HOUSE MOVES TO BLOCK DUBAI DEAL

The House Republicans today indicated that the Appropriations Committee will attach a provision to an appropriations bill that provides funding for the war and hurricane relief to stop the Dubai ports deal. The purpose to this provision is to attempt to overcome a promised Presidential veto. Though I understand the reasoning behind the provision and the concern by House members about the Dubai deal I disagree with their approach. The White House over the past few days has been backing down somewhat from the initial reaction which resulted in the President promising to veto any bill that stopped the ports deal after Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist stated that he would introduce legislation to that effect. The tide to end the ports deal has been continually rising as the majority of Americans have voiced their opposition to the deal as has this blog and writer which continues to be my position. Concerning the House approach attaching a provision to a very important and necessary appropriations bill, this is the very type of earmark problem that is currently being debated and legislation being established to end. There are other ways to stop the ports deal beside attaching the provision to a appropriation to force the Presidents hand. First I believe that Bush has backed away somewhat from his initial reaction and if legislation to stop the deal were to pass the House and Senate Bush would most likely not veto the bill using his first veto since taking office. Second using earmarks to stop the deal is as much an under handed way to achieve legislation as pork barrel attachments. Rather than using the earmark the House should design an emergency bill which would certainly pass and quickly send it to the Senate for sure passage there. The bill should stand alone and NOT be attached as is indicated by today's news. Another reason for a stand alone bill is the fact that attachments do not show who voted for the attachment as a stand alone bill does. With legislation as important as this each Representative and Senator should be on the record either for or against it. As an attachment the vote count is specifically for the bill that the attachment is riding on so there is no way of knowing whether the vote is for the main bill or the attachment. There are certain issues that demand that our elected officials make their position known and this is one of them. A stand alone bill stopping the ports deal would accomplish this so we the people will know how those that we vote for stand!

Ken Taylor