[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 25 (Thursday, March 2, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H513]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      BUSH ONCE AGAIN SKIRTING LAW IMPACTING OUR NATIONAL SECURITY

  (Ms. WATSON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, Congress should not allow the secretly 
decided backroom United Arab Emirates port deal to go through. It must 
be stopped, and House Republicans should stand up to the President in 
the name of national security. Our ports are not for sale to the 
highest bidder.
  This deal shows once again the lengths the Bush administration will 
go to bend the laws to their advantage. The administration failed to 
conduct a 45-day investigation that is legally required. This, in 
itself, should be enough to stop this deal. The national security 
implications are simply too important to ignore. And, unfortunately, 
House Republicans have neglected our vulnerable ports since 9/11.
  Over the past 4 years, House Republicans have opposed and defeated 
Democratic efforts to increase funding for port security. Right now, 
only 6 percent of cargo coming into the U.S. is being checked, 
producing a large hole in our homeland security.
  I would hope that we can make port security a top priority.

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