NY Daily News- Dems pan GOP's port safety plan

Wednesday April 26, 2006

From NY Daily News:

Dems pan GOP's port safety plan
BY MICHAEL McAULIFF
DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU
Wednesday, April 26th, 2006

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration announced plans yesterday to screen 400,000 port workers for terror ties as Democrats accused the GOP of playing fast and loose with port security.

Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff said the Transportation Security Administration would check workers' immigration status and run their names through terrorism watch lists.

"We're going to focus on those who could potentially be the greatest risk to our security," Chertoff said.

The announcement came as Democrats in the House and Senate launched a broadside attack at President Bush and Republicans, accusing the GOP of fumbling even after the furor over Dubai taking over U.S. port operations.

"Getting rid of Dubai Ports World in terms of American ports was the first step," said Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) as Democrats announced plans to add $1 billion in port security amendments to an emergency spending bill for war and Hurricane Katrina aid.

"Port security has been the neglected stepchild of homeland security," he said. "Amendment after amendment after amendment that I've offered ... that my colleagues have offered since 9/11, have been defeated on party-line votes."

The Democrats said they want every container headed to the U.S. scanned then secured with tamper-proof seals. They practically dared the GOP to block their amendments.

"It's the day of truth for the Republicans," said Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.). "Do they or do they not agree that containers should be scanned to make sure they don't have nuclear or radiological or other bombs in them?"

Rep. Pete King (R-L.I.), chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said scanning all containers is a nice goal but technologically impossible now.

"Their legislation would do to America what the terrorists have not been able to do - and that's bring American commerce to a halt."

King, who is working on a measure to spend $400 million a year on port security, said the emphasis needs to be on intelligence and screening shipping manifests to narrow down cargos that need full-blown scans.

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