[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 34 (Thursday, March 16, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E387]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       THE OUTSOURCING OF AMERICA AND AMERICAN NATIONAL SECURITY

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                          HON. DANIEL LIPINSKI

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 16, 2006

  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in staunch opposition to the 
outsourcing of American national security. In the current climate, our 
national security must be paramount and we have an obligation to our 
constituents to make every effort to protect our homeland. As the Bush 
Administration recently learned, outsourcing the operations of our 
ports is a dangerous path and poses serious security concerns and grave 
implications for the safety of our Nation. Fortunately, the proposed 
sale of American seaports to Dubai Ports World, the government-owned 
company based in the United Arab Emirates, appears to have been 
stopped. But we must remain vigilant to prevent this potentially 
dangerous outsourcing of America.
  The haphazard attitude towards American security policy that was on 
display in the Dubai Ports debacle, takes America backwards in our 
fight with terrorists. In a post 
9/11 world, handing over management and daily operations to a country 
that funneled money to the 9/11 hijackers, served as a transfer point 
of nuclear components to Iran, Libya, and North Korea, and continues to 
participate in the boycott against Israel, is unwise at best.
  In the last few weeks, I received hundreds of emails, letters, and 
phone calls from extremely alarmed and angry constituents about this 
transaction. As I meet people all across my district, they are asking, 
``Is American security for sale?''
  It is clear to me that the Administration only gave the Dubai Ports 
deal a cursory look before approving it in January. We should institute 
a mandatory review of all foreign transactions that could impact 
national security, requiring the President to notify Congress; and 
ensuring that Congress has a role in vetting the proposed foreign 
takeover. The CFIUS review process is in need of major reform, 
especially if they intend to take America down this spiraling path.
  This controversy also brings to the forefront the enormous concerns 
that surround port security in our country. Even after 9/11, only six 
percent of containers entering our ports are screened, and the 
Administration has failed to develop container security standards. The 
President's 2007 Budget eliminates port security grants and there are 
still no minimum security standards for containers entering the United 
States. Seventy-five percent of our ports do not even have the capacity 
to screen containers for weapons of mass destruction. We must build a 
comprehensive port security system that closes these loopholes and 
strengthens safeguards.
  But it should come as no surprise that America has begun to outsource 
our national security, since we continue to promote policies that 
encourage businesses to ship jobs overseas. Outsourcing comes with 
substantial costs to the American public and is reflected in our record 
trade deficit of 725 billion dollars in 2005.
  Hundreds of thousands of American jobs continue to be shipped 
overseas. From accountants and computer programmers to factory 
personnel, American workers are losing their jobs because companies are 
outsourcing their production so they can hire low-wage workers abroad 
and not have to follow meaningful labor laws or environmental 
protections.
  Manufacturing has been particularly hard hit. My district has lost 
thousands and thousands of manufacturing jobs, and the losses continue. 
These are good-paying jobs that have built the middle class in our 
country, the middle class which is the backbone of America. Some say 
that these job losses are insignificant because these are old 
industries that should be allowed to disappear in America. I could not 
disagree more. We must act now to help manufacturers keep jobs in this 
country. When these jobs are lost, not only do families suffer, but our 
national security suffers because we lose the ability to manufacture 
goods that are critical to the defense of our country.
  Today, many companies that ship jobs to other countries receive 
federal tax breaks. This means that the current tax code actually 
encourages companies to move their production centers out of the U.S. 
to cut costs. We must end these tax breaks and instead cut taxes for 
companies that keep American jobs here in the U.S. These cuts will 
encourage companies to maintain factories and preserve jobs here, and 
give them the capital they need to grow and fuel our economy.
  Mr. Speaker, first it was manufacturing, then high tech, and now our 
security that is being sold to the highest bidder. We cannot allow this 
to continue. We must protect America's families by defending our 
national security and preserving and growing American jobs. America 
must not be sold out.

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