I want to join my colleagues in
the New Jersey delegation in welcoming today’s witnesses to Port Newark-Elizabeth.
I also want to acknowledge my friend Mayor Bollwage of Elizabeth and Jack
Sinagra, Chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Port security is a matter of enormous concern to me, as a representative
in Congress of a portion of Elizabeth and Newark, which is my home city.
In fact, as a former longshoreman myself, I understand well the daily operation
of the port. Of course, following the tragic events of September
11th, the challenges involved in protecting the port and keeping it secure
have increased dramatically.
As the testimony of our witnesses indicates, we have to use the latest
technological advances to find new and creative ways of increasing security.
At the present time, we are able to identify truck drivers entering the
port through the “Sealink” process, and we employ the services of the Port
Authority Police, the New Jersey State Police, and the Waterfront Commission
to enact safeguards.
In the aftermath of September 11th, we need to build on these traditional
security measures. This requires cooperation between federal, state
and local entities. All of us have pulled together for the common
good following September 11th, and now we need to keep that spirit of unity
alive in order to move forward. In Congress, we need to ensure that
the necessary funding is allocated to port security so that resources are
available to modernize and to meet the changing needs of the Port.
The importance of the Port to our regional economy is tremendous.
The Port of New York and New Jersey is the third largest in the nation
and the largest on the east coast, serving 18 million people locally and
about 90 million people in the wider multi-state area around the port.
In 2001, the Port handled over 3 million containers and more petroleum
products than any other in the nation.
I know that we in the New Jersey delegation are committed to protecting
the security of the Port and we look forward to working with the Coast
Guard, the U.S. Customs Service and other federal agencies to accomplish
this important goal.
