GOP aims for vote on ports security bill
By JIM ABRAMS Associated Press Writer
© 2006 The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Congressional Republicans aimed for a post-midnight vote Friday on a major ports security bill, capping a rush to complete security-related legislation before lawmakers leave to face the voters in the midterm elections.
The ports bill, aimed at making the nation's 361 seaports safer from biological, chemical or nuclear attacks, was to be the last vote taken by the House before its five-week break for the elections. The Senate could approve the bill Saturday.
"In the post-9/11 world we have to strengthen security at our ports," said Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee.
Democrats, while generally in favor of the bill, complained that it failed to address rail and mass transit, other areas considered highly vulnerable to terrorist attack. They also said Republicans were using the bill as a vehicle for other GOP-backed measures.
Debate on the bill was delayed as negotiators wrangled over other legislation that might be added.
"They're using it as a dumping ground" for bills that couldn't pass on their own, said Jim Manley, spokesman for Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada.
Senate Democrats were successful in blocking inclusion of one measure, which would have given legal immunity to communications companies that supply subscriber records to the administration's warrantless surveillance program. Another measure pushed by House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., to increase security for courts and judges, also failed to make the final cut, aides said.
But it appeared that the final bill would have a provision, passed by the House, to restrict Internet gambling.
With an eye to the election, Congress has concentrated on security-related issues in the past two weeks, considered measures on military tribunals, President Bush's wiretapping program, spending for defense and homeland security and a bill to build a 700-mile fence along the Mexican border.
Democrats said the ports bill fell short of what is needed.
"We had a chance to get more screeners at our nation's airports, add more security for our transit systems and protect cargo and people as they traverse the country by rail," said Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J. Instead, Republicans "are trying to stuff the legislation with gifts to special interests and large corporations."
"Republicans have once again shortchanged America by leaving our rail, mass transit and aviation systems vulnerable," said Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, top Democrat on the Homeland Security Committee.
Democrats were upset that the final version apparently would drop provisions in the original Senate bill that approved $4.5 billion for rail and mass transit security. They pointed to terrorist attacks on rail systems in London, Madrid, Spain, and Mumbai, India, formerly known as Bombay, as evidence of the vulnerability of American railways.
But Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, chairwoman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said the port bill "will make a real difference to the security of our country," adding new layers of protection for the 11 million cargo containers that enter the nation every year.
Collins said the bill would include approval of $400 million a year over five years for risk-based grants for training and exercises at ports.
It would require the nation's 22 largest ports, which handle 98 percent of all cargo entering the country, to install radiation detectors by the end of next year.
Pilot programs would be established at three foreign ports to test technology for nonintrusive cargo inspections. Currently only one foreign port, Hong Kong, scans all U.S.-bound cargo for nuclear materials.
The Homeland Security Department would be required to set up protocols for resuming operations after an attack or incident. It is feared that a terrorist attack, such as a nuclear device set off by remote control, could cripple the entire economy as well as cause massive casualties.
The bill would authorize $3.4 billion over five years for ports security.
Congress made port security a priority after a February fight over a buyout that put a Dubai company in control of some operations at six American ports. The outcry led the Dubai company, DP World, to promise it would sell the U.S. operations to an American company. The sale is pending.
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The bill is H.R. 4954
Gambling Ban to be passed tonight
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