Congress / Budget
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 has improved the methodology under which it allocates risk-based grants, according to a recent study by the Government Accountability Office. The GAO found that the DHS method of measuring risk (in which risk is the product of threat times vulnerability and consequences -- R=T(V&C) ) allowed for a pragmatic blend of empirical data and policy judgment. However, GAO investigators noted that while DHS has taken some steps to establish goals and measure progress, "its monitoring of homeland security grant expenditures does not provide a means to measure the achievement of desired program outcomes."
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
TSA, DHS and more...
GAO sees improved DHS grant allocation methodology
March 18th, 2008
Capitol Hill: FISA debate rages in Congress
March 18th, 2008
Neither party is satisfied with the passage in the House of Representatives of a Democratic-sponsored bill to reform the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Under a version passed by the Senate, major telecoms would have won a large degree of "retroactive immunity" from prosecution for cooperating with earlier Bush Administration domestic surveillance programs. The House revisions would allow lawsuits against phone companies, but with conditions. The bill passed, along party lines (213-197), after a rare late night secret session forced by Republicans. Although President Bush is pledged to veto this legislation, Democrats hope its passage will force the Administration to provide Congress with full details of its wiretapping program.
Biz Opps: SPAWAR seeks perimeter intrusion detection sensors
March 12th, 2008
The U.S. Navy’s Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center seeks information on commercial-off-the-shelf wireless perimeter intrusion detection sensors (PIDS) that can be used by security forces to assist in the protection of critical assets and personnel. Respondents are asked to describe how the PIDS would be suitable for operating in a secure wireless network. The target audience for the SPAWAR information request is the Department of Defense and the nuclear physical security community. For technical questions about this request, contact Michael Masters at 843-218-5322. For all non-technical questions, contact .
