Congress OKs Major Ports Security Bill

Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., left, and Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, right, speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2006, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) (Manuel Balce Ceneta - AP)

With an eye to the election, Congress has concentrated on security-related issues in the past two weeks, considered measures on military tribunals, President Bush's wiretapping program, spending for defense and homeland security and a bill to build a 700-mile fence along the Mexican border.

Democrats, in a letter to House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Peter King, R-N.Y., who headed House-Senate negotiations on the bill, complained they were denied the right to offer amendments to restore rail security language contained in the original Senate bill.

Congress made port security a priority after a fight in February over a buyout that put a Dubai company in control of some operations at six American ports. The outcry led the Dubai company, DP World, to promise it would sell the U.S. operations to an American company. The sale is pending.

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The bill is H.R. 4954

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