Posted on 03/01/2006 9:17:22 AM PST by MNJohnnie
February 28th, 2006 - Washington, D.C.— - COLEMAN TO INTRODUCE BILL TO BALANCE NATIONAL SECURITY AND ECONOMIC INTERESTS RAISED IN PORTS CONTROVERSY
Citing recent concerns over the security of U.S. ports, Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman today announced that he will introduce legislation to require U.S. operation of foreign-owned investments impacting national security and critical infrastructure such as American port terminals. The Foreign Investment Transparency and Security Act (FITSA) of 2006 will prohibit foreign government controlled entities from managing a national security related facility or investment. However, the bill will permit foreign governments to own and invest in such facilities provided that the foreign government establishes a U.S. general business corporation.
Much like the concept of a blind trust, the foreign government can own and benefit economically from its investment, but cannot control or manage day-to-day operations in the U.S. Mandating that foreign governments incorporate U.S. based operations prior to acquiring critical national security assets will ensure transparency. Furthermore these companies will fall under U.S. laws, liabilities, and be subject to court reporting and taxation. Additionally, oversight will be conducted by a board fully comprised of U.S. citizens.
“In a post 9-11 world, seaports are like airports—they are critical gateways to our country and security must be principal concern,” said Coleman. “At the same time, foreign investment is a fact of life. We cannot ignore the fact that American national security is inexorably linked to economic security. While we cannot sacrifice national security for purely commercial interests, we cannot erect barriers that will stymie these vital investments. To be clear, preserving foreign investment is a national security interest.”
Coleman continued: “To balance these two principles – encouraging investment by foreign governments and national security – I plan to introduce legislation that will permit foreign governments to continue to invest in our country, yet when sensitive national security interests are at stake, the foreign government would be required to relinquish day-to-day operations and management of the company.”
Coleman's new bill follows legislation introduced Monday by Senators Coleman and Schumer blocking the sale of ports to Dubai Ports World until an additional 45-day review has been undertaken and Congress has been given the right to fully exercise its appropriate oversight authority. The Schumer-Coleman bill, the Foreign Investment Security Improvement Act of 2006, ensures that Congress is provided with the requisite information to make an informed decision regarding the national security implications of this single transaction. Coleman says he's introducing the Foreign Investment Transparency and Security Act (FITSA) because of the need for legislation addressing future port transactions.
“The issue of port security and America’s safety is not about Dubai—an ally in the global War on Terror,” Coleman said. “This issue is about protecting U.S. interests that affect our national security. This legislation would restrict all foreign government-owned companies from management of U.S. ports. We have to recognize that there is a much larger issue at stake, and we need to set a precedent in how we are going to conduct these types of transactions in the future. Preventing a terrorist attack by way of a cargo container continues to be a top priority; yet achieving this goal does not have to come at the cost of our economic prosperity. My bill is a plan to help our country strike an important balance between these two issues which will greatly affect the direction of our country’s future.”
As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) , Coleman has inspected ports in Los Angeles, California, Mexico, and Hong Kong, the largest port in the world as part of the Subcommittee’s investigation into container security. In May of 2005, Coleman held a hearing entitled, “The Container Security Initiative and Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism: Securing the Global Supply Chain or Trojan Horse” to investigate how the interdependent global supply chain maintains effective cargo security throughout the entire chain at the same time it maintain effective trade worldwide.
This week, Coleman also announced that PSI will hold additional hearings March 28th and 30th hearings to address supply chain security and the U.S. Government efforts to prevent terrorists from smuggling a radiological or nuclear weapon into the United States. At these hearings, Coleman will unveil a Subcommittee report on supply chain security as well as two GAO reports commissioned by the Chairman on the domestic effort to deploy radiation equipment by the Department of Homeland Security and the international effort to deploy equipment led by the Department of Energy.
I think that Congress needs to put themselves on a 90 day time out, regaring legislation on this deal...
They are acting out of emotions right now..not reasoned, well thought out plans....and I am afraid that if our country becomes a land of laws born of "knee-jerkitis"...we may wake up someday and not recognize it anymore...
AND, any bill with Schumer as a co-sponsor is suspect, IMHO>
Feel good legislation.
I'm all for such legislation. Would help balance the scales. We allow such free investment in the US, while other countries impose massive restriction on foriegn investments. We're effectively shooting ourselves in the foot.
Let's wait and see what the Dubai yes men have to say.
With all due respect to your Senator, whom I think is a good and honest senator, I disagree with him. This still looks like racism, since we've had foreigners operating our ports now and in the past, and now we're asking that this stop because the foreigners are Arabs.
The bill is probably good for feelgood purposes so long as it does not prohibit this deal.
You mean the people who actually researched the issue and discovered the facts of the matter rather then indulge in the usual knee jerk freaking out wholly based on the Lies in a Democrat Senate Election Committee PR stunt organized by Chucky Schumer people?
I smell a sudden vacuum developing at our ports and a huge increase in taxes, as the Congress smells money to be made.
Meanwhile there will be a slight delay in getting that item you ordered. The container smelled of some unknown substance and is being held in an American controlled lead cave until further notice.
Totally unnecessary. Gratuitous. I'm surprised to see Coleman getting into this game.
Whoa! That took a whole 3 minutes. You need to lower that critical response time or Sheik Yerbouti might become irate.
I recommend you get more fiber in your diet.
"Gentleman, we have to do something to protect our phoney-baloney jobs."
I generally favor as free trade as is possible/practical, but the ports are part of our borders. It doesn't seem sensible to me to have foreign companies operating there.
That said, I recognize that almost none of this is about security; it's about politics.
Oh for Heavens sake! No one posting is grasping the real issue. This is the problem:
Every day on every news channel we see hords of Islamofascists from about every place they exist in the world but mostly in the middle east rioting over imgained slights, threatening, killing, and in general showing all the compassion and sensitivity of a Nazi SS batallian marching through a jewish ghetto. We see the leadership of some of the nuttier (or perhaps more truthful) nations demand or speaking of the absolute destruction of a civilized country and the murder of all the jews and infidels they can get their hands on.
This has gone on for decades. Now we have a proposal to sell an important portion of US security to a country from the region, a supposed ally but an ally that still boycotts Israel and was in some ways complicit in 911, a former taliban supporter.
No amount of logical discussion or excuses is sufficient to overcome the visceral reaction of the vast majority of the American public to the scheme.
The UAE may be perfectly capable and reliable in doing this mission but no one is going to overcome the pubilcs disgust at the idea.
If it goes through it will be seen as a giant blunder by 2/3 of the country. Even the democrats, who could care less about anything that does not involve their retaking power, are smart enough to pander to the public reaction.
The Arab world are allies of convenience, not conviction. They do not desire anything approaching western liberalism and freedom. They desire to maintain power, keep the local Islamofascist street under control, and to keep the bombers out. US interests are of no real interest to them.
Pretending there is an equivalence between a british company running port security and an arab one simply does not pass the straight face test with the public, all squeals of racism or xenophobia aside.
The public simply knows better. They hate the idea. it will take decades of civilized behavior on the part of the arab world to reverse this reaction.
Oh Sorry. Did not know there was a time clock running on us. My apologies for jumping the gun. I'll try harder to contain myself next time:-)
Chuck Schumer lives about two miles from a shipping terminal in Red Hook Brooklyn where the National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia runs a RORO operation
map here
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&saddr=grand+army+plaza+brooklyn,+ny&daddr=70+Hamilton+Avenue++brooklyn+ny&ll=40.682135,-73.988113&spn=0.063657,0.10128&t=h
2 miles from Chuck Schumers home in Park Slope
More info on the SAUDIS running US terminals
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1584235/posts
The National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia
http://www.nscsaamerica.com/
The National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (NSCSA) was established in 1979 to meet the transportation needs of Importers and Exporters in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East.
By 1983, NSCSA has established itself as a combination Roll-on/Roll-off (Ro-Ro), Container and Breakbulk carrier, operating 8 fully owned vessels. It had become one of the world's largest Ro-Ro operators, offering liner services linking the Middle East with North America, the Far East and Europe.
In 1991, NSCSA (America) Inc., was established to serve as the General Agent in North America for the Liner Service between U.S., Canada and the Middle East/India Subcontinent/East Mediterranean regions.
NSCSA specializes in Project, Heavy Lift and Ro-Ro cargoes, as well as containers.
In 1997, NSCSA began service between North America and Italy, Greece and Turkey.
U.S. Marine Terminals
Baltimore, MD
Houston, TX
New Orleans, LA
New Jersey/New York
Newport News, VA
Norfolk, VA
Savannah, GA
Wilmington, NC
http://www.nscsaamerica.com/marine_term.htm
Breakbulk/RoRo
Red Hook Marine Terminal
70 Hamilton Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11231
TEL: 718-875-0777
FAX: 718-643-7201
Serious question...If everyone conservative and not are against this at pretty large numbers (I could go one way or the other...after the first few days I was like whatever) why don't they just get another country or company. I think Singapore would do awesome and I have visited there and it is very high tech and the people are great. If I were the President, that is what I would do. Lease it to Singapore and all this nonsence would go away for good. Sometimes as much as I love the President, he does not think.
"I didn't get a Harumph out of you!"
That seems to be the 'main' reason so many conservatives are against the deal, now that they have learned that the MSM, Reid, Schumer, Kennedy and the Hill Monster are LYING when they say DUBAI PORTS WORLD will OWN the ports and take over their SECURITY!!
They HAVE been telling you the facts which the politically bigoted children in the Whine All the Time Choir, with their usual rabid political bigotry JUST tuned out.
It is another example of just how without ANY intellectual credibility the Port Deal Critics are acting. They continually REFUSE to listen to anything that does NOT feed their paranoid, ignorant political bigotry. These Port Deal Bigots REALLY are stuck on stupid.
"You watch your a$$." :)
And given the treasonous activity of the Trait-or-cRATS, I would be more apt to trust the UAE than anything the RAT party supports, especially the likes of pukie Chuckie.
Singapore did NOT bid on the Company. Dubai Ports bought the company that hold 9, out of 300, leases. It call CAPITALISM. The US Govt cannot force P&O to sell itself to Singapore. Honest to God would people actually start finding out the facts? The level of ignorance here is this far into the story is inexcusable.
This takes about ten minutes, and a phone call to a lawyer to draw up the papers.
Just feel good nonsense and more needless regulation that does nothing for security.
kudos to your points...the approach with some that diagree is to label us who have looked into this as "yes" men.
NO WE DO NOT. These claims are LIES. We are NOT selling important portion of US Security". Local Govt Port Authorities run the Port. Local, State and Federal Agencies run Port Security. The company that leases 9 TERMNALS out of 300, in 6 ports is being bought by another company. There is NO US National Security issue here. That is a Democrat PR LIE that has been nuked for 10 days. It is NONSENSE. Would people actually GET the facts. This level of ignorance this far into the story is inexcusable.
Sure, cancel all current contracts. Shut down all those terminals and lay off all those Longshoremen. I wonder which terminals Columbian coffee comes through? Then again I don't drink coffee so I won't miss Star Buck's.
LOL.........I bet Schumer would LOVE that!
I'd also like to know why he favors amnesty for illegals
www.numbersusa.com/interests/amnesty.html
They have nothing to do with the security of the ports - they are basically warehouse operators.
While many can be upset about the illegal immigration issues, it's pure insanity to think the Prez will sell us down the road by giving Arabs the responsibility for our security. This is another ploy by the Dims and the MSM to screw with real National Security issues. I'll bet that Bush made some deal that would prove to be very beneficial to our security interests, but he is now being put into a corner by those that care more about power than they do about the country. If he explains all, the deal becomes next to worthless because details become mpublic knowledge; if he doesn't explain, the Dims and MSM have a field day with him with the help of a lot of unwitting dupes that buy into the "security" thing. Either way, the Dims, MSM, and terrorists win and we all lose.
This is a bill that authorizes exactly what DPW has offered to do. I personally do not have a problem with it, if it is as it appears.
LLS
And just what race are most Arabs classified under? Last time I looked it was CAUCASIAN.
Legislation is a very bad idea, especially reactionary legislation put together inside of five minutes.
I like Norm Coleman, but I'd love to hear him explain his rationale to the British.
Well I apoligise to them too. I have been know to call the Port Deal critics names too :-)
"Let's wait and see what the Dubai yes men have to say."
Better yet, let's wait until a catastrophe occurs before we get serious about tightening the ports. Then everyone can race to pass a law.
I know you will keep in mind that 9/11 was accomplished using American companies, (from schools to auto rentals) aircraft, and airports.
I'm afraid most detractors of the UAE deal are either unaware of this, or choose to ignore it.
Clever way of communicating an otherwise nasty retort.
Then UR a better man than I am. Thanks for your posts.
Dude? It can't happen here! Haven't you read all the serious posters who assert that thay have done the research and we are as safe as babes in our mothers' arms?
LMAO!!! Smooth dude, smooth.
The cage tag team match for control of the GOP has started featuring the neo-con 'bombing is our salvation' team versus the 'free-trade is our salvation' team. Third man in the ring is Jerry Falwell who will pick the best way to our salvation.
I say Coleman-Rice 2008.
Yep. Just like buying an airline ticket and paying for some flight lessons are just simple commercial transactions.
Dawg
I've been listening to calls from our soldiers based in Dubai and they LOVE and support the Arabs they are working with there.
But I suppose somebody (not you, Johnnie) who we don't even know on the internet is supposed to be given more credibility than our military who work with these Arabs every day. /sarcasm
I agree that this appears to be a large improvement over our current conditions. Foreign government entities should not be in a control position over any aspect of our ports -- particularly when we (following Bush's lead) are actively waging a War On Terror.
A brief reading of the above proposed legislation lets governmental entities INVEST but not CONTROL.
Unless these governmental entities are bringing in massive amounts of low-cost foreign labor (sneaking in the backdoor), how could they provide better management than American entities?
If the use of governmental agencies is a method to avoid outlandish American union rates, tactics and restrictions, then we need to address that issue internally by allowing, if not encouraging non-union ports.
The only confusing thing is that he says the ports are like airports, but his bill doesn't seem to do anything about government-owned airlines running terminals at airports?
On the other hand, if it DID I don't know how all of our allies would react to having to divest themselves of control over their airline industries.
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