Congressional members from both sides of the isle are up in arms about the proposed takeover of 6 US ports by Dubai Ports World, a state-owned company in the United Arab Emirates.
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said the government typically builds in "certain conditions or requirements that the company has to agree to make sure we address the national security concerns." But Chertoff refused to discuss any further details, saying the information is classified.
In response many congressional members and other officials have started to disagree with the Bush Administration, who has already approved the sale.
"It is ridiculous to say you're taking secret steps to make sure that it's OK for a nation that had ties to 9/11, [to] take over part of our port operations in many of our largest ports. This has to stop." - Sen. Barbara Boxer
"It's unbelievably tone deaf politically at this point in our history." - Sen. Lindsay Graham
"It's outrageous and irresponsible to turn over a port to any foreign government" - Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley
On top of the many critical voices from the governments' elected officials, a lawsuit has been filed by Continental Stevedoring & Terminals Inc, a subsidiary of Eller & Company Inc, part owner in the Miami port.
According to Fox News, Sen. Robert Menendez and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton are sponsoring legislation which "would prohibit companies owned or controlled by foreign governments from running port operation in the United States."
The six ports affected by this sale are the ports in New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia
UPDATE - According to CNN.com, "The Bush administration should disclose more about a deal that would give a United Arab Emirates-based company management of six major U.S. seaports, former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said Monday."
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