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Congress and Politics

Cybersecurity Won't Get Solved at the UN

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January 28, 2011

Every man, or nation, for themselves might be the best mantra for cybersecurity. The recently released results of a cyber summit organized by the EastWest Institute concluded as much. In short, an international treaty might be unattainable. The right approach to cyber governance is to begin with the premise that all national security challenges are a series of actions and counteractions between competitors, and inquiring how these competitions might progress in the future.

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White House doesn't shine in cybersecurity grading

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January 26, 2011

White House doesn’t shine in cybersecurity grading – Federal Computer Week
The Obama administration has received less-than-stellar marks in a recent report card on its cybersecurity policies, earning grades in the B to D range. The National Security Cyberspace Institute examined the administration’s record of cybersecurity accomplishments in a white paper published Jan. 18.

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Observations on Obama's "Sputnik" State of the Union Address

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January 26, 2011

As a number of commentators and political pundits have opined this week, State of the Union’s are often unmemorable affairs where the words and substance are quickly forgotten in favor of some other major remarks by the President and Congressional leaders. It’s too early to say where President Obama’s remarks will measure in history, but there were still a couple of points that I thought worthy of highlighting.

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Rep. Bennie Thompson Announces Ranking Members of Homeland Security Committee

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January 25, 2011

Rep. Bennie Thompson, the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, today announced the ranking members for the six subcommittees.

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New Session Could Be Cybersecurity's Chance to Shine

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January 25, 2011

New Session Could Be Cybersecurity’s Chance to Shine – CQ Homeland Security
With the dawn of the new congressional session, experts say all the components are aligning for private sector companies to get what they want from cybersecurity legislation — incentives and leeway, without much regulation.

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Aviation Security: Curbside to Cockpit

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January 25, 2011

Aviation Security: Curbside to Cockpit – Homeland Security Watch
In a recent speech to the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Law and National Security, Transportation Security Administrator John S. Pistole discussed the need for aviation security to be “curbside to cockpit.” Unfortunately, today’s attack at the Domodedovo Airport on the outskirts of Moscow (the busiest airport in Eastern Europe), demonstrates the importance of a comprehensive approach to aviation security.

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Perspectives Gained from Across the Pond

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January 25, 2011

Where you sit often defines how you look at the world around you, and last week I got to spend some brief, albeit quality time in the United Kingdom. Much has been written over the past few years about the decay of the “special relationship” that exists between England and her former American colonies. In meetings with various UK government personnel and businesses, it was interesting to hear their perspective on a range of items. Here are some points that I took away from last week’s visit.

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Top Democrat Calls for Wider Hearings on Homegrown Terror

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January 24, 2011

Top Democrat Calls for Wider Hearings on Homegrown Terror – HSToday
The chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee plans to hold hearings on homegrown terrorism with a focus on Islamic radicalization as early as next month, but the top Democrat on the committee says the focus of those hearings is too narrow.

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TSA union election tentatively set for March

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January 24, 2011

TSA union election tentatively set for March – GovExec
Transportation Security Administration employees could have union representation as early as April. In a consent meeting held on Friday, the Federal Labor Relations Authority tentatively set the TSA union election to begin March 9. The American Federation of Government Employees and the National Treasury Employees Union have been vying for exclusive representation of 40,000 TSA employees.

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In Arizona, Border Security and Immigration Have Driven Political Climate

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January 21, 2011

In Arizona, Border Security and Immigration Have Driven Political Climate – CQ Homeland Security
After the Jan. 8 shooting in Tucson that left six people dead and 14 injured, including Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, Arizona was caught in the center of a national debate about whether heated political rhetoric presents real-world dangers. But, according to experts who have studied the state’s history, aggressive discourse in Arizona is hardly a new issue, and is largely driven by a decades-old issue: border security.

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