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October 28, 2017

LA Daily News: LA, Long Beach port security concerns prompt congressional hearing

Security concerns at the nation’s ports, heightened by a security breach and a cyberattack this year at the Port of Los Angeles, will be the focus of a hearing by a congressional committee Monday in San Pedro.

Members of the House Committee on Homeland Security will take testimony from officials of the L.A. and Long Beach ports, the Trump administration and longshore union starting at 1 p.m. at the Port of L.A. Harbor Administration Building. No public comment is scheduled.

The panel, which is chaired by Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, and includes California Reps. Nanette Barragan, D-Carson, and Lou Correa, D-Santa Ana, is holding the rare on-site hearing to examine what the U.S. government and the maritime industry are doing to keep ports safe.

The committee says U.S. seaports account for 26 percent of the nation’s economic activity, raising fears that an attack could both endanger the public and disrupt the economy.

“This is an exciting opportunity to host my colleagues from both sides of the aisle,” Barragan said, “so they can see first-hand the successes and challenges of securing the nation’s busiest container port.

“The cargo that goes through the Port of L.A. touches every congressional district. $272 billion worth of commerce flows through the (L.A.) port each year. The entire national economy relies on it being safe and secure. That’s why this field hearing is so important.” READ MORE