Posted on 02/26/2006 8:25:29 AM PST by jraven
Moving toward a deal that could allow President Bush and congressional GOP leaders to save face and avert a prolonged confrontation, GOP officials said today that they were discussing the idea of having Dubai Ports World seek a new review of its acquisition of a British company's operation that runs several key U.S. ports.
House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Peter King, confirmed in a phone interview early Saturday afternoon to TIME that officials were close to a deal involving the Congressional leadership, the White House and the Dubai company. The agreement would call for a 45-day “CFIUS-plus investigation,” King said, referring to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, a Treasury Department-run interagency panel that probes proposed acquisitions in the U.S.
Although the Dubai deal had already been approved by CFIUS, "the rationale for reopening it is, once DP carved out the American ports from the rest of the contract it changed the nature of the agreement so it had to be reviewed again," says King, who had been among the leading GOP voices opposing the deal as first approved without the extra 45-day review process or briefing of Congress. King says will await final details before formally backing any such deal. King added "if we are going to hold back on legislation, I think there has to be continuous congressional review throughout the new CFIUS review.”
If approved by all parties, the new deal would allow Bush to avert a GOP-driven bill to overturn the Dubai deal with enough votes to override Bush's threat of his first veto. Republican sources tell TIME that Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee proposed the basic terms of a deal designed to give the White House a graceful way out, while also allaying the concerns of the many lawmakers in both parties who have said the deal could be a threat to our security. Under the Frist plan, the deal could stand a good chance of ultimately going through after the extended review. Frist aides apparently proposed the terms to representatives of the company and the White House late Friday. Neither has formally responded but both seemed interested in the idea, according to a Senate Republican aide. "This avoids a direct clash," the aide said. "It solves everyone's problem. The President doesn't have to cancel the deal or veto anything."
Under Frist's plan, the company would voluntarily separate U.S. ports from the rest of the deal for 45 days, allowing them to continue to operate as they do while the deal is re-vetted. That would allow a new review through the administration's Committee on Foreign Investments in the U.S. (CFIUS). Administration officials remain adamant that their first review was thorough and proper, so the face-saving element was crucial, according to one Capitol Hill negotiator. Frist is proposing that this time, CFIUS do the extra 45-day review that the law calls for in transactions where there are national security concerns. That provision was not triggered last time because administration officials had no remaining concerns at the end of the first review. This approach would eliminate the need for new legislation now, the Republican sources said.
Frist needs to shut up.......
I guess the bush white house inherited the FBI files from the clintons......................
Either the deal will happen, or it won't.
If it does happen, it will be another step toward putting Hillary in the White House in 2008.
Frist can propose all sorts of delays but eventually the deal will need to be approved, or not.
64% of Americans are opposed to this deal, per Rasmussen. Not a winning issue for the GOP.
Jorge Al Bush will make sure it goes through.
Frist needs to understand that first amendment rights stop at the White House door. He doesn't have the right to express his views openly. What's wrong with him? You'd think he was the Senate majority leader or something. /s
Why so she can lease more ports to China?
That poll didn't fly on the last thread you posted it on. Do you expect different results this time?
Why should the deal be revetted? Why should these members of Congress be let off the hook, after opening their big, big mouths on this? I am looking forward to Schumer and his fellow travelers explaining day after day why Muslims should get this extraordinary treatment when doing business in the USA.
Frist just wants it to go away now that it's apparent that this issue will not smooth his way to the Whitehouse.
. . .doing the same thing over and over in the same way and expecting different results.
Yes, but what about other Muslim deals in the works? Some want all Muslim business stopped and anti-Muslim legislation introduced concerning ports, airports, train stations, water facilites, power plants etc. etc..
And they want Bush to micromanage each and every deal involving Muslims.
No harm in posting the truth. I'm not particularly concerned if the open borders crowd doesn't like it.
Agree. Frist knows nothing and suspects nothing.
If you consider a poll taken in the heighth of hysteria the "truth", knock yourself out.
64% of Americans are clueless or racists.
Guess that would include me.
Or, Democrats who are playing politics even if this deal would strengthed national security.
Perhaps they're just people who came to a different conclusion than you did. Last time I checked, they still had the right to do that.
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