Chairman McCaul Statement at Port of Houston Authority

Media Contact: Mike Rosen, Charlotte Sellmyer (202) 226-8417

Jan 30, 2013 Issues: Maritime Security

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) released the following statement after meeting with the Port of Houston Authority, which moves 25% of U.S. oil imports and accounts for 31% of America's crude oil refining capacity. Photos from today’s meeting can be found here.
Chairman McCaul: “The collaboration between the public and private sector and law enforcement at all levels is one of the most impressive in the nation. It wasn't too long ago in Abbottabad they found documents from Bin Laden indicating he wanted to target oil tankers, and that puts this port at risk.
“We had a very good conversation about the measures being taken to avoid that risk.  The expansion of the Panama Canal will bring great opportunity with increased imports of liquid natural gas into what is already the energy capital of the United States and a national leader in the movement of cargo.
“To continue to ensure the free flow of trade and commerce we must better protect our ports. It's important we have the security in place, the security grants in place that have gone down over the years. We want to see Houston's share increase.”