Port Security = National Security

"The fact is, we do live in a post-9/11 world," Clinton said, using her response to one of the reporters' questions to announce legislation banning foreign state-owned companies from U.S. ports. "As a matter of national security in the post-9/11 world, I think we have to take a hard look at this."

Washington Post, February 24, 2006

Dear Friends,

Today, Hillary and Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) will introduce their bill prohibiting companies owned or controlled by foreign governments from purchasing port operations in the United States. As Hillary told the Miami Chamber of Commerce this week, "We cannot cede sovereignty over our critical infrastructure like our ports. That is a job America has to do."

Port security is not a new issue for Hillary; she has strongly spoken out about the need to protect the ports since 9/11 and has voted in support of Democratic measures to increase port security - measures defeated by opposition from the White House and the Republican Congress.
Here is an update on what she has done in the past ten days:

On February 17: Hillary and Sen. Menendez announced they will introduce legislation to prohibit companies owned or controlled by foreign governments from purchasing port operations in the United States. "Our port security is too important to place in the hands of foreign governments," Clinton said.

February 21: Four United States Senators urged Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist to schedule for immediate consideration when Congress returns on February 27 legislation being introduced by Senators Robert Menendez and Hillary Clinton to block the sale of U.S. port operations to foreign governments. The letter was signed by Senators Clinton, Menendez, Lautenberg (D-NJ), and Boxer (D-CA).

"This sale will create an unacceptable risk to the security of our ports," the Senators wrote. "We therefore request that emergency legislation we are introducing to ban foreign governments from controlling operations at our ports be slated for immediate consideration when the Senate convenes on February 27."

February 23: At a special hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Hillary questioned Bush administration officials: "Port security is national security," she said. "We know from the work of the 9/11 commission and other expert commissions that port security is one of our weak links. We have not funded it adequately; we have not taken it seriously. That is a particular concern to me as a Senator from New York"

And Hillary spelled out other reasons to be concerned, saying "The track record of this administration on homeland security, its inadequate funding, its bureaucratic dysfunction at the Department of Homeland Security, as evidenced most tragically in Katrina but in many other similar instances over the past four and a half years, does not create an atmosphere of confidence."

After that hearing, DP World announced a "voluntary cooling off period." (The deal had been set to take effect March 2.)

February 24: Hillary joined Senators Menendez, Schumer (D-NY), Coleman (D-MN), Snowe (R-ME), Collins (R-ME), Coburn (R-OK), and Reed (D-RI), to sponsor emergency legislation to suspend the Dubai port deal immediately and begin an immediate 45 day investigation into the takeover's effect on national security as required by federal law - a requirement that was ignored in the initial dealmaking.

"It is clear that the Bush administration has failed to adequately address valid national security concerns. We will do everything possible to make sure the administration conducts the mandatory investigation required under the law and does not compromise security at our ports," she said.

February 26: Hillary joined her colleagues, Senators Schumer and Menendez, at a press conference at the Port of New York to announce that they will introduce their bill February 27 calling for the full 45 day investigation.

Hillary has made it clear that she expects the law to be followed and welcomes the news that the investigation that she and others have called for will have a chance to proceed. The administration should use this delay to conduct the investigation that the law requires.

"The announcement should be coming out of the White House." Hillary said, "The president should be showing leadership."

Thank you, as always, for your interest and your support. We'll continue to keep you informed of Hillary's work.

Sincerely,

Ann F. Lewis

Tags: Hillary, Hillary Clinton, Port Security, National Security