Washington U.S. Sen. Fritz Hollings' $2 billion plan to protect the nation's ports from terrorist attacks passed the Senate Friday.

Since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on Washington and New York, the S.C. Democrat has issued stern warnings about the vulnerability of U.S. ports -- including the Port of Charleston.

He pushed for the money as part of the federal budget that would begin October 1.

"Last year, when U.S. ports on the West Coast were temporarily closed because of labor strikes, economists estimated that the closure of those ports cost our economy $2 billion a day," Hollings said. "That impact pales in comparison to the economic devastation that would result from a dirty bomb imported in a container through the port of Charleston or Philadelphia."

The $2 billion would be sent in $1 billion installments -- one in the 2003-04 budget year and another in the 2004-05 budget year.

President Bush's budget recommendation called for $200 million for port security in the 2003-04 budget.

The additional $2 billion is far from locked in, however. The House also must approve it, and that body has expressed somewhat less interest in spending on port security than the Senate.

But Friday's Senate vote ended a frustrating period for Hollings, during which he could seemingly make little headway on funding port security.

Earlier in the week, he had tried unsuccessfully to secure the money by taking it out of President Bush's proposed 10-year, $726 billion tax cut.

The measure that passed on Friday, by voice vote, also had the support of U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

"There's no doubt that it's time for Congress and the president to address the growing security needs at our nations' ports," Graham said. "I'm also pleased the funding we were able to include does not reduce the tax cut President Bush has requested and the Senate is working to approve."