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Senate blocks Mexican trucks trial program
On Monday we wrote about the first Mexican truck entering the U.S. as part of a controversial, NAFTA-inspired program to allow cross-border long-haul trucking; on Tuesday, the Senate voted overwhelmingly to block this program
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Rules governing private planes entering U.S. tightened
Since 9/11 much effort has been invested to boost security of commercial aviation; DHS is now focusing on boosting security of private aviation
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Smart Card Alliance opposes RFID-based enhanced driver's licneses
DHS is cooperating with Vermont, Arizona, and Washington on an RFID-based enhanced driver’s licnese as an alternative to passports; the alliance says that “RFID technology was designed for automating the tracking of products and pallets through a supply chain, not for validating human identities”
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U.S. says passport processing time back to normal
Changes in U.S. law governing travel within the Western Hemisphere caused the number of passport application to rise from 12 to 16 millions, causing major backlogs and delays; passport office says these have now been cleared
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Mexican truck makes U.S. history
This past Saturday in Laredo, Texas, Mexican truck driver Luis González became the first Mexican trucker to cross the border under a controversial DOT program aimed at satisfying one of the last outstanding components of NAFTA
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Schumer, DHS IG criticize air traffic safety
On the eve of the sixth anniversary of 9/11, DHS does not get good grades on transportation security
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Company offers prepackaged toiletry
TSA imposes ever-stricter regulations on what can be carried on board; company offers prepackaged convenience items, which may double as corporate promotional kits
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ITT awarded big ADS-B contract
Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) is the central technology of the Next Generation Air Transportation System; ITT-led team awarded $1.8 billion contract to deploy the technology
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Reminder: WHTI relaxtion ends 30 September
Congress mandated that U.S. citizens traveling to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, or Bermuda must have a passport; Passport office was buried under passport applications, so DHS relaxed the rule for the summer travel season; season now comes to an end, and so is the relaxation of rules
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DHS installs 26 radiation monitors in Florida port
DHS has been assigned the task of scanning 100 percent of all sea-going cargo containers entering the U.S. by the end of 2008; it does so one port at a time
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Longer lines, wait at U.S. border crossings
Tighter DHS rules and check-ups at U.S. border crossings with Mexico, Canada, lead to ever-lenghtening lines and longer waits; the long waits have heightened concerns that the inspections will choke off commerce
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U.K. cabs to be equipped with CCTVs
A taxi company in Peterborough had an idea: Why not install a CCTV on the dashboard to record everything in and around the can, so if something untoward happens, there is a record
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Pilgrims prevented from carrying Lourdes water on board
The Vatican launched a new charter service flying pilgrims to Lourdes; those who tried to take bottles of the holy water back with them were told by airport security that even Holy water is a security threat
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U.S. deploys more biometric scanners to more consulates around world
Tightening control of entry to U.S., and trying to cope with growing wave of forged visa applications, U.S. deploys more fingerprint scanners to embassies and consulates around world
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Seaports, seaport-related activity major contribution to U.S. economy
Port-sector activities responsible for 8.4 million U.S. jobs and contribute nearly $2 trillion in economic output
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The long view
Calls Grow for U.S. to Counter Chinese Control, Influence in Western Ports
Experts say Washington should consider buying back some ports, offer incentives to allies to decouple from China.