House Republicans Fear Dubai Ports Deal

March 7, 2006 — -- House Republicans are trying their best to derail the controversial Dubai Ports World deal. The United Arab Emirates-owned company is seeking to acquire the operator of six major U.S. ports.

"I would like to see it go away," said House Majority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio.

Boehner is not alone when it comes to members of the House Republican leadership's unease with the ports deal. They realize that the deal is a big concern to voters.

"I've seen it in my district, I've seen every place I've been," Boehner said.

One of the first opportunities to either alter the proposed sale, or stop it completely, could come as soon as Wednesday, when the House Appropriations Committee will meet on a $92 billion emergency spending bill to fund the war in Afghanistan and Iraq and provide money for hurricane relief.

Committee Chairman Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., said he has also heard from his constituents, who have strong concerns about foreign-owned companies managing U.S. ports.

"I have been working with the Republican leadership to craft an amendment to address these concerns," Lewis said.

He said the said the amendment would lay the foundation to block the deal from going through, but would not mention a specific country. He gave no further details.

"We must make sure the security of our ports is in our hands," Lewis told reporters.

The supplemental appropriations bill is expected to be acted on by the full House next week.

Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, unveiled the details of a bill he has introduced that would block Dubai Ports World takeover.

Besides targeting that specific transaction, Hunter's bill would require any corporation that owns, manages or operates portions of the country's critical national defense framework to be majority-owned by U.S. citizens.

"To those who say this is protectionism, I say America is worth protecting," Hunter said.

His bill would also mandate a 100 percent inspection of all cargo entering the country through either land or seaports within six months of the bill becoming law.