Millions More for Cargo Screening

(NextGov.com – Jill R. Aitoro)

The Homeland Security Department will spend $88 million in Recovery Act funds on scanning technology that will be used to inspect commercial goods crossing U.S. borders. The funds will contribute to eight contracts for nonintrusive inspection equipment that provide fixed and mobile detection capabilities for deployment at and between ports of entry by Customs and Border Control.

Similar equipment already is used to screen all rail traffic headed southbound to Mexico.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act allocated almost $1 billion to CBP and the General Services Administration for port and border security projects, with $100 million dedicated to NII technologies, according to a press release from DHS.