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U.S. Response: States, Localities Need More Information, Senate Democratic Staff Members Say By Mike Nartker According to the report, state and local officials have complained of difficulties in exchanging homeland security information with the federal government, including information on possible terrorists and possible threats, the report says. Officials have also complained of the cumbersome process they have to undergo to be able to receive classified information, it says. “Many state and local officials — who also all too often lack the funding, training and technology to counter terrorism — are left, if not entirely blind, straining to see the terrorist threat and how to best respond to it,” the report says. In interviews with committee Democratic staff, state and local officials said they needed “reliable and timely” homeland security information, but currently there is no effective mechanism for providing information to, or receiving information from, Washington, according to the report. It calls for the creation of national and regional task forces over the next year to improve information-sharing among U.S., state and local officials. The report also recommends the creation of 24-hour operations centers in each state to help improve information-sharing between local law enforcement officers and U.S. agencies. The report calls for improving mechanisms to relay information on possible terrorist threats and suspected terrorist operatives. Currently, there is no unified national terrorist “watch list.” USA Today reported earlier this week that while Homeland Security is working to assemble a list from those used by various agencies, the process has been hindered by technical delays (see GSN, Aug. 11). “The administration is getting closer to the end of its planning process,” Homeland Security spokesman Gordon Johndroe was quoted by USA Today. “But this is a very complicated issue, and we’re not going to rush something out that isn’t completely effective,” he said. In a letter sent last week to Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) criticized Homeland Security’s delay in creating a unified watch list. “This problem needs to be fixed,” wrote Lieberman, the top Democrat on the Governmental Affairs Committee. “Potentially fatal gaps in our watch-list system should be closed. It is important to have a consolidated national watch list operating around the clock to alert us to terrorists attempting to enter our country,” he said. The report recommends that the president immediately issue an executive order to consolidate the various watch lists. In addition, the Homeland Security Department should provide state and local law enforcement officials with the ability check names against a unified list by the end of the year, the report says. The report also raises concerns with the Homeland Security Threat Advisory System — the color-coded system used by Homeland Security to indicate various levels of potential terrorist activity risks. In a separate report issued last week, the Congressional Research Service warned that the system is too vague, and as a result, might be disregarded by the public. The Governmental Affairs Committee Democratic report calls for revising the system to provide specific information about terrorist threats and detailed information on appropriate protective measures. In addition to improved information-sharing, the Bush administration needs to do more to improve state and local officials’ access to classified homeland security-related intelligence, the report says. It calls for an increase in resources to expedite security clearances for designated state and local officials. The report also recommends examining the feasibility of having agencies proactively recognize security clearances already issued for state and local officials, unless there are compelling reasons not to do so. A task force should be created to review security clearance procedures with a six-month deadline to propose improvements, the report says. In a press statement released yesterday, Lieberman urged the White House to do more to improve information-sharing. “If we are to successfully protect our citizens against future terrorist attacks, there must be genuine collaboration between federal, state and local officials," Lieberman said. “This is not an easy task, but so far, I haven’t seen the kind of leadership from the administration that is necessary to break down barriers, cut through deeply ingrained cultures and build the partnerships that are absolutely critical to homeland security,” he said.
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