Kendrick Meek: “I am from Florida, and I have a sincere appreciation for the safety features that we must have at our seaports. Port…”

“I am from Florida, and I have a sincere appreciation for the safety features that we must have at our seaports. Port security is an issue which the Obey amendment addresses to show exactly why it is so important. I think if Congress understands this, we can better interpret this to the administration. Each of us has constituents back home that we must face. The President is in a larger milieu. Americans want to know, are we safe and are our ports safe. We must carry that message. If we take a strong enough leadership position on this, I think the President will acquiescence, because he, too, understands the power of a constituency that is determined to get some kind of consideration for their needs. Port security is an issue that neither party can take a stand against. Number one, we have 361 deep-water ports in this Nation. We have 14 deep-water ports in Florida. My own port in Miami is the largest cruise port in the world; 3.4 million people go through our port annually. Ports in the United States handle about 7.8 million tons of cargo each year.”