House Committee Votes to Block Port Deal

[ProSense]

House Committee Votes to Block Port Deal

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: March 8, 2006
Filed at 6:16 p.m. ET

G.O.P. Leaders Vowing to Block Ports Agreement (March 8, 2006) WASHINGTON (AP) -- In an election-year repudiation of President Bush, a House panel dominated by Republicans voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to block a Dubai-owned firm from taking control of some U.S port operations.

By 62-2, the Appropriations Committee voted to bar DP World, run by the government of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, from holding leases or contracts at U.S. ports. Bush has promised to veto any such measure passed by Congress, but there is widespread public opposition to the deal and the GOP fears losing its advantage on the issue of national security in this fall's elections.

As the panel acted, Democrats on the other side of the Capitol were clamoring for a vote on the same issue in the GOP-led Senate.

Snip...

By its vote, the House committee attached the ports language to a must-pass $91 billion measure financing hurricane recovery and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The full House could consider that measure as early as next week.

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/08/politics/08wire-port.htm

[brokensymmetry]

1. Well, well!

Der Chimpenfuhrer seems to have suffered a setback!

I wonder what he'll throw around this time?

[rusty charly]

2. ding! dong!

the deal is dead. (which old deal?) the arab deal!

[cal04]

3. now on Yahoo

By 62-2, the Appropriations Committee voted to bar DP World, run by the government of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, from holding leases or contracts at U.S. ports. Bush has promised to veto any such measure passed by Congress, but there is widespread public opposition to the deal and the GOP fears losing its advantage on the issue of national security in this fall's elections.

"This is a national security issue," said Rep. Jerry Lewis (news, bio, voting record), the chairman of the panel. The California Republican said the legislation would "keep America's ports in American hands."

As the committee acted, Democrats on the other side of the Capitol were clamoring for a vote on the same issue in the GOP-led Senate.

"We believe an overwhelming majority will vote to end the deal," said Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer (news, bio, voting record) of New York, whose attempt to force the issue to the floor brought the Senate to a late-afternoon standstill.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/ports_security

[tridim]

4. As predicted by many of us

The Repukes are claiming a party victory. The congressman on CNN just said "The Republicans killed it because we're the party that's tough on security". Dobbs did a good job pointing out that the Dems are against the deal too.

[murray hill farm]

5. so this is why bush is in NO...

blaming congress for not passing the bill to give money to southern hurricane sticken states...it has been attached to the ports bill?