Emanuel Cleaver: “the Bush-Dubai ports contract was a bad deal for national security when it involved six American seaports. Now it turns…”

“the Bush-Dubai ports contract was a bad deal for national security when it involved six American seaports. Now it turns out the company would operate 22 U.S. ports for far more than the President said were included in the deal. My friends, America is not secure. The majority of the voters in my home district in Missouri are appalled. They don't understand why U.S. companies cannot operate all the ports. Just yesterday, Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff said that handing over American ports to a Dubai company would give the U.S. a better handle on security at U.S. terminal operations. I don't know the Secretary personally, so I don't know whether or not he was serious. I do know this: American security should not be outsourced. The only way to increase port security at our docks is to actually screen every single container that comes into the U.S. Democrats support fully funding port security to make sure that terrorists are not allowed to smuggle dangerous chemicals into our Nation. Only 6 percent of the cargo that is coming into the ports is screened. America can do better. ____________________”