Congress, Heal Thyself – 2011 Edition
“Charity Begins at Home, but Should Not End There.”- Thomas Fuller As the stories of how Representative Darrel Issa (R-CA49), who is expected to be chair the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee next year, plans...
DetailsUsing Predator UAVs for Border Enforcement Purposes Continues to Raise Questions
Most of the homeland security community spent Thanksgiving week focused on whether the use of whole body imaging technology and groping techniques to find hidden explosives and other non-metallic contraband was overly intrusive, or even unconstitutional. The story that...
DetailsA suggestion for how DHS can allay fears about TSA pat-downs
We have all heard that the best leaders in the private sector, as well as those in government, are those who "lead by example."That thought sticks in my mind as DHS and TSA attempt to defend the use of...
DetailsCongress Heal Thyself – A Repeat Suggestion to the Next Congress
From the time the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) came into existence in 2003, questions have been raised over how Congress should organize its oversight responsibilities. Initially, the U.S. House created a Select Committee on Homeland Security. After a...
DetailsTom Ridge on DHS Congressional Oversight (again), His Suggestion Deserves Support
Thanks to CQ’s Rob Margetta, we have a good report of former DHS Secretary Tom Ridge’s latest comments yesterday about when streamlining congressional oversight of DHS might occur. This is not the first time Secretary Ridge has weighed in...
DetailsFlynn Warns Against Congressional "Spasmatic Reactions"
At this morning’s House Homeland Security Committee hearing, “The Evolving Nature of Terrorism - Nine Years after the 9/11 Attacks” (a hearing worth listening to more than once), Steve Flynn committed a characteristic act of candor when he said...
DetailsIt May Be Cool, But is it Smart? Further Questions about the Use of the Predator for Border Enforcement
Following my recent posting concerning questions that ought to be asked about the cost-effectiveness of using the Predator for border enforcement purposes, I have heard from several people, and there have been a couple news stories focused on the...
DetailsQuestions to Secretary Napolitano About Using Predator UAVs for Border Enforcement
The announcement Monday afternoon by DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano that Predator B unmanned aerial vehicles will begin patrolling the skies over American's Southwest border, funded in part by the latest $600 million infusion of cash from Congress, ought...
DetailsCongress Heal Thyself (yet again)
How many times must the story be told of the mal-effects from the mishmash of Congressional turf battles over the Department of Homeland Security before something is done? Today’s latest entry is a well-done NPR story (no, that isn’t...
DetailsUnnecessary “Jurisdictional Turf Battles” Threaten to Derail WMD Bill
Earlier this week, the House Homeland Security Committee marked up the WMD Prevention and Preparedness Act of 2010 in an effort to implement recommendations from the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism (the...
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