Wasserman Schultz to be House Sponsor of Senators Menendez/Clinton Port Security Bill

Wasserman Schultz to be House Sponsor of Senators Menendez/Clinton Port Security Bill

Legislation bans foreign government control of port operations in the U.S., halts UAE P&O deal

"We simply cannot allow U.S. port operators to answer to a foreign government"

February 28, 2006

(Washington, DC) -- Rep. Wasserman Schultz announced late Tuesday night that she will sponsor legislation introduced in the Senate by Senators Robert Menendez and Hillary Rodham Clinton and joined by Senators Frank Lautenberg, Barbara Boxer and Bill Nelson. Original co-sponsors of the legislation will be announced on Wednesday when the legislation is introduced by Rep. Wasserman Schultz.

The legislation was necessitated by the Bush Administration's refusal to reverse a controversial business transaction which turned over port terminal operations at six of the largest U.S. ports to a United Arab Emirates company that is owned by the government of the UAE.

"This legislation would ban foreign governments from controlling operations at U.S. ports," said Rep. Wasserman Schultz. "Additionally, the legislation will halt the UAE P&O deal; mandate a Congressional review of existing foreign government-owned companies currently operating in U.S. ports, and it will make the CFIUS process more transparent."

Port operators are responsible for cargo inspection, the security of the port facility, and the hiring of personnel. "These operations are the front line of defense and security of our ports and require the utmost scrutiny in considering who should manage them," said Rep. Wasserman Schultz.

The word that this contract had been approved caught many members of Congress off guard, particularly Congressional Democrats who have consistently voted for a greater commitment to funding needed port security measures.

"The fact of the matter is that only six percent of cargo entering through our nation's ports gets screened," said Rep. Wasserman Schultz. "This means that at the current inadequate level of port security we are placing a great deal of trust in the port operators to be partners in the fight against terrorism. We simply cannot allow these operators to answer to a foreign government."

Rep. Wasserman Schultz's district is bordered by two of the largest ports in the nation, the Port of Miami and Port Everglades, located in Fort Lauderdale. Under the UAE deal approved by the Bush administration, the largest port terminal operator at the Port of Miami would be controlled by an entity of the UAE government.

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/fl20_schultz/UAEPortdealSponsor.html