Political Quotes

“this bill would take a significant step toward securing our Nation against future terrorist actions. Just as we have unanimously decided to bolster security at our airports, we must also improve the overall security and cargo processing operations at U.S. seaports. If nothing else, September 11 has demonstrated the need to do more to secure our Nation from terror--whether it comes from land, sky or sea. Before discussing the specifics of this legislation, it is important to describe the circumstances that have caused the security crisis at our seaports. Seaports represent an important component of the Nation's transportation infrastructure. Each year, thousands of ships, and millions of passengers, enter and leave the United States through seaports. It is estimated that 95 percent of the cargo that enters the country from noncontiguous countries does so through the Nation's 361 coastal and inland ports. Alarmingly, less than 2 percent of this enormous number of cargo containers are actually inspected. Over the next 20 years, the total volume of imported and exported goods at seaports is expected to increase threefold. Waterborne cargo alone contributes more than $750 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product and creates employment for 13 million people. Despite the massive volume of cargo that moves through our Nation's ports, there are no Federal security standards or guidelines protecting our citizens from potentially lethal cargo.”