[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 24 (Wednesday, March 1, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H467]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             PORT SECURITY

  (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I think there are many issues 
we can be addressing; but as I recently came back from my district, it 
is amazing how the idea of selling our ports has caught the hearts and 
minds of the American people. So I think it is important that we owe 
them both an explanation and also we owe them the responsibility of 
oversight.
  It is important to note that in the 2007 budget we have cut resources 
for port security, and as well it is important to note that our largest 
ports in America are suffering under either no appropriations from the 
Federal Government of America or minimal support.
  And so I offer legislation, one, to have a 2-year moratorium on the 
sale, leasing or operating of any of America's ports by foreign 
entities. And then I would ask for a major study by the Office of the 
Comptroller and Homeland Security to be able to determine the status of 
security in the Nation's ports.
  It would be shocking to note that in Hong Kong, every cargo is 
surveyed, every cargo container. In the United States we do not do 
that. I believe we owe the American people secure ports, and we are 
prepared to do so.

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