6 U.S.C. § 981 — Pilot integrated scanning system

(a) By January 11, 2007, 90 days after October 13, 2006, the Secretary must choose three foreign seaports through which containers pass or are transferred to the United States. The choice must establish pilot integrated scanning systems combining nonintrusive imaging equipment and radiation-detection equipment. The Secretary must choose three distinct ports with different features and trade volumes. (b) The Secretary must either: (1) coordinate as needed with the Secretary of Energy to obtain radiation equipment through the Department of Energy’s Second Line of Defense and Megaports programs; or (2) work with private parties or, when possible, host governments to obtain equipment meeting both Departments’ technical specifications. (c) Within one year after October 13, 2006, the Secretary must fully implement the pilot system at the chosen ports. The system must: (1) scan every container loaded there for the United States; (2) electronically send images and information to appropriate United States personnel in the port’s country or in the United States for evaluation; (3) resolve every radiation alarm under Department procedures; (4) use the information to improve the Automated Targeting System or other relevant programs; and (5) store the information for later retrieval and analysis. It may also automatically notify trained personnel about questionable or high-risk cargo so they can inspect it further. (d) Within 180 days after full implementation, the Secretary, consulting the Secretary of State and, when appropriate, the Secretary of Energy, must report to the appropriate congressional committees. The report must evaluate lessons from the pilot; analyze how well the Automated Targeting System or other programs use captured images to examine high-risk containers; evaluate detection of shielded and unshielded nuclear and radiological material; evaluate software and other technology that can automatically identify possible scanned-container anomalies; and analyze whether expanding the system to other Container Security Initiative ports is needed and feasible. That last analysis must cover infrastructure; effects on average cargo-processing speed; scalability for present and forecast trade; automatic preservation and cataloging of data during transportation disruptions; installation and maintenance costs; personnel’s ability to manage and use the data; protection of commercial data; and reliability of available technology.