I will speak to Sen. (John) Kerry, Congressman Tierney and Barney Frank and force some hearings," said Brown who was making his first fact-finding trip to the nation's oldest fishing port since winning the seat in January in a special election to succeed the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, the fishermen's all-time favorite.

The visit was organized by state Sen. Bruce Tarr, who sat next to Brown in the Senate chamber on Beacon Hill for four years.