Senate Candidate Recognizes Work on Security at Port of Wilmington, N.C.

Republican U.S. Senate candidate for North Carolina, Richard Burr, joined by an old pal from a congressional intelligence committee, saw Thursday where a new fence and security cameras will be installed at the Port of Wilmington. Burr highlighted this as evidence of both his record and plans for tightening homeland security.

Burr and U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., visited the state's largest port, where tons of cargo move in and out every day in tractor-trailer-sized containers that often are not examined.

"Three years ago, port security was not something that was mentioned," Burr said, "other than to have somebody watching the gate."

The Sept. 11 attacks have exposed the vulnerabilities of the nation's ports, said Burr, now a congressman representing the Winston-Salem area. He serves on the House Intelligence Committee, as did Chambliss before his election to the Senate in 2002. While the federal government addressed airport security first, Burr said Congress has appropriated millions for hardening security at the ports, including $7 million for Wilmington and Morehead City. Wilmington is contracting for a perimeter fence, lighting and surveillance cameras.

Another planned step is to increase the scrutiny of ships and their cargo to ensure that the crew and goods on board are the ones that are supposed to be there.

Port security is not what it should be, Burr said.

"Is there a plan to get there?" he asked rhetorically, "Yes."

Both Burr and his Democratic opponent, Erskine Bowles have traded charges that the other has helped weaken homeland security. Bowles emphasized votes by Burr, such as opposing two anti-terrorism bills in the 1990s, and Burr pointed to military projects that were cut when Bowles was chief of staff to President Clinton.