Don Young: “I want to compliment Mr. King in the efforts here and Mr. Lungren and, yes, even the minority in this case, on working…”

“I want to compliment Mr. King in the efforts here and Mr. Lungren and, yes, even the minority in this case, on working on this legislation. I was somewhat taken back by the comments even made by the gentleman from Massachusetts, because this should not be a partisan issue. This should not be railing against the Republicans or should not be railing against Bush. If you want to make headlines, go outside and stand on your head. That is the best way to make headlines. What we are trying to do, as Mr. King said, is try to make our ports secure and we are trying to make them secure in a proper time fashion. We have already done some of this work that should have been done through the Transportation Committee. The Maritime Transportation Security Act does a lot of what is in this bill, and we are implementing it right now. The ports are more secure than what people will say and what you read in the newspapers. Yes, we can do better and we will. But Members keep in mind that what we are faced with today is how do we do it and do it in a fashion which continues to allow us to have a commerce circle. Without commerce, this country will fail. Now, I can suggest respectfully that there is a way and we will continue to do it, if the ports wish to do so, that they will unload their ships that have been screened thoroughly 100 percent overseas at point of origin.…”