Port authorities ask Congress to reverse proposed security cuts

Port officials called on Congress Tuesday to resist President' Bush's proposal to require ports to compete for security grants with other transit systems.

In the president's budget, a grant program to help ports guard against terrorist attacks was eliminated, and funding was rolled into a competitive grant program for all transit systems -- excluding aviation.

"It would pit border security needs against domestic security," said Kurt Nagle, president and chief executive officer of the American Association of Port Authorities. Nagle said Congress should maintain the separate grant program and appropriate $400 million a year through 2012 to port authorities.

The president's budget proposed $600 million next year for the "targeted infrastructure" grants for security for railroads, mass transportation, bridges, nuclear plants, seaports and other critical infrastructure. Nagle said that amount is about $200 million less than the grant programs received last year as separate line items.

AAPA said port authorities need more money because of laws and regulations implemented since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Since 2001, ports have received $765 million, despite calculations by the Coast Guard that ports would have to spend $5.4 billion over 10 years on mandated security enhancements.

The group also requested that lawmakers increase Bush's budget for the Army Corps of Engineers, which dredges harbors and waterways. Nagle said 30 percent of calls on U.S. ports are constrained by shallow harbors.

Bush requested $4.5 billion for the Corps and about $875 million for maintenance and construction. AAPA said $5.5 billion and $1.25 billion are needed, respectively, to sustain the country's economic advantage. The group said it has "ongoing discussions" with Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairwoman Collins and other lawmakers about funding.