Political Quotes

“this evening I rise to discuss one of the most serious issues as America prepares to defend itself against terrorism, and that is the vulnerability which is represented by our 361 seaports and the thousands of cargo containers which each day flow through those seaports to all America. On December 20, 2001, over 5 months ago, the Senate unanimously passed a comprehensive seaport security bill. This came after a 2-year effort by Senators Hollings and McCain and myself. Despite the new security threats that served as the catalyst for passage of this bill last December, I am concerned that as of this evening the House has yet to pass companion legislation. While we await House of Representatives action, there have been published reports that 25 Islamic extremists, since March, have stowed away in cargo containers and entered this country. Those entries were gained in, as reported, four U.S. ports: Long Beach, CA, Savannah, GA, and Miami and Fort Lauderdale, FL. These extremists, in some instances, disguised themselves as stevedores and disembarked into the communities on which those ships had called. I consider these reports to be credible. I see this as one of the most recent and disturbing examples of the vulnerabilities that exist at our Nation's seaports.”