Bush talks trade, port security in Miami

Bush talks trade, port security in Miami President Bush used the backdrop of the Port of Miami for remarks on international trade and port security Monday.
   In a speech delivered at the Coast Guard Integrated Support Command, located on the causeway that runs parallel to the Port of Miami, Bush touted Miami's entrepreneurial spirit and South Florida's role as a gateway for trade.
   Calling for continued efforts to open up trade markets, he commented: 'I’m worried about protectionist tendencies in the United States, people saying, well, we don’t want to'really want to compete. Let’s just kind of throw up some walls and barriers so people can’t sell products into the United States. Such policies will damage the Port of Miami; such policies are short-sighted, as far as I’m concerned.'
   Bush also said port security is a key element of national security, and noted what has been done to improve port security.
   'Since September the 11th, we’ve provided $700 million in grants to enhance physical security at our ports, and the Port of Miami received about $25 million of those grants. We understand the importance the Coast Guard plays to port security. And so we’ve increased funding for the Coast Guard by almost $2.9 billion.'
   Bush also noted the increased use of scanners to screen containers, the development of the Container Security Initiative, and the layered approach federal officials use for port security.
   'We've got a smart policy on how to protect our ports,' Bush said, adding his policy calls for combining security practices among port authorities, Customs and Border Protection, the Coast Guard, and state and local law enforcement authorities.
   Bush also addressed the crisis in the Middle East, immigration reform, and hurricane preparedness in his speech.
   He also conducted a waterside tour of the port from on board a Coast Guard cutter.