WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Carlos A. Gimenez (FL-28) chaired a hearing of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security on securing vulnerabilities at our nation’s maritime ports. The United States is a maritime nation and ports are essential to our way of life. Rep. Gimenez pressed Rear Admiral Wayne R. Arguin of the Coast Guard, Eric Goldstein, the Executive Assistant Director for Cybersecurity at CISA, and Neal Latta of the TSA about the undue influence Communist China has over U.S. ports and the Coast Guard’s inviting agents of the criminal Castro Regime to tour their Headquarter in Washington, D.C. 

Below are Chairman Carlos A. Gimenez’s questions:

“Over the past few years, I have continued to raise concern about the widespread presence of Chinese manufactured cranes at our nation’s ports. I am particularly concerned about the use of Chinese technology and equipment, as well as the port industry’s over reliance on Chinese cranes. On April 3, I joined several of my colleagues in sending a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) asking about their efforts to address vulnerabilities related to Chinese cranes. DHS is yet to respond.”

“During the week of February 27, 2023, the Coast Guard, working with the State Department, scheduled facility visits for a Cuban delegation that included members of the Cuban Border Guard and the Cuban Ministry of Interior. This visit would have included a tour of the Coast Guard Headquarters here in Washington, D.C. After my colleagues and I raised concerns with this visit, the Coast Guard canceled the Headquarters portion of the tour but continued with the rest of the scheduled activity.”

WITNESSES:

Rear Admiral Wayne R. Arguin Jr.
Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy, U.S. Coast Guard

Eric Goldstein
Executive Assistant Director for Cybersecurity, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency

Neal Latta
Assistant Administrator for Enrollment Services and Vetting Programs, Transportation Security Administration

Watch Rep. Gimenez’s opening statement HERE.

Congressman Carlos A. Giménez serves as Chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Maritime Security. He is the only Cuban-born Member of the 118th Congress, having been forced from his homeland shortly after the Communist takeover of the island. Rep. Giménez represents Miami-Dade County and the Florida Keys. Rep. Giménez serves on the House Armed Services Committee, Homeland Security Committee, and the Select Committee on China.