Markey Looking for Bipartisan Support on Cargo Security Proposal – CQ Homeland Security
Rep. Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., didn’t seek support from other lawmakers before announcing that he intends to file a bill to mandate explosives screening for all U.S.-bound packages – on cargo planes as well as passenger planes — but he’s hoping his colleagues will stand behind the proposal.
The End of SBInet? – CSIS
Rick Nelson, Director for the CSIS Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Program and a Senior Fellow with the International Security Program, shares some “critical questions” and answers on the future of SBInet.
Intelligence and Muscle in Texas Border Security – Border Lines
Tough talk about crime, drugs, immigrants, and the border comes naturally in Texas — and often in football analogies. Operation Linebacker, the 2005 initiative of Texas border sheriffs and sponsored by Governor Rick Perry, set the muscular, take down all line-breakers Texas commitment to border security.
There can be no denying that the risks to living in the Washington Beltway area are increasing. It’s an almost default answer to point to the poor safety record of the region’s Metro system, the seemingly increasing number of pedestrian/bike accidents and the regular (and unfortunate) crime statistics. But the recent sniper-esque shootings at regional military facilities and the arrest of a Pakistani, naturalized U.S. citizen for planning to attack crowded Metro stations are giving all of us in the National Capital Region a bit of concern. When it comes to emergencies, how we respond is really up to us. That is why I’m asking my co-workers, friends and neighbors – are you ready?
DHS Resiliency Oversight of Private Sector Needs Work, Report Finds – CQ Homeland Security
The Department of Homeland Security has improved its ability to assess vulnerability and risk at critical infrastructure and key resource sites, but it needs work in its system of measuring how well the owners of those facilities address security gaps, according to a new GAO report.
Concerns over bioterrorism grow – Homeland Security Newswire
Recent concern about the growing threat of bioterrorism attacks that could strike cities throughout the world has led governments, militaries, and the biopharmaceutical industry to a heightened state of alert.
Congressman Calls on YouTube to Pull Jihadi Videos – The Investigative Project on Terrorism
U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner has called on YouTube to make terrorist propaganda videos less accessible, particularly those of Anwar al-Awlaki, dubbed the “bin Laden of the Internet.”
DHS gives itself 30 days to decide SBInet fate – Homeland Security Newswire
DHS has bought itself time to decide whether to proceed with a beleaguered border security project by retaining the system’s contractor on a temporary 30-day basis, according to House lawmakers who requested an audit of the program.
According to the Washington Post, “[f]our men accused of planting bombs outside synagogues in the Bronx and plotting to fire missiles at military planes were convicted on Monday, in a case that was widely seen as an important test of the entrapment defense.” These most recent convictions, however, are a reminder that, someday, this could happen. We can’t always rely on incompetent terrorists. The problem is that, unlike 9/11, there will be little practical measures that can be done after the fact to mitigate the threat.
Cybersecurity is ‘Really About the People,’ Official Says – GovExec
A strong cybersecurity workforce is critical to protecting government computer networks from attack, according to cyber experts. During a Thursday panel discussion hosted by the consultancy Deloitte, federal officials and security analysts said building a multidisciplinary, highly skilled workforce is at least as important as developing information technology tools to combat cybersecurity threats.
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