N.J. lawmakers tackle ports issues
Cherry Hill Courier Post
February 26, 2006
http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060226/NEWS01/602260393/1006New Jersey lawmakers will lobby and legislate next week to try to prevent a state-owned Middle Eastern company from operating some terminals in the Port of New Jersey and five other major U.S. ports.
Gov. Jon S. Corzine will lobby the governors of Florida, New York, Connecticut, Louisiana, Pennsylvania and Maryland during a national governors summit in Washington to try to get them to join New Jersey's federal lawsuit to block the Dubai Ports World deal unless the states have a chance to review the details.
On Monday, when the Senate returns from a weeklong recess, Robert Menendez, D-Hoboken, plans to file legislation that would block the deal and ban foreign state-owned companies from operating U.S. ports.
Lawmakers are pressing for hearings on how and why the Bush administration approved the deal involving the United Arab Emirates-owned firm. And they say they're prepared to override President Bush's threatened veto against any deal-blocking legislation Congress passes.