Congress and Politics

Watch Your Mouth – Words can be the Real WMDs

June 18, 2010

As every person knows, words have consequences. They can raise someone up or tear them down. Depending on how they are used, words can change the meaning and significance of events. They can also ruin someone’s career, and the past days and weeks have given us example after example of just that. In each of these instances, prominent people have essentially opened their respective mouths and inserted their feet with such speed that everyone around them is in a collective gasp of shock, saying, “What did you say?” When the wrong words are used in moments of stress and crisis (e.g., Gulf oil spill, Afghanistan conflict), the consequences can be grave.

Water Systems – A Rising Rate to Lift Our Nation?

L. Vance Taylor |

June 16, 2010

Leaders at every level of government continue to ignore the obvious, and dare I say, “inconvenient” truth about water: We need to raise rates. Either that or get used to being thirsty, stock up on Pepto-Bismol, and get ready for a mean tutorial on what Cholera feels like. U.S. water systems are the best in the world, but the fight to maintain water quality may be lost if utilities remain hamstrung by requirements to under charge for services.

An Air Cargo Screening Roundtable – Not too little, hopefully not too late

Jeffrey Sural |

June 15, 2010

A couple weeks ago, air cargo industry representatives came together in Washington, DC, to hold an informational roundtable on the upcoming Congressional deadline mandating that 100 percent of all cargo carried on passenger aircraft be screened for explosives. Talking with the aviation security leaders who participated in the roundtable, we delivered the message that time is of the essence, and over 10,000 people logged on to view the webcast. TSA has seen applications for CCSP quadruple over the last month, and industry participation will determine the viability of the voluntary CCSP. But if industry fails or refuses to participate, it can expect a boot on its throat in the not too distant future.

House Homeland Panel Takes Up WMD Bill This Week

Media Watch |

June 14, 2010

House Homeland Panel Takes Up WMD Bill This Week – CQ Homeland Security
A House Homeland Security subcommittee is expected to cruise through a markup of legislation aimed at improving the United States’ ability to prevent and respond to weapons-of-mass-destruction attacks.

Unions unfazed by TSA nominee's punt on collective bargaining

Media Watch |

June 14, 2010

Unions unfazed by TSA nominee’s punt on collective bargaining – Government Executive
During his confirmation hearing on Thursday, President Obama’s nominee to head the Transportation Security Administration largely punted on the issue of collective bargaining rights. Nevertheless, federal employee unions said TSA needs a permanent leader and John Pistole should be confirmed.

Will Republicans Embarrass Themselves with Pistole TSA Nomination?

Chris Battle |

June 10, 2010

Will John Pistole, the FBI deputy director nominated to lead the TSA, go the way of the previous two nominees? Let’s hope not, but it all depends upon whether certain Republicans intend to embarrass themselves – again – by demanding answers from Pistole that he simply will not be in a position to answer. I am speaking here of demands that he take a clear position on unions in the TSA. “The unionization issue,” Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison recently told CQ Homeland Security, “is clearly one that he’s going to need to answer.” It is not. He cannot. And he won’t.

The Perfect TSA Nominee: The Pistole Hearing

Rich Cooper |

June 10, 2010

When the Chairman of any Congressional Committee uses the word the “embarrassing” to describe something at the very beginning of a hearing, a feeling or look of fear and dread is prone to appear in the testifying witness. That was not the case when it came to the nomination hearing of John Pistole to be the next TSA Administrator. He was cooler than a cucumber. The embarrassing factor, as mentioned by Chairman Rockefeller, was the fact that it has taken the Administration this long to find someone to put in this absolutely critical job. Pistole’s background and experiences literally put him in a category unto himself. Nowhere in the hearing was there question that there was any question about him. He was the perfect nominee and his performance showed it. The only problem with being someone that good is the metric that must be achieved.

Each Service Sees Cyber a Little Differently

Steven Bucci |

June 1, 2010

Now that Congress has finally confirmed Gen. Keith Alexander for his fourth star and the duty of Commander, US Cyber Command, he has a tough road ahead. Cyber Command will be a sub-unified command under U.S. Strategic Command. It is not an intelligence organization – despite Alexander being dual hated as the Director of the National Security Agency – but is what the military refers to as a warfighting command. Alexander will have control of components from each of the services. As a Joint Commander, he must blend these elements into a cohesive force to deal with an enormous set of challenges in a unified manner.

Watch the Live Broadcast – Roundtable on 100 Percent Air Cargo Screening

Chris Battle |

May 25, 2010

Broadcasting live online from the Newseum at 2:00 PM EDT on Wednesday, May 26, American Airlines Cargo joins forces with TSA and others for a 100 percent air cargo screening roundtable.

TSA Take 3: The Pistole Nomination

Rich Cooper |

May 18, 2010

There’s lots you can say about the nomination of John Pistole to be the next TSA Administrator. The first thing is “vetted.” You don’t get to be the number two guy in charge of the FBI without being vetted from top to bottom. Aside from the deeply personnel background check that comes with a Presidential nomination for a post as senior as this, when you have a senior career law enforcement like Pistole put forward for Senate consideration, it makes you wonder why he wasn’t considered sooner.

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