Congress / Budget
Report: Border security market to reach $14 billion by 2011
May 15th, 2008
Border security is expected to be one of the top growth markets in the homeland security sector in terms of expenditure over the next four years, reaching $13.98 billion by end of 2011, representing a compound annual growth rate of 19.5 percent.
DHS plans test of bioterror attack detectors
April 21st, 2008
If Congress provides the necessary funds, the Department of Homeland Security plans to run a side-by-side test of various advanced types of automated pathogen detectors
in FY2009, which could shorten by 24 hours the time it takes to determine that a biological attack by terrorists is underway.
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Capitol Hill: Congress to Chertoff -- Stick to grant guidance
April 18th, 2008
The chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate Homeland Security Committees are asking the Department of Homeland Security to abide by the law regarding flexibility for state and local governments to spend part of their homeland security funding on overtime and other personnel costs. In a letter to DHS Secretary Chertoff, Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman (ID-CT), Ranking Member Susan Collins (R-ME), House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-MS), and Ranking Member Peter King (R-NY), expressed serious concern that provisions in the Department's 2008 Homeland Security Grant Program Guidance are inconsistent with the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007.
Rep. Thompson launches e-newsletter to aid small businesses
April 18th, 2008
Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, is so interested in looking after the interests of small businesses he has launched a monthly e-newsletter that aims to help such businesses land contracts with the Department of Homeland Security.
Capitol Hill: Rep Etheridge offers bill to safeguard local schools
April 14th, 2008
Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-NC), a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, last Thursday introduced what he called the Schools Empowered to Respond Act, which would put the federal government in partnership with state and local education agencies to support school preparedness, planning, training and equipment needs. Etheridge said at the time that local schools want to improve their security, but need support and guidance to make those improvements.
Capitol Hill: Congress demands "strategic solution" for US-VISIT program
April 9th, 2008
Reps. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) and Peter King (R-NY), chairman and ranking member, respectively, of the House Homeland Security Committee, urged the Department of Homeland Security to better define and coordinate operations of the US-VISIT system, which is responsible for keeping tabs on foreign visitors to the U.S. The congressmen released a report from the Government Accountability Office which concluded that the program has failed to economically justify several major investments, including its "Unique Identity" efforts (aiming to establish a single identity for all individuals who interact with immigration and border management agencies). GAO also urged DHS to better coordinate US-VISIT efforts with other immigration and border management programs.
DHS renews Social Security "No Match" bid, puts employers on the spot
April 1st, 2008
The U.S. Coast Guard’s National Maritime Center has moved into its new permanent location in Martinsburg, WV, as part of a planned effort to restructure and centralize the Mariner Licensing and Documentation (MLD) Program. The Center will handle operations and oversight for issues related to Regional Examination Center operations and quality assurance. It will also handle mariner training, assessment and exams; program support; mariner information for issues related to credential applications; and mariner evaluation for issues related to professional, medical and security evaluations.
The Department of Homeland Security’s controversial proposed No-Match program that would force employers to fire workers if their names don’t match their Social Security numbers is being re-worked by the department, which hopes new rules will enable the program to become law. The original attempt was blocked by a federal judge in San Francisco last October. Las week, the department issued a 44-page "supplemental" document designed to address several of the concerns Judge Charles Breyer raised in his ruling. Under the DHS proposals, employers who fail to resolve SSN and W-2 discrepancies could face criminal or civil charges.
Coast Guard opens new National Maritime Center
March 24th, 2008
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