First Step Taken on Port Security

Brown Supports Progress, Calls for More Action to Protect Homeland

AMHERST--Congressman Sherrod Brown (D-Lorain County) today expressed his support for the port security legislation passed by Congress, and called for further efforts to protect Ohioans from the threat of terrorist attacks.

"Today, we took an important, bipartisan step forward on the life-and-death issue of port security," Brown said. "I am glad that, more than four years after 9/11, Republican leaders in Congress have joined Democrats in taking action to protect our ports. However, we must do much more to keep America safe."

Although Brown and other Congressional Democrats have worked since 9/11 to strengthen port security, Republican leaders in Congress were slow to act until the Dubai Ports World scandal raised public awareness about serious vulnerabilities at America's ports. Brown, who opposed the Dubai deal, introduced legislation in February calling for national security reviews of all future U.S. trade deals.

05/04/2006 / Permalink / Dubai, Homeland Security, (all tags)

Sherrod Brown seeks port-security solution

From Columbus Dispatch:

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Tuesday, March 07, 2006

I am extremely pleased to see that Congress has, for once, put aside its partisan bickering to try to solve an issue as important as our national security. I was proud to find that a fellow Ohioan, Rep. Sherrod Brown, D-Avon, is one of the congressmen proposing legislation to try to make this country as safe as possible.

I agree with Brown that there needs to be congressional oversight to ensure that our ports are as safe as can be. Moreover, Brown should be commended for proposing legislation, whether you agree with him or not, as honest discourse can only generate positive results.

Brown is trying to come up with the best possible solution to keep us all safe, which is more than I can say for Sen. Mike DeWine on this topic, as he has said nothing.

SEAN PHILLIPPI

Westerville

03/07/2006 / Permalink / Dubai, Sherrod Brown, (all tags)

Dubai Deal is Bad News for Ohio

Sherrod chats with Hamilton Co. Chair Tim Burke before news conference

Lima news conference

News conference on port and trade security

Sherrod calls for a halt to trade deals that endanger national security

Sherrod made two stops this weekend in Lima and Cincinnati to highlight his opposition to the controversial Dubai port deal and promote new legislation to prevent future trade deals from compromising national security.

Local media including ABC affiliate WCPO and The Cincinnati Enquirer covered the Saturday event in Cincinnati, a key transportation hub on the Ohio River.  From The Enquirer:

"It's clear to almost everyone I know, including members of both parties of Congress, this $6.8 billion deal should be killed," said Brown, D-Lorain, during a press conference near Purple People Bridge.

Brown said the small Arab country had "strategic and financial ties" to Sept. 11 and had connections to al-Qaida, making it potentially dangerous for America.

"This job doesn't make sense for our security," said Brown, a likely challenger to U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine this fall.

Brown also touted legislation he said would require a security review of any country with which the U.S. enters into trade negations.

"That means any trade agreement any deal we do with another country would have to have a national security component to the trade deal," he said.

A crowd of local supporters gathered in Lima for a similar event on Sunday.  NBC affiliate WLIO and The Lima News reported on Sherrod's visit.  From The Lima News:

As traffic whizzed by on Market Street, U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown held a brief press conference Sunday in the parking lot of the Carpenter's Union Hall. Brown chose the location, just near the train tracks, to bring awareness to the public about a new agreement President Bush has pending with the United Arab Emirates.

"When you look at what's happening with bringing in cargo on our ports -- it's so often un-inspected and it comes in on rail road tracks like this," he said.

You can read more about Sherrod's efforts to secure Ohio's borders on the Plain Dealer's website, where he will be guest blogging all this week at the Open Mike.

Click here to read his first entry, "The UAE Has No Business Minding Our Ports."

03/07/2006 / Permalink / Dubai, Economy, Homeland Security, (all tags)

Coast Guard, Customs, Insist U.S. Ports Are Well-Protected

From Industry Week via AFP:

As a chorus of U.S. politicians loudly complains about an Arab state-owned firm taking over operations at several U.S. ports, citing security concerns, U.S. Coast Guard and Customs officials insisted here that the ports are well protected.

Former FBI director William Webster, speaking March 1 at an event hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank, stressed that DP World would "not touch the cargo. The cargo comes in sealed containers under the control of our security," he said.

...Opponents to the deal believe that DP World, despite the safeguards, will have access to crucial safety information. "Any company that runs the ports has all kinds of information about arrival of cargo," said Representative Sherrod Brown, a Democrat from Ohio.

Click here to read the full article.

03/03/2006 / Permalink / Dubai, Homeland Security, (all tags)

Sherrod Talks to Lou Dobbs About UAE Port Deal

Sherrod was on Lou Dobbs tonight to talk about the UAE port deal and the link between trade and national security.

02/24/2006 / Permalink / Dubai, Economy, Homeland Security, Multimedia, Video, (all tags)