|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
 |
 |
    |
|
|
|||
 |
|
||
|
|||
|
|
|
|
||||||||
|
U.S. Late on Port Security Improvements
A plan to tighten security at U.S. ports to stop the smuggling of a nuclear weapon has fallen behind, the Associated Press reported yesterday (see GSN, Aug. 25). In November 2002, President George W. Bush signed a law setting a July 1, 2004 deadline for security improvements. While the Coast Guard has accomplished much of the work, many steps are overdue, including a report on a grant program for shippers and ports, a report on cargo container security and a maritime national security plan, according to AP. In addition, air cargo protection rules are two months late and a study on the costs of federal officials antiterrorism training is three months overdue, AP reported. “The incompetence that we recently saw with FEMA’s leadership appears to exist throughout the Homeland Security Department,” said Mississippi Representative Bennie Thompson (D). “Our nation is still vulnerable.” However, some experts said Congress, which has required additional reports and deadlines, has distracted the Homeland Security Department from putting in place important security measures. “You have no ability to prioritize against something like that, and it’s going to take up all your time,” said Dan Prieto of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. “The urgent becomes the enemy of the important.” Homeland Security Department spokesman Russ Knocke said the department was working with Congress but that “there is an extraordinarily high number of reporting requirements” (Leslie Miller, Associated Press/Olympian, Oct. 30).
| ||||||||||
Back to top
