MAYPORT NAVAL STATION, Fla. -- Believing that terrorist groups may attempt to establish South American footholds to stage attacks in the United States, Sen. Bill Nelson said Monday that Mayport's Naval Forces Southern Command will be at the forefront of the investigation.

About SOUTHCOM U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command controls all Navy operations in the Central America, the Caribbean and South America. SOUTHCOM has two major tasks: Defend U.S. interests within its assigned area. Assist the development of modern militaries within friendly nations in the region. Mission Statement: "USNAVSO commands forces and interacts with partner nations to shape the environment ... by conducting theater security cooperation and counterdrug activities to promote democracy, stability and collective approaches to regional security; when required, responds to crisis to maintain regional stability; and to protect U.S. national interests, and prepares to meet future hemispheric challenges." View Map Of Command Area

The naval command, which relocated to Mayport in April, oversees a region that includes Latin America, the Caribbean, and parts of South America that will come under dramatically increased scrutiny by the U.S. military under new legislation proposed by Nelson.

The measure, expected to clear a conference between the House and Senate leaders later this month, would require the State and Defense departments and the CIA to quickly investigate and report to Congress on terrorist operations in Colombia and Venezuela.

Nelson cited the probe as illustrating Mayport's significance in the global campaign against terrorism.

"Naval forces here play a quiet but important role in many counter-terrorism activities," Nelson said after a briefing with base officials. "We have to be vigilant about terrorist operations in our own backyard."

Nelson's made visits to Columbia and Venezuela in the past year. During both, he met with government leaders and intelligence officials and received briefings on terror-group activities in the region. Those briefings led to the legislation requiring an investigation of such activities and a report to Congress within 60 days of passage.