(a) Establishment.—
(1) In general.—To enhance the domestic maritime security capability of the United States, the Secretary shall establish deployable specialized forces of varying capabilities as are needed to safeguard the public and protect vessels, harbors, ports, facilities, and cargo in waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States from destruction, loss or injury from crime, or sabotage due to terrorist activity, and to respond to such activity in accordance with the transportation security plans developed under section 70103.
(2) Enhanced teams.—Such specialized forces shall include no less than two enhanced teams to serve as deployable forces capable of combating terrorism, engaging in interdiction, law enforcement, and advanced tactical maritime security operations to address known or potentially armed security threats (including non-compliant actors at sea), and participating in homeland security, homeland defense, and counterterrorism exercises in the maritime environment.
(b) Mission.—The combined force of the specialized forces established under subsection (a) shall be trained, equipped, and capable of being deployed to—
(1) deter, protect against, and rapidly respond to threats of maritime terrorism;
(2) conduct maritime operations to protect against and disrupt illegal use, access to, or proliferation of weapons of mass destruction;
(3) enforce moving or fixed safety or security zones established pursuant to law;
(4) conduct high speed intercepts;
(5) board, search, and seize any article or thing on or at, respectively, a vessel or facility found to present a risk to the vessel or facility, or to a port;
(6) rapidly deploy to supplement United States armed forces domestically or overseas;
(7) respond to criminal or terrorist acts so as to minimize, insofar as possible, the disruption caused by such acts;
(8) assist with facility vulnerability assessments required under this chapter; and
(9) carry out any other missions of the Coast Guard as are assigned to it by the Secretary.
(c) Minimization of Response Times.—The enhanced teams established under subsection (a)(2) shall, to the extent practicable, be stationed in such a way so as to minimize the response time to maritime terrorist threats and potential or actual transportation security incidents.
(d) Coordination With Other Agencies.—To the maximum extent feasible, the combined force of the specialized forces established under subsection (a) shall coordinate their activities with other Federal, State, and local law enforcement and emergency response agencies.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2010—Pub. L. 111–281 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section related to maritime safety and security teams.
2006—Subsec. (b)(8). Pub. L. 109–241 substituted "any other missions of the Coast Guard" for "other security missions".
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Coast Guard Detection Canine Team Program Expansion
Pub. L. 111–281, title VIII, §805, Oct. 15, 2010, 124 Stat. 2991, provided that:
"(a) Definitions.—For purposes of this section:
"(1) Canine detection team.—The term 'detection canine team' means a canine and a canine handler that are trained to detect narcotics or explosives, or other threats as defined by the Secretary.
"(2) Secretary.—The term 'Secretary' means the Secretary of Homeland Security.
"(b) Detection Canine Teams.—
"(1) Increased capacity.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 15, 2010], and subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary shall—
"(A) begin to increase the number of detection canine teams certified by the Coast Guard for the purposes of maritime-related security by no fewer than 10 canine teams annually through fiscal year 2012; and
"(B) encourage owners and operators of port facilities, passenger cruise liners, oceangoing cargo vessels, and other vessels identified by the Secretary to strengthen security through the use of highly trained detection canine teams.
"(2) Canine procurement.—The Secretary, acting through the Commandant of the Coast Guard, shall procure detection canine teams as efficiently as possible, including, to the greatest extent possible, through increased domestic breeding, while meeting the performance needs and criteria established by the Commandant.
"(c) Deployment.—The Secretary shall prioritize deployment of the additional canine teams to ports based on risk, consistent with the Security and Accountability For Every Port Act of 2006 (Public Law 109–347) [see Tables for classification]."
