On the eve of the House Homeland Security Committee's markup of a port security bill, senior panel Republicans Tuesday raised questions about a Democratic-sponsored amendment to require all cargo bound for the United States be inspected a foreign ports.

Homeland Security Chairman Peter King of New York said bipartisan efforts toward a comprehensive port security bill in the House could be undone by a fight between Democrats and Republicans over who is tougher on port security.

The amendment in question will be proposed by Democratic Representative Edward Markey of Massachusetts to a port security bill sponsored by Republican Representative Dan Lungren and Democratic Representative Jane Harman, both of California.

Committee Republicans say they do not believe Markey's plan is practical.

Industry groups strongly oppose it and are aggressively lobbying Republicans to defeat it. Lungren said he had received a commitment from GOP leaders that the Lungren-Harman bill would be moved through the House quickly once it passed the committee.

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