Cascadia’s Republican Congressmen are threading the needle by vowing to oppose the deal to transfer control of some U.S. port operations to a Dubai-owned firm. They can say that the stance proves they’re for tough security and the unpopular Bush Administration, which supports the deal, still has a week to compromise.

Today House Republicans reportedly have 290 votes against the deal, where Dubai Ports World’s planned $6.8 billion purchase of London-based Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co. would give it control over terminal operations at five U.S. ports. It wouldn’t affect Cascadia, though.

Republican Dave Reichert (R-WA, 8th) supported a proposal to suspend the deal on Feb. 21. In a statement, he said: “While I am a free trader and believe in the benefit of foreign investment, our national security should never be compromised.” Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR, 2nd), who represents some of landlocked southwest Oregon, asked for an investigation of the deal the same day.