Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Homeland Security, wrote an Op-Ed piece in the Wall Street Journal (Januray 6,2011) describing the challenges and efforts to protect the Global Supply Chain. Products ordered by consumers today may often involve components, subassemblies and packaging that involve manufacturers and distributors spread across the globe. The secretary describes efforts to (a) share information regarding shipments across countries, (b) shield transportation hubs and (c) identify ways to make the supply chain more resilient to disruptions. An important question for companies is to understand how such efforts will impact lead time and costs.  Would it be optimal to create “fast track” approvals for companies who register their shipments and are “certified” ? Will such schemes result in a preference for large companies vs small companies or will it encourage shippers , like UPS, FedEx or DHL, to play a larger role in coordinating shipments ? Are there other technological innovations that will lower the cost of screening ?