Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend this body for passing H.R. 4954, the SAFE Ports Act, which is a comprehensive approach to securing our ports. 

One of the worst-case scenarios experts fear is that terrorists would be able to smuggle nuclear materials into our ports.  This is an unacceptable reality that we face today, which highlights just how important it is that we have adequate detection devices at all of our seaports and borders. Our radiation portal monitors are our last, best chance to prevent catastrophic nuclear or radiological attack, and our intelligence analysts continue to tell us the threat is very real. 

I am glad to see that under this bill, all containers entering the U.S. through the 22 busiest seaports will be examined for radiation by the end of next year.  While this is certainly a great start, we ultimately need to deploy radiation portal monitors at every point of entry to fully secure our nation’s ports.

I am also pleased to see that this bill contains provisions to strengthen the Container Security Initiative.  Under the SAFE Ports Act, we will have a greater ability to foster communication between the United States and the operators of foreign ports to inspect more U.S.-bound cargo before it reaches our ports.  We need to continue to do everything in our power to screen cargo at its point of origin to prevent the dangerous possibility of nuclear materials ever reaching our shores.

The SAFE Ports Act most certainly makes strides in terms of securing our ports, but we must acknowledge that it is one step in a much larger process.  I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to secure our nation’s vulnerable ports.