate congressional committees

Except as otherwise provided, the term “appropriate congressional committees” means—

(A) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;

(B) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate;

(D) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate;

(E) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives;

(F) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives;

(G) the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives;

(H) the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives; and

(I) other congressional committees, as appropriate.

(2) Commercial Operations Advisory Committee

The term “Commercial Operations Advisory Committee” means the Advisory Committee established pursuant to section 9503(c) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 (19 U.S.C. 2071 note ) or any successor committee.

(3) Commercial seaport personnel

The term “commercial seaport personnel” includes any person engaged in an activity relating to the loading or unloading of cargo or passengers, the movement or tracking of cargo, the maintenance and repair of intermodal equipment, the operation of cargo-related equipment (whether or not integral to the vessel), and the handling of mooring lines on the dock when a vessel is made fast or let go in the United States.

(4) Commissioner

The term “Commissioner” means the Commissioner responsible for the United States Customs and Border Protection of the Department of Homeland Security.

(5) Container

The term “container” has the meaning given the term in the International Convention for Safe Containers, with annexes, done at Geneva, December 2, 1972 (29 UST 3707).

(6) Container security device

The term “container security device” means a device, or system, designed, at a minimum, to identify positively a container, to detect and record the unauthorized intrusion of a container, and to secure a container against tampering throughout the supply chain. Such a device, or system, shall have a low false alarm rate as determined by the Secretary.

(7) Department

The term “Department” means the Department of Homeland Security.

(8) Examination

The term “examination” means an inspection of cargo to detect the presence of misdeclared, restricted, or prohibited items that utilizes nonintrusive imaging and detection technology.

(9) Inspection

The term “inspection” means the comprehensive process used by the United States Customs and Border Protection to assess goods entering the United States to appraise them for duty purposes, to detect the presence of restricted or prohibited items, and to ensure compliance with all applicable laws. The process may include screening, conducting an examination, or conducting a search.

(10) International supply chain

The term “international supply chain” means the end-to-end process for shipping goods to or from the United States beginning at the point of origin (including manufacturer, supplier, or vendor) through a point of distribution to the destination.

(11) Radiation detection equipment

The term “radiation detection equipment” means any technology that is capable of detecting or identifying nuclear and radiological material or nuclear and radiological explosive devices.

(12) Scan

The term “scan” means utilizing nonintrusive imaging equipment, radiation detection equipment, or both, to capture data, including images of a container.

(13) Screening

The term “screening” means a visual or automated review of information about goods, including manifest or entry documentation accompanying a shipment being imported into the United States, to determine the presence of misdeclared, restricted, or prohibited items and assess the level of threat posed by such cargo.

(14) Search

The term “search” means an intrusive examination in which a container is opened and its contents are devanned and visually inspected for the presence of misdeclared, restricted, or prohibited items.

(15) Secretary

The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Homeland Security.

(16) Transportation disruption

The term “transportation disruption” means any significant delay, interruption, or stoppage in the flow of trade caused by a natural disaster, heightened threat level, an act of terrorism, or any transportation security incident (as defined in section 70101 (6) of title 46).

(17) Transportation security incident

The term “transportation security incident” has the meaning given the term in section 70101 (6) of title 46.

U.S. Code

§ 901. Definitions