News Release
FOR RELEASE - February 12, 2007
Contact: Aaron Ellis, aellis@aapa-ports.org
703-684-5700
American Association of Port Authorities
Phone: (202) 792-4033
www.aapa-ports.org
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – (Feb. 12, 2007) – Stressing the crucial role America’s ports play in the nation’s economy and national defense, American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) Vice President of Government Relations Susan Monteverde will go before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security tomorrow afternoon to urge members to increase funding to $400 million a year for the only federal program that helps public ports pay for marine facility security enhancements.
“Constant under-funding of the Department of Homeland Security’s Port Security Grant program has left America’s public port authorities with the difficult choice of either delaying facility security improvements, paying the lopsided balance themselves, or shifting funds from other necessary improvement projects,” said Ms. Monteverde. “Although Congress approved and the President signed into law the SAFE Port Act of 2006, which authorized $400 million a year for port security grants, we have yet to see more than about half that amount actually appropriated. It’s time to put the highest national priority on safeguarding our ports by insisting the federal government live up to its commitment to help pay for those safeguards.”
| WHO: |
American Association of Port Authorities Vice President Susan Monteverde |
|
WHAT: |
Testifying to House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, urging $400 million/year in funding for DHS’s Port Security Grant program |
| WHEN: | Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2007, 2 p.m. |
| WHERE: |
2358 Rayburn Office Building, Washington, D.C. |
| WHY: |
To further harden facility security at America’s seaports |
| ADD’L: |
The full text of Ms. Monteverde’s testimony is available on-line at http://aapa.files.cms-plus.com/PDFs/dhsappr%5Ftestimony2%2D13%2D07.pdf. |
