The United States’ 361 port facilities are a crucial part of the economic vitality of our nation, accounting for more than 95 percent of our international commerce. More than 11 million cargo containers pass through U.S. ports annually, but only five to six percent of these containers are inspected.
A weapon of mass destruction hidden inside one of these containers and detonated inside a U.S. port could cause an immense loss of human life and render significant economic devastation on our nation. Since September 11, 2001, our nation has invested heavily in improving aviation security, but we have not put the same priority on improving security for surface and maritime transportation.
This failure was underscored last year by the Bush Administration’s approval of a deal that would have enabled Dubai Ports World, a company controlled by the United Arab Emirates, to oversee operations at six U.S. ports, including a portion of the Port of Philadelphia. Only because of congressional outrage and pressure did this company ultimately relinquish its holdings of U.S. ports.
After this incident, many concerns still remain about the security of our ports, specifically about the ability to screen cargo before it arrives in the United States. The fact that only five to six percent of the high-risk containers that enter the United States are inspected is unacceptable, and it is one of the reasons why the Democratic Majority in Congress has enacted the Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act.
I supported this bold plan because it would implement the unfulfilled recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, including steps to strengthen government intelligence and information sharing, create a dedicated source of funding to provide first responders with communications interoperability, and prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction. It also included a requirement that all cargo containers bound for the United States be scanned and sealed using the best available technology including X-ray machines and radiation detectors.
