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GAO-13-511R 1 (2013-05-13)

handle is hein.gao/gaobachet0001 and id is 1 raw text is: 




J GAO
         Accountability *Integrity * Reliability
United States Government Accountability Office
Washington, DC 20548


           May 13, 2013


           Congressional Committees


           Subject: Defense Logistics: The Department of Defense's Report on Strategic Seaports
           Addressed All Congressionally Directed Elements


           Sealift is the primary means of deploying and sustaining the combat power required in major
           ground operations, typically accounting for upwards of 90 percent of all military cargo, and
           U.S. strategic seaports play an important role in ensuring that the U.S. military is able to
           quickly and efficiently deploy to address the country's overseas interests. The strategic
           seaport program-administered jointly by the Department of Defense (DOD) and the
           Department of Transportation (DOT)-facilitates the movement of deploying military forces
           through the 17 commercial and 5 military seaports designated as strategic seaports. These
           ports serve as significant transportation hubs and are important to DOD's readiness and
           cargo handling capacity.


           Over the past several years Congress has directed that a number of studies be conducted
           to ensure the readiness of the strategic seaports. Most recently, in the conference report
           accompanying the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012, Congress
           directed DOD to provide an updated report on strategic seaport facilities used for military
           purposes, specifying that DOD must include (1) an assessment of the structural integrity and
           deficiencies of the port facilities and determination of the infrastructure improvements
           needed to directly or indirectly meet national security and readiness requirements; (2) an
           assessment of the impact on operational readiness if the improvements are not undertaken;
           (3) an identification of potential funding sources for the needed improvements from existing
           authorities; and (4) an opinion as to whether DOD has the necessary authority to support
           section 50302 of Title 46 of the United States Code.1 DOD issued that report in January
           2013.


           Both the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 20132 and the Coast Guard and
           Maritime Transportation Act of 20123 required us to conduct a sufficiency review of DOD's
           report, and to report our findings to Congress within 90 days of receiving DOD's strategic
           seaports report. DOD's report was provided to Congress on January 7, 2013, and GAO
           received the report on January 9, 2013. To conduct our review, we assessed the extent to

           1 Section 50302 of Title 46 of the U.S. Code states that the Secretary of Transportation, in cooperation with the
           Secretary of the Army, shall take a number of actions with regard to ports with the objective of promoting,
           encouraging, and developing ports and transportation facilities in connection with water commerce.
           2 Pub. L. No. 112-239, § 333 (2013).
           3 Pub. L. No. 112-213, §413 (2012).
                                                                        GAO-13-511R Defense Logistics

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