Statement of U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein
on Increasing Security at our Nation's Ports
December 18, 2002

"There is no question in my mind that we need to do more to protect our ports, and I introduced comprehensive legislation in the last Congress that would have done just that. Unfortunately, Congress passed other seaport security legislation at the end of the 107th Congress that was did not adequately address the issue. That is why I will reintroduce my legislation early in the next congress.

This legislation would take a comprehensive approach to Port Security, focusing our limited resources on where they are needed most. Specifically, the bill I plan to introduce would:
  • Create a Container Profiling Plan that would focus our nation's limited inspection resources on high-risk cargo.
  • Push the border out-requiring Customs to come up with a plan to inspect containers overseas, before they arrive in the U.S. Once a weapon of mass destruction in a container reaches the U.S., it is too late.


  • Restrict access at our ports, by limiting private vehicle access to ports and requiring biometric ID cards for all port employees.


  • Require shippers to provide more accurate information to the U.S. Government at an earlier point in the inspection process. Only with accurate information can we begin to address the many threats facing our ports.

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The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach together form the third busiest port in the world, handling nearly 40 percent of all waterborned container cargo that comes into the U.S. In 2001, these port handled more than 9.5 million cargo containers. In 2010, this amount is estimated to increase 17 million containers and by 2020 to 36 million containers.

Given the vast amount of goods which come into our country every day via the ports, I think it is critical that the ports step up to the plate. I will work on the federal level to pass a stronger port security bill, and I urge California's ports to work in tandem to address this issue up and down the State.

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