U.S. SEN. JOHN BREAUX (D.-La.) will hold the first in a series of "field
hearings" on seaport and ship passenger security on Jan. 9 at the Port
Everglades Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The Port Everglades hearing, to
be followed by similar events this week in New Orleans and Houston, will focus
on cruise shipping, said a spokeswoman at Breaux' office. Breaux is chairman of
the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine and a co-sponsor
of a senate bill (S. 1214) designed to bolster security at the country's 361
deepwater ports. The bill passed the Senate on Dec. 20 and is expected to be
considered shortly by the House of Representatives. It would create local
committees to improve coordination between various entities responsible for
seaport security and require ports to create comprehensive security plans.

OVERALL, the bill authorizes $1.1 billion over six years for improvements
including professional security training and screening and detection equipment.
The measure also provides $3.3 billion more in loan guarantees for port
authorities to finance security enhancements. The Jan. 9 hearing will include
testimony from the port directors for Port Everglades and the Port of Miami,
plus representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Customs Service, the
Immigration and Naturalization Service, the International Council of Cruise
Lines, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean Int'l and Holland America Line.

(Travel Weekly's Jan. 8 online Cruise Letter)