Coleman questions effects of proposed transportation worker I.D. card

During a U.S. Senate hearing Tuesday to review the impact of port legislation passed into law one year ago, Sen. Norm Coleman questioned the Department of Homeland Security’s Assistant Secretary for Policy, Stewart Baker, about the implications of the Transportation Worker Identification Credential program on fishing guides and seasonal workers in Minnesota, according to his office.

Under current law, any individual with a Coast Guard issued license or document will be required to also purchase a TWIC card as of Sept. 25, 2008.

Fishing guides, and some seasonal workers, could potentially fall under this requirement.

Coleman, who first heard concerns over this program during a visit to the northern border earlier this year, also urged Baker to address the potential impact of these provisions on these groups.

“The TWIC program is an important tool to ensure the safety of our nation’s ports, but I am concerned that it may place an unnecessary burden on fishing guides and summer workers in Minnesota,” Coleman said.  “Like many Minnesotans, I enjoy fishing our waters and understand that a fishing dock on Lake of the Woods, for example, is vastly different than the major ports around the country that receive cargo containers.  Simply put, we need to make sure our local fishing guides are not being subjected to excessive government regulation.  I appreciate Assistant Secretary Baker’s commitment today to look at the implications of this issue going forward.”

The TWIC program was established by Congress through the Maritime Transportation Security Act and is administered by the Transportation Security Administration and U.S. Coast Guard.

TWIC cards are tamper-resistant biometric credentials for workers who require unescorted access to secure areas of ports, vessels, outer continental shelf facilities and all credentialed merchant mariners. It is anticipated that more than 750,000 workers including longshoremen, truckers, port employees and others will be required to obtain a TWIC card. 

To obtain a TWIC card, an individual must provide biographic and biometric information such as fingerprints, sit for a digital photograph and successfully pass a security threat assessment conducted by TSA.  The TWIC Card is expected to cost $132.50 for new applicants would be valid for five years.