home << newsletters << September 2002 index << Senators Cantwell & Murray Address Security & Transportation Issues
 

Newsletter:  September 2002/ Issue 3
Senators Cantwell & Murray Address Security & Transportation Issues at WCIT Annual Conference

On July 2, Washington State Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray addressed security and transportation issues at the Washington Council on International Trade’s (WCIT) 7th Annual Senators’ Conference. The conference, “Trade, Transportation and Security: Doing Business in Uncertain Times,” was held at the Bell Harbor International Conference Center in downtown Seattle providing regional leaders and trade professionals an opportunity to meet and discuss current challenges impacting trade growth and stability.

WCIT is a strategic partner of the Pacific Northwest Center for Global Security, which places great importance on cooperative efforts with local nonprofit, academic and other organizations for the purpose of pursuing global stability enhancing missions. WCIT is a private, nonprofit, non-partisan association of trade interests in Washington State whose purpose is to inform, advocate and educate the public, elected leadership, educators and the media about the role and importance of trade. WCIT has promoted the benefits of a strong trade base in Washington State for almost three decades, dealing with topics such as corporate responsibility, sustainability, and labor rights. The organization is associated with the International Trade Education Foundation, which works with teachers and students to enhance knowledge and understanding of the vital importance of trade on local, national and international levels. The objective of the 7th Annual Senators’ Conference was to “raise awareness on transportation and security issues” that are presently having a profound effect on business owners, workers, farmers and the state economy, and to provide Senators Murray and Cantwell “an opportunity to hear frank and open discussion of the challenges presented,” said Bill Center, President of WCIT.

The event also enabled participants to share potential solutions to issues, and to provide real-time feedback to the remarks and suggestions of speakers through the use of instant electronic polling devices developed by the local pollster, Elway Research.

During the conference, Senator Murray, who is currently Transportation Subcommittee Chair of the Appropriations Committee, spoke about the importance of transportation infrastructure for fostering employment and a strong economy, calling investment in critical infrastructure the “foundation for our future economic growth.” Senator Cantwell, who serves on the Subcommittee for Technology, Terrorism and Government Information, also addressed the audience, speaking about the changes in security since the attacks of last September 11 and the challenge of implementing sufficient levels of security measures without constricting commerce.

In addition, Steve Martin, Manager of Protection, Interdiction, and Enforcement Technology at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory talked about Homeland Security and the Laboratory’s activities and responsibilities in that area. Doug MacDonald, Washington State Secretary of Transportation, and Karen Schmidt, former Executive Director of the Freight, Mobility and Strategic Investment Board, discussed transportation issues. Several business and political leaders, and academics from the region, including representatives from Airborne Express, the World Shipping Council, the AFL-CIO, REI and the University of Washington, also provided audience members with insight on current challenges.

WCIT President Center expressed much satisfaction with the outcome of the annual event stating, “We definitely met our objectives by raising awareness of the importance of passing transportation measures like Referendum 51 and underscoring the need for a balanced, carefully considered approach as we make needed improvements in homeland security.”

Major sponsors of the event were Microsoft (the presenting sponsor), Boeing, the Port of Seattle, and Weyerhauser.