SECURE AMERICA’S PORTS NOW
Just a reminder that the House Homeland Security Committee is holding a markup tomorrow on the Ports Security Bill. U.S. Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) is offering an amendment to require 100 percent container inspection and tamper proof seals. Only 1 in 20 containers are inspected today and there are no standards - none - on the use of container seals.Today, a number of leading House and Senate members held a press conference blasting President Bush and his allies in Congress for failing to secure America's ports and calling for 100 percent container inspection and increased funding for port security. U.S. Sens. Hilary Clinton (D-NY), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and U.S. Reps. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) participated in the event. Markey announced that he would offer his amendment in committee tomorrow while Menendez announced that he would pursue port security measures on the supplemental spending bill on the floor this week.
As you may know, Americans United is up with an ad [To Download and Play the Port TV Ad click here> Watch in Media Player (1.3MB)] taking President Bush to task for doing next to nothing since 9/11 to secure America's ports from terrorist attacks. In addition to the ad, Americans United is running an active phone, email and grassroots campaign in nine districts of Homeland Security members calling on them to support the Markey amendment tomorrow. Specifically we are targeting U.S. Reps. Curt Weldon and Charlie Dent (PA), Tom Davis (VA), Chris Shays and Rob, Simmons (CT), Bobby Jindal (LA), David Reichert (WA), Jim Gibbons (NV), and Katherine Harris (FL). To learn more about this effort click here: Learn more. Below is a recent release and story on our effort. If you desire a DVD or BETA of the ad - please let us know ASAP.
Americans United Launches Ad Taking Bush to Task on Security
Calls on Bush, Congress to Require 100 Percent Inspection of Maritime Containers
Below is an AP story in today's Seattle Post Intelligencer about a new television and field campaign Americans United has launched taking President Bush and his allies in Congress to task for failing to secure America's ports and calling on the President and Congress to require 100 percent inspection of incoming maritime containers. AU has also launched a field campaign to pass an amendment to the port security bill being taken up by House Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday, offered by U.S. Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), which would require 100 percent container inspection. We are targeting nine members of the House Homeland Security Committee calling on them to support the amendment and we are running field, phone, and email grassroots campaigns to get their vote on Wednesday. Specifically we are targeting U.S. Reps. Curt Weldon and Charlie Dent (PA), Tom Davis (VA), Chris Shays and Rob, Simmons (CT), Bobby Jindal (LA), David Reichert (WA), Jim Gibbons (NV), and Katherine Harris (FL). To learn more about this effort click here: Learn more. To Download and Play the Port TV Ad click here> Watch in Media Player (1.3MB).
Associated Press, April 21, 2006
Democrats believe they can turn a Republican political strength - homeland security - into a vulnerability.
They are testing that theory with a television ad that accuses the Bush administration and the president's GOP supporters of disregarding port security.
Americans United, a group with close ties to congressional Democrats, is spending at least $500,000 to run the ad, starting Thursday, on cable news channels and during NBC's "Meet the Press," which airs Sundays.
The 30-second ad shows a longshoreman involved in port security in Long Beach, Calif., talking about the thousands of containers that move through U.S. ports each day.
"After 9-11, I thought President Bush and his backers would get serious about security. But four years later, terrorists can still put a dirty bomb in one of those," the longshoreman says.
Democrats have been emboldened to challenge the GOP on homeland security after a controversy over a Dubai-owned company's attempted takeover of major operations at some major U.S. ports. The company backed out of the deal after lawmakers from both parties protested.