National security should not be compromised for any reason.  While I generally agree with opening our markets and playing an active role in the global economy, we cannot allow a United Arab Emirates (UAE) owned company to purchase port operations in six United States cities. 

I will strongly support any measure to halt this sale, and will work to prevent others like it from happening in the future.

Some have argued that the UAE has developed into an important partner in the international war on terrorism and we should be careful not to seem ungrateful.  But this raises larger questions about any foreign power controlling infrastructure so important to our national security.  Our borders, including our ports, should be operated and protected by American interests.

As a member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, I have advocated every year for a “Buy American” provision for the Department of Homeland Security.  Anytime Americans can provide services or products for Homeland Security, we should use American companies, American contractors, and American procurements.  However, while pushing for this, I have met a lot of resistance from people who say we should look to the whole global economy. 

Legislation is being introduced to put the decision to allow this sale on hold until Congress has an opportunity to review the national security implications.  This is a good start, but it is not enough.  We need to reform the mentality at the Department of Homeland Security that allowed this sale to happen in the first place.

In this instance, and whenever making a choice with national security implications, we must remember that there are people in other countries around the world that do not have our best interests at heart and we should not sacrifice our security in the name of the Almighty Dollar.