Fourth District Report

Fourth District Report

March 10, 2006

By Congressman Geoff Davis

Over the past several weeks, the debate regarding the sale of American ports to the state-owned Dubai Ports World has spread from the halls of Congress to dinner tables across the country. Offices across Capitol Hill have been bombarded by concerned constituents who oppose this deal. I can assure you that your voices have been heard.

Following a 62-2 vote in the House Appropriations Committee that would have potentially blocked the port deal, the company relinquished all operations to an American entity. In the face of overwhelming bipartisan opposition, the deal was defeated.

The sale of critical national security assets by the Administration to a Middle Eastern state-owned enterprise sent a mixed message to the American people. As a member of the Armed Services Committee, I was deeply concerned about the sale of our ports to a government with monetary connections to radical Islamic groups. The potential sale undermined the valiant efforts of those serving in the Armed Forces who fight day in and day out for peace and democracy in the Middle East, as well as the preservation of our national security.

The deal was also of concern from an economic perspective. I am a proponent of free and fair trade. However, U.S. businesses face innumerable barriers to entry in the UAE. If UAE regulations inhibit commerce, trade appears to be neither free, nor fair.

There were several Congressional initiatives related to port security in which I was proud to be involved. I was an original co-sponsor of a bill that sought to immediately halt the port sale. This bill also contains provisions to which I hope that Congress will now turn their attention. This bill requires the Secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security to ensure that reliable American companies are in charge of critical infrastructure assets. Important reforms to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) evaluation process are also contained in this legislation, as well as provisions for 100% cargo inspection.

I have also co-sponsored two other bills related to issues surrounding the port sale. One bill would require a review of all transactions involving a foreign government. The other piece of legislation would require Facility Security Officers (FSOs) at critical infrastructure sites to be American citizens.

The efforts to stop the port sale were criticized as anti-Arab. In my mind this is simply untrue. This was, and remains, a matter of national security. Many countries, including the UAE, have taken steps to insure that their national security interests are not foreign-owned or operated. The protection of critical security assets should be entrusted to those with vested interests in a country's prosperity. In this case, the job now belongs to the American people.

Halting the sale of our ports was a critical step to protecting our country's national security infrastructure. Although this battle has been won, the War on Terror continues. I am hopeful that in the coming months Congress will work on protecting and securing our ports and borders as they address the ever-changing security needs of our nation.

http://geoffdavis.house.gov/read.aspx?ID=265