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A Walking Economic Stimulus

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October 24, 2011

Amid all of the partisan bickering over fiscal and tax policy in the Congress during 2011, it has been heartening to see a burst of bipartisan support for reforms to facilitate the travel of low-risk visitors to the United States. There have been at least three major pieces of authorizing legislation introduced in recent weeks as well as a push to reform the Departments of State and Homeland Security as part of the appropriations process. Encouraging and securing international travel does not lend itself to silver bullet solutions, but seeing the Congress increasingly recognize the economic value of travel is a positive development.

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U.S.-citizen children of immigrants protest higher tuition rates – Florida – MiamiHerald.com

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October 23, 2011

U.S.-citizen children of immigrants protest higher tuition rates – Florida – MiamiHerald.com U.S.-born children of undocumented immigrants must pay out-of-state tuition in Florida. A lawsuit has been filed to overturn the policy.

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TSA grounds air cargo screening deadline

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October 21, 2011

TSA grounds air cargo screening deadline – The Hill’s Transportation Report The Transportation Security Administration is postponing a deadline for scanning all cargo aboard airplanes that had been scheduled for December. The deadline was opposed by the International Air Cargo Association, which said in a statement it commended TSA for the decision. “We fully recognize […]

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Obama – The Giant-Killer in Chief

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October 21, 2011

When he was running for the presidency in 2007-08, there were not so subtle whispers and inferences made about whether a not-even-one-term U.S. senator from Illinois with no significant executive or security experience was up to the task of being Commander in Chief in a post-9/11 era. There is plenty to debate about the President’s leadership in other areas, but his critics of this area of his job performance look very small and at times, very petty. Through the use of SEAL Team Six, UAVs and other strategic military and intelligence assets, he’s sent an impressive list of bad guys to their ultimate judgment.

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Qaddafi’s Death – Good News or Bad News?

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October 21, 2011

The death of Libya’s long-ruling dictator at the hands of rebels is cause for celebration in Libya. Libyan reactions notwithstanding, it is perfectly legitimate for policymakers in Washington to ask whether the end of the Qaddafi regime is in the United States’ interests. The knee-jerk reaction that any sort of democracy anywhere in the Middle East, even if short-lived, is in U.S. interests, must be tempered with a less emotional and more analytical approach to looking at events in the context of how they impact American objectives in the region.

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Mexico and the Triple Threat

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October 20, 2011

Today, we released an issue brief on Mexico and the triple challenge of crime, terrorist tactics, and narco-insurgency. The issue brief is released in conjunction with a Homeland Security Policy Institute/U.S. Army War College event, “The Hybrid Threat: Crime, Terrorism and Insurgency in Mexico” to be held today at 2pm.

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Whither the Export Enforcement Coordination Center

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October 20, 2011

The Obama administration has made admirable and high-profile efforts toward export control reform. The President issued a November 2010 Executive Order establishing an Export Enforcement Coordination Center (EECC), to be housed within the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate the efforts of the multiple federal agencies responsible for enforcing our export control laws. Despite this, the EECC still has no apparent public presence.

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It’s Time for Trusted Computing

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October 20, 2011

In this era of budget austerity, telework is an effective way to reduce agency costs and increase productivity. Recognizing these benefits, federal agencies have implemented telework policies and an increasing number of employees are taking advantage of the option. At the same time, however, teleworking presents significant security challenges. Agencies can reduce telework risks through the use of Trusted Computing.

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Legislation could expand Reserve role in homeland security

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October 19, 2011

Legislation could expand Reserve role in homeland security | Army News at DefenseTalk Legislation being considered by both houses of Congress could provide the Army Reserve broader authority to call up troops for homeland security and also allow the force to deploy units for operations lasting 120 days or less.

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How To Sign Up To Participate in TSA Pre✓™

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October 19, 2011

The TSA Blog: How To Sign Up To Participate in TSA Pre✓™ We’ve been getting a lot of interest and rave reviews since rolling out TSA Pre✓™ earlier this month and travelers have been asking  how they can sign up.

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