I 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4977 
To place a 2-year moratorium on certain contracts to conduct port operations 
in the United States, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 16, 2006 
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas (for herself, Mr. HALL, Mr. REYES, Mr. CROW-
LEY, Mr. CUELLAR, Mr. BACA, and Mr. ORTIZ) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infra-
structure, and in addition to the Committees on International Relations 
and Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently determined by 
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall with-
in the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To place a 2-year moratorium on certain contracts to conduct 
port operations in the United States, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Save America’s Ports 
Act of 2006’’. 
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SEC. 2. MORATORIUM ON CERTAIN CONTRACTS TO CON-
DUCT PORT OPERATIONS IN THE UNITED 
STATES. 
(a) MORATORIUM.—During the 2-year period begin-
ning on the date of the enactment of this Act, no contract 
providing for the operation of any seaport or other point 
of entry into the United States may be entered into, modi-
fied, altered, or transferred, if a party to the contract is 
or would be— 
(1) a government which the Secretary of State 
has determined, for purposes of section 6(j) of the 
Export Administration Act of 1979, section 620A of 
the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, section 40 of 
the Arms Export Control Act, or other provision of 
law, is a government that has repeatedly provided 
support for acts of international terrorism; 
(2) a foreign terrorist organization designated 
under section 219 of the Immigration and Nation-
ality Act; 
(3) any foreign person determined, pursuant to 
Executive Order 13224, to have committed, or to 
pose a significant risk of committing, acts of ter-
rorism; or 
(4) any other entity that is owned or controlled 
by a government described in paragraph (1), an or-
ganization described in paragraph (2), or persons 
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described in paragraph (3), or any combination 
thereof. 
(b) CLARIFICATION.—For purposes of this section, 
the operation of a seaport or port of entry includes— 
(1) operations at such seaport or point of entry 
relating to— 
(A) the import or export of cargo, or the 
movement of cargo in connection with such im-
port or export; or 
(B) the arrival or departure of passengers 
traveling by vessel or aircraft; and 
(2) the operation, at such seaport or port of 
entry, of any enterprise selling concessions or other 
items. 
SEC. 3. STUDY AND REPORT BY COMPTROLLER GENERAL. 
(a) STUDY.—The Comptroller General shall conduct 
a study on the following: 
(1) The extent to which security operations at 
United States seaports are managed by nationals of 
foreign countries, including— 
(A) an identification of the foreign coun-
tries involved; 
(B) the general responsibilities and au-
thorities that the contracts accord to the for-
eign nationals; and 
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(C) the extent to which the contracts make 
it possible for the foreign nationals to engage in 
activities that could impact on the security of 
the ports. 
(2) Any incident in which foreign nationals de-
scribed in paragraph (1) have been charged with, or 
convicted of, criminal conduct involving security op-
erations at United States seaports. 
(3) A review of United States contracts to man-
age or supply United States seaports, taking effect 
after December 31, 2001, with respect to the vulner-
ability of such seaports to threats to the national se-
curity of the United States, including an examina-
tion of— 
(A) the number of such contracts awarded, 
including the bid the number of international 
parties represented in the contracts; 
(B) the extent of oversight before the con-
tract was awarded and during the length of the 
contract; and 
(C) the relationship, if any, between the se-
curity breaches at the United States seaports 
and the ownership or management of the sea-
ports. 
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(4) A review of the vulnerability of the ten larg-
est United States seaports to threats to the home-
land security of the United States, including threats 
involving enemy infiltration, cargo shipping, and 
passenger safety, among others. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than July 30, 2006, the 
Comptroller General shall submit to the Committee on 
Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs of the Senate a report on the results of the study 
required by subsection (a). 
SEC. 4. STUDY AND REPORT BY SECRETARY OF HOMELAND 
SECURITY. 
(a) STUDY.—The Secretary of Homeland Security 
shall conduct a study on the status of security operations 
at the ten largest United States seaports. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than July 30, 2006, the Sec-
retary of Homeland Security shall submit to the Com-
mittee on Homeland Security of the House of Representa-
tives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Gov-
ernmental Affairs of the Senate a report on the results 
of the study required by subsection (a). 
Æ 
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