NYT/Reuters: Democrats Want More Cargo Inspection Abroad

[DeepModem Mom]

Democrats Want More Cargo Inspection Abroad
By REUTERS
Published: April 25, 2006

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats in Congress took the offensive on port security on Tuesday by urging that a bill require all U.S.-bound cargo containers to be inspected for items such as dirty bombs.

Seizing on anxieties raised by the recent Dubai ports deal, Rep. Edward Markey of Massachusetts and other Democrats said Republicans should accept his plan to show they are genuinely concerned about port security.

The shipping industry rejects the idea of insisting on full inspections of all containers before they are loaded at foreign ports as unworkable.

Markey said he would try to get the House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee to approve his amendment when it votes on a $2.4 billion bill to enhance port security on Wednesday. His proposal has already been rejected by a House subcommittee.

"If the Republicans are serious about Dubai, then they must be serious about ensuring that every single ship, every single container is inspected around the world,'' Markey told reporters on Capitol Hill....

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/washington/politics-security-congress-ports.html

[Ian David]

1. I have a simple way to make sure we inspect 100% of incoming freight...

I got the idea when I went through the airport last week.

We're inspecting 100% of the shoes entering the country, but only 5% of the freight containers.

My simple solution is to re-design the freight containers so they're all shaped like giant shoes:

[JuniperLea]

3. Hahahahaha! Good one! n/t

[DeepModem Mom]

4. LOL!

[rodeodance]

5. Glad to see the Dems are putting forth this amendment. They are doing

something positive (not just complaining like so many RW people claim).

[JuniperLea]

2. They need inspected before they reach our ports and after

China inspects every single container. We should too.