Dreier Applauds Signing of Port Security Bill

October 13, 2006

WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman David Dreier (R-San Dimas,CA), Chairman of the House Rules Committee, applauded President George W. Bush’s signature of legislation that will significantly enhance security at our nation’s ports today. The Security and Accountability for Every (SAFE) Port Act Conference Report, H.R. 4954, was approved by the Congress last month with overwhelming, bipartisan support.

"Securing our ports must be a top priority," Dreier said. "With final approval of this legislation, our efforts take an important step forward by increasing screening and working in a proactive way to prevent dangerous cargo from reaching our shores. Port security is essential to our national security, as well as to keeping our economy strong and growing. Any kind of disruption at our nation’s ports could cripple our economy. We need smart, strategic security to prevent that from happening."

The SAFE Port Act Conference Report authorizes $400 million per year for a Port Security Grant Program to help protect U.S. ports from terrorist attacks and improve their ability to respond in the event of such an attack, and requires 98 percent of inbound cargo containers be screened for radiation. The legislation also requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish standards for securing 100 percent of containers bound for the United States within 180 days and requires that these standards be fully implemented within two years.

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