[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2340]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     THE REPUBLICAN-DUBAI PORT DEAL

  (Mr. STUPAK asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STUPAK. Madam Speaker, the United Arab Emirates port deal is 
nothing new from the Bush administration. Over the past 5 years, 
President Bush has mastered back-room deals and secrecy, but now his 
administration's actions are threatening our homeland security. The 
United Arab Emirates deal was approved by the Bush administration 
despite national security concerns raised by both the Department of 
Homeland Security and the United States Coast Guard.
  The bipartisan 9/11 Commission has identified America's seaports as 
particularly vulnerable to attacks because only 6 percent of all cargo 
containers are screened. The world's busiest port, Hong Kong, can 
screen 100 percent of their containers. Why can we not do it here at 
home?
  The Bush administration shares responsibility with Republicans here 
in Congress for the vulnerabilities that now exist at our ports. 
Democrats listened to the Coast Guard and we listened to the 9/11 
Commission, and we tried to increase funding for port security.
  House Republicans have opposed these efforts despite the fact the 
Coast Guard says they need $4.6 billion over the next 10 years to 
properly secure our ports.
  Madam Speaker, Republican rhetoric on homeland security is not 
enough. It is time for action. Put Democrats in charge, and we will get 
100 percent container inspection, and we will have real port security 
in this country.

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