Congress / Budget
Capitol Hill: Cyber security committee formed to advise next president
November 12th, 2007
Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX) announced the formation of a blue-ribbon commission of experts to study ways American Government and business can better protect themselves from computer attacks. The panel was formed in the wake of results of a Department of Homeland Security simulated data breach exercise. The panel will hand its recommendations to the next president when he or she takes office in January, 2009.
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Capitol Hill: Lieberman, Collins concerned `Terror Watchlist’ falls short
November 5th, 2007
Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) and ranking Republican committee member Susan Collins (R-ME) voiced concerns that the government’s terrorist watchlist is still plagued with vulnerabilities. The remarks came during hearings at which the senators released a Government Accountability Office report showing that the Department of Homeland Security has failed to develop a strategy and implementation plan to correct problems with the Transportation Security Administration’s "No Fly" list. The senators urged greater list accuracy to improve screening procedures at airports and other ports of entry while giving citizens who have been incorrectly placed on that list the ability to seek redress.
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Rail security brings up the rear in Amtrak authorization legislation
October 29th, 2007
The reauthorization of Amtrak may be the locomotive for legislation chugging through the Senate this week, while a section of the same bill devoted specifically to rail security seems to be the caboose.
Capitol Hill: Senate questions use of private contractors on DHS work
October 26th, 2007
The Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee charged that the Department of Homeland Security relies too heavily on private contractors, with insufficient government oversight. Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) cited a new report by the Government Accountability Office, requested by his committee, which reviewed 117 contracts, examining nine in detail. GAO found that none of the DHS oversight plans contained specific measures for assessing contractor performance. Lieberman warned that failure to conduct oversight would weaken DHS: "There is the risk that DHS will lose control over its own decision making."
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Capitol Hill: Sen. Collins hails homeland security "national strategy"
October 22nd, 2007
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) hailed the updated National Strategy for Homeland Security, released by President Bush earlier this month. "The updated strategy improves upon the original in many crucial aspects," she said. "It now recognizes, for example, the threat posed not just by Al Qaeda, but also by homegrown terrorists. The updated strategy is also now all-hazards, emphasizing the fact that terrorism, catastrophic natural disasters and other hazards require many similar capabilities."
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House bill insists on better use of "open source" information
October 22nd, 2007
Rep. Ed Perlmutter, a Colorado Democrat, has introduced a bill that requires the Department of Homeland Security to "make full and efficient use of open source information," in order to analyze the security situation at U.S. critical infrastructure sites "from the perspective of terrorists."
Capitol Hill: Lieberman seeks "open access" to key records
October 15th, 2007
Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee Chair Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) urged fellow senators to follow earlier action by the House of Representatives, in passing legislation mandating the timely release of presidential records. The comments came following a court ruling striking down an Executive Order issued by President Bush in 2001 that had created new and broad authorities for former presidents and other high officials to effectively block release of documents and records.
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Capitol Hill: Congress OKs Coast Guard Deepwater Overhaul
October 8th, 2007
The House Homeland Security Committee passed legislation that reauthorizes the U.S. Coast Guard, at about $8.6 billion in FY 2008. The bill, however, takes the Coast Guard to task for mishandling the massive Deepwater modernization program, mandating significantly more oversight of the program’s contractors by Coast Guard officers.
