Op-Ed on Port Security

Op-Ed on Port Security

Submitted by Congresswoman Corrine Brown

The Perils of Lackadaisical Security

The administration's decision to allow the state owned Dubai Ports to take over six major U.S. ports has brought the issue of port security to the forefront of the nation's attention. Since September 11th in fact, I have been lobbying the Bush administration for additional security funding for our nation's ports and other areas of our nation's infrastructure (such as our freight and passenger rail, our subway systems, buses, tunnels and bridges, etc…) that are vulnerable, outside of aviation security. To me, nowhere is this additional funding more important than in Florida, whose 14 major ports are the gateway to the United States. Moreover, these ports play a crucial role in transporting ammunitions, supplies, and military equipment to our men and women fighting all over the world.

Unfortunately, the administration's concentration of terrorism prevention funding on the aviation industry has jeopardized the safety of other modes of transportation. For example, TSA is spending $4.4 billion alone on Aviation security, while only $36 million is being spent on all Surface Transportation security programs. And with respect to Florida's ports, which serve as the main economic engine for many of the areas in which they're found, making an attack not only extremely dangerous for local citizens, but economically disastrous for our state as well. This is absolutely the wrong time to make a decision that could even give the impression of vulnerability in the security of our ports or infrastructure system as a whole.

Even though the increased attention to our nation's security infrastructure has come out on the heels of the possible Dubai sale, I am hopeful that the massive resistance to the sale will at least bring about a discussion of the importance of increased funding for our nation's infrastructure security in the very near future. Certainly, just as the President is constantly emphasizing the importance of "Standing Down," the upcoming security discussions should serve as a "STAND UP" for our nation's security.

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/fl03_brown/pr_060228_opedonportsecurity.html