Bill > S1103

This bill establishes a 4-year pilot program run by the Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection to use big data analytics for tracking vessels that might be evading international sanctions and export controls. The pilot program will focus on analyzing vessel tracking data, particularly instances where ships disable or manipulate their Automatic Identification System (AIS), which is a tracking system used to identify and locate maritime vessels. The program will examine various data elements including cargo type, vessel destination, ownership details, proximity to other vessels, and AIS disruption patterns. The Secretary of Homeland Security will collaborate with the Departments of Commerce and intelligence agencies to develop the program, which aims to provide actionable intelligence to U.S. law enforcement and foreign partner agencies. At the end of the 4-year period, a comprehensive report will be submitted to Congress detailing the pilot program's effectiveness, specific interdiction instances, vessel tracking outcomes, and recommendations for future use of big data analytics in sanctions enforcement. Importantly, the bill specifies that no additional funding will be authorized for the program, and it does not create new information collection authorities beyond existing legal frameworks.

Military Affairs and Security

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1103/all-info