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Congress and Politics

A Weiner's Clearance

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June 7, 2011

This is not the first Weiner problem that Washington has had and poor behavior is not something one political party has an edge over the other. Despite all of those transgressions, the Republic has survived, and it will survive long after all of the salacious details of Rep. Anthony Weiner’s escapades come out. But in watching all of this unravel, I could not help but think of the security clearance process that I and many others have gone through. If he were anyone else and an investigator got his file to begin the rudimentary background check, he might otherwise be told, “You need not apply.”

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House Trims Homeland Security Science Spending

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June 6, 2011

House Trims Homeland Security Science Spending – Science Insider
Next year’s budget for science and technology at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would be drastically downsized under a spending bill passed yesterday by the House of Representatives. The legislation would reduce current funding for the S&T directorate by 52%, from $827 million to $398 million. By comparison, the Obama Administration has requested $1.2 billion for that program in fiscal year 2012, which begins on 1 October.

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House Committee Report Disputes TSA Findings On Private Airport Screening

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June 6, 2011

House Committee Report Disputes TSA Findings On Private Airport Screening – HSToday
US House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure issued a report Friday claiming that the use of private airport screeners under federal supervision is both more efficient and cost effective than an all-federal screening force.

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House votes to cut TSA's budget by $270 million

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June 3, 2011

House votes to cut TSA’s budget by $270 million – Washington Post
The Republican-controlled House approved legislation Thursday that would cut funding for transportation security officers, the men and women on the front line of aviation safety. The 219 to 204 vote approved cutting the Transportation Security Administration’s budget by $270 million, according to Democrats and union leaders.

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Senate Demands National Disaster Recovery Plan From FEMA

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June 3, 2011

Senate Demands National Disaster Recovery Plan From FEMA – Disaster Zone
Hmm, this is not an easy answer for the Senate. FEMA is on the hook for delivering a National Disaster Recovery Framework and they are still in DRAFT mode. I see the challenging word being “National” and not Federal.

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House Orders Frontal Lobotomy on Homeland Security

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June 2, 2011

I am all for cutting back government spending. There are, however, smart and less than smart ways to do that. For example, a family can balance the budget by just skipping the mortgage payment leaving plenty of bucks for Netflicks and munchies. The House appropriations bill for the Homeland Security Department budget looks to be taking a similar approach—gutting the Office of Policy.

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"Purposeful Redundancy" of Overlapping DHS Oversight Should be Fixed Before 9-11

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May 31, 2011

Within the past few weeks, testimony from former Congressman Lee Hamilton and an Associated Press story both highlighted the cost – in time and money, if not security – of overlapping jurisdiction of congressional oversight of the Department of Homeland Security. House Judiciary Chair Lamar Smith told the AP that Congress intended a “purposeful redundancy” when it created the DHS. Are you kiddin’ me?

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Auditors: DHS lacks cost justification for $780 million spent on border network – NextGov

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May 31, 2011

Auditors: DHS lacks cost justification for $780 million spent on border network – NextGov
For half a decade, the Homeland Security Department did not collect cost-justification information for invoices from contractor Boeing Co., before paying the company for services rendered on a $1 billion failed, virtual border fence, federal auditors concluded.

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Industry Continues to Look for the Cyber "Decoder Ring"

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May 27, 2011

In the last few weeks, the Obama White House has made some bold moves in the cyber arena. It has been quite a while coming. Delayed gratification seems to be the strategy with regard to cyber. Well, after a few weeks, most of us are still confused. Industry players are back in the starter blocks, ready to dash, but they still have not divined the Obama Administration’s direction for cyber to a degree that will allow them to move forward.

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Arizona Wins Big in Supreme Court Immigration Ruling

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May 27, 2011

Arizona Wins Big in Supreme Court Immigration Ruling – The Foundry
Arizona won a spectacular victory today in the Supreme Court in its ongoing efforts to do something about the hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens who reside in the state and cost Arizona taxpayers an estimated $1.3 billion a year.

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