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Madam Speaker, as the representative of the Port of Los
Angeles, the nation's busiest container port with more than 5.183 million
container shipments last year, I rise in strong support of The attacks of September 11 underscored the vulnerability of our ports to potential acts of terrorism. The sheer volume of goods shipped in containers, their unsecure ports of origin, the volatility of many of the goods stored at ports, and the wide expanses which comprise our posts present terrorists with targets and conduits for terror and local officials and law enforcement with formidable challenges. Given this threat, I first want to say how impressed I was at the speed with which the maritime agencies of our federal, state and local governments responded following September 11. The women and men of the Coast Guard, Customs, INS, LA and San Pedro Police, the LA County Sheriff, Port Police, National Guard, reservists and auxiliary personnel, and other emergency responders demonstrated their coolness and professionalism in securing the Port of Los Angeles. They showed unprecedented coordination and courage and, on behalf of the community, I want to extend a ``thank you for a job well done''. I would also like to give a very special acknowledgement to the leadership of Coast Guard Captain John Holmes, captain of the Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach. The bill before us provides much-needed resources to the work of these first responders. In addition to requiring new vulnerability assessments at our ports, the bill also requires the imposition of new transportation security cards for workers with access to secure areas at ports. I compliment the chairman and ranking member for working with maritime labor to ensure that background checks used in issuing the security cards target true risks and I echo the view that any information collected on workers be used solely for security purposes. The bill also includes several provisions designed to reduce the ability of terrorist to use cargo containers to smuggle terrorists or weapons into the US. In particular, the bill requires security assessments at foreign ports. But I want also to highlight container security and the need for effective supply chain security measures. Though not addressed in this bill, it is increasingly evident that supply chain security is critical to ensuring that the contents of container cargo are not tampered with during shipment. Shipment, of course, does not begin with the placing for a container aboard a vessel but, rather with it being loaded--something that often occurs in another country far from the port of embarkation to the United States. The bill requires the Transportation Department to develop performance standards for improving the physical security of containers, which should go well beyond seals and locks and include supply chain security. Some innovative tracking and detection technologies are under development and incorporating them in containers will further secure both cargo and our ports. Madam Speaker, I strongly support this bill. It takes important steps in helping us secure our ports in the fight against terrorism. The key factor to improved security is the dedication and hard work
of thousands of workers employed in and around our ports. From the federal
agencies involved to state and local law enforcement, port officials,
vessel operators and crew, shippers, dock workers and truckers--security
begins with their continued vigilance and I commend them for a job well
done and am proud to help provide them with more tools to continue the
job.
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