[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 125 (Friday, September 29, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10633-S10634]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             SAFE PORT ACT

  Mr. CARPER. Mr. President, I thank my friend for yielding to me.
  While Senator Collins is still on the floor, I want to take a moment 
to say, Mr. President, if you go back 5 years ago and consider the 
tragedies that befell our Nation on September 11, it opened our eyes to 
the kind of threats we face with respect to the security of our air 
travel. It served to open our eyes, subsequently, with respect to the 
security of our ports, with the security of our chemical plants and the 
communities that are located around them. I think we have had our eyes 
opened to security threats that maybe face people who travel on our 
trains and our commuter rail systems.
  We have seen all too well how inadequately--ineptly, really--FEMA 
responded to the Katrina and the gulf coast part of our country. I 
think most of us agree today we are better equiped now to fend off 
threats to the security of our air travel. And I think with respect to 
the security of our ports, with this legislation Senator Collins and 
Senator Murray have shepherded, which the Presiding Officer has 
contributed greatly to, we have made real progress; some would say 
maybe not enough, but I think everybody would say measurable, palpable 
progress.
  I know there are folks who have been critical of the fact that we 
have not included the rail and transit provisions in this final 
conference report, which were included in our Senate-passed version. I 
wish they were there. We have a lot of people who travel on the rail 
and transit systems, with, I think, about 9 billion trips this year, 
and there is a threat to many of them--not all of them but to many of 
them.
  But there is good work that has been done with respect to chemical 
security. FEMA has been overhauled, and I think maybe not transformed 
but I think significantly improved.
  One of the constant threads within all of that has been Senator 
Collins, as the chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs Committee. I just want to stand here tonight and say that this 
is yet another conference she has helped to direct and steer, as it 
comes to a conclusion. I commend her, and certainly Senator Murray, who 
has worked closely with her. I commend them and the Presiding Officer 
and others for the good work they have done.
  I acknowledge we have some more work to do with rail and transit 
security. My hope is we will do that when we return next January.
  Thank you very much. And I again thank my friend for yielding.

[[Page S10634]]

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Michigan.

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