[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2225]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                FOREIGN COUNTRIES OWNING AMERICAN PORTS

  (Mr. POE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, the decision to let a United Arab Emirates-
owned company take over operations at U.S. ports is dangerous and 
defies common sense. This is a matter of domestic security. The UAE, 
although our alleged friends now, recognized the Taliban, laundered 
money to 9/11 terrorists, and continues to participate in the Arab 
boycott against Israel.
  These same foreign entities would have access to U.S. manifests 
showing what cargo is being shipped and where and when it is going. 
This decision affects military terminals in my district, like the port 
of Beaumont, where one-third of all military cargo deployed to and from 
Iraq comes through this port. Even the Coast Guard seems to be uneasy 
about this decision. There is an inherent problem and a national 
security risk in having state-owned foreign companies buying interest 
in American ports. This decision is unwise. We are putting a fox in our 
own hen house, and this decision ought not to be.
  Mr. Speaker, allowing a foreign-owned business to infiltrate our 
ports is just a risky business. And that's just the way it is.

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