US Congress committee votes to block Dubai ports deal
A House of Representatives panel dominated by Republicans has voted overwhelmingly to block a Dubai-owned firm from taking control of some US port operations.
By a 62-2 vote yesterday, the House Appropriations Committee voted to bar DP World, run by the government of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, from holding leases or contracts at US ports.
The landslide vote was the strongest signal yet that more than three weeks of White House efforts to stunt congressional opposition to the deal have not been successful.
President George Bush has promised to veto any such measure passed by Congress. But there is widespread public opposition to the deal and the Republican Party fears losing its advantage on the issue of national security in this autumn’s elections.
The White House said the president’s position was unchanged.
“This is a national security issue,” said Republican Jerry Lewis, the chairman of the House panel, adding that the legislation would “keep America’s ports in American hands”.
As the committee acted, Democrats on the other side of the Capitol manoeuvred for a vote in the Republican-led Senate.
Republican leaders are trying to block a vote on the ports deal through a procedural vote that could occur as early as today. That tactic is likely to fail, which could prompt Republicans to pull a lobbying reform bill from the floor in order to avoid defeat on the ports measure.
“We believe an overwhelming majority will vote to end the deal,” said Democrat Charles Schumer of New York, whose attempt to force the issue to the floor brought the Senate to a late-afternoon standstill.
Republican Senate leaders hope to delay a showdown with Bush on the issue, but the House committee, led by members of Bush’s own party, showed a willingness to defy him on a security issue in an age of terrorism.
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said the administration was concerned that attempts to address the DP World deal could delay money needed for US troops and for hurricane victims on the Gulf Coast.
“We are committed to open and sincere lines of communication and are eager to work with Congress,” she said.
Congressional opponents of the deal hammered away at the security questions they said the ports deal raised.
“One of the most vulnerable situations facing America is our ports of entry,” said Republican Congressman Bill Young of Florida, chairman of the House defence appropriations subcommittee.
“Whoever’s responsible for those ports of entry should be American.”
Twice, anti-war protesters interrupted the committee meeting. They shouted: “This war is illegal”, “Stop funding this war” and “The blood is on your hands”.
The House and Senate developments underscored the extent to which the politically-charged issue has come to dominate the agenda in recent days, with Republicans and Democrats competing to demonstrate the strongest anti-terrorism credentials in the run-up to mid-term elections.
Both parties in Congress have been assailing the Bush administration for approving DP World’s purchase of Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation, a British company that holds leases at several US ports.
