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Analyzing the Vulnerability of Critical Infrastructure to Attack and Planning Defenses
"We describe new bilevel programming models to (1) help make the country's critical infrastructure more resilient to attacks by terrorists, (2) help governments and businesses plan those improvements, and (3) help influence related public policy on investment incentives, regulations, etc. An intelligent attacker (terrorists) and defender (us) are key features of all these models, along with information transparency: These are Stackelberg games, as opposed to two-person, zero-sum games. We illustrate these models with applications to electric power grids, subways, airports, and other critical infrastructure. For instance, one model identifies locations for a given set of electronic sensors that minimize the worst-case time to detection of a chemical, biological, or radiological contaminant introduced into the Washington, D.C. subway system. The paper concludes by reporting insights we have gained through forming 'red teams,' each of which gathers open-source data on a real-world system, develops an appropriate attacker-defender or defender-attacker model, and solves the model to identify vulnerabilities in the system or to plan an optimal defense."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Department of Operations Research and Administrative Sciences
Brown, Gerald; Carlyle, Matthew; Salmeron, Javier . . .
2005
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Examining SBA's Office of Disaster Assistance and the Response to Recent Catastrophic Floods, Hearing Before the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, United States Senate, One Hundred Sixteenth Congress, First Session, June 19, 2019
This is the June 19, 2019 hearing on "Examining SBA's Office of Disaster Assistance and the Response to Recent Catastrophic Floods," held before the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. From the Opening Statement of Joni Ernst: "Today's hearing is titled Examining SBA's Office of Disaster Assistance and the Response to Recent Catastrophic Floods. It will discuss SBA's disaster programs and their footprint in response to the recent flooding in the Midwest. We will also continue our work to reauthorize the Small Business Act, focusing today on the critical role SBA's Office of Disaster Assistance plays in helping individuals and businesses recover after a disaster strikes." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: James Rivera, Lisa Shimkat, Robin Barnes, and Jason Barnes.
United States. Government Publishing Office
2020
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Assessment of SHEDS Model for Air Sample Placement Based on Population Exposure Estimates Following a 'Bacillus Anthracis' Outdoor Release
From the abstract: "As part of EPA/ORD's [Environmental Protection Agency/Office of Research and Development] Homeland Security research program, there is a need to improve strategies for emergency response following a wide-area release of a biological agent. Modeling tools that simulate the dispersion of biological agents for a wide-area release may be used to prioritize air sample placement based on estimated concentrations. However, dispersion models don't account for people's behaviors and activities which could result in some populations having greater risk of exposure. Human exposure models that account for variability in population demographics, human activity patterns, and the factors influencing infiltration of outdoor air indoors have previously been developed, and could be used to better guide decontamination efforts by incorporating potential risk of exposure in air sampling strategies. To explore this, a case study application was performed to assess the utility of the Stochastic Human Exposure and Dose Simulation for Particulate Matter (SHEDS-PM) model that provides estimates of human exposures by simulating representative individuals for a specific geographic location. The individuals time series of exposure and dose are estimated using human activity pattern data matched to each individual and the concentrations for each location they spend time in such as outdoors, indoors, and in vehicles. Results from the case study highlighted the impact that demographics and other factors such as day of week have on model estimates of exposure and dose due to their influence on activity patterns, as well as the importance of accounting for population mobility. Key advantages of the SHEDS model and its output identified through this case study are summarized, as well as current limitations and options for addressing them."
United States. Environmental Protection Agency. Office of Research and Development
Burke, Janet
2018-09
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Alliance for NanoHealth Competitive Research Program
"Through the work performed within the T5 program, Houston will become well prepared for the adverse effects of terrorism and natural disasters. The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston has organized a highly qualified team within the Texas Medical Center for addressing the plurality of concerns that arise during public health crises. The ultimate goal of the T5 program will be to solve a wide variety of public health, scientific, and medical issues that will eventually lead to enhanced community preparedness. As part of the T5 program, training and education as well as predictive strategies will be explored to enhance disaster response. Diagnostic and therapeutic measures will be developed to assess and treat injury and disease. Fundamental scientific research will also be performed in order to better understand the physiological response to injury and disease. No other comprehensive program matches the combined technology, medical expertise, fundamental science, and training that encompass the T5 program. Under the direction of Dr. S. Ward Casscells and other leaders of the Texas Medical Center, the T5 program will provide the blueprint that other cities will use to better prepare their communities for public health disasters."
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston; United States. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command
Conyers, Jodie L
2009-10-28
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Wildlife Markets and COVID-19
From the Executive Summary: "The emergence and worldwide spread of the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic has had an overwhelming effect on both human health and the global economy. Understanding how this disease first arose should be of critical concern to governments around the world. [...] Animal-based diseases (zoonoses) account for an estimated 73% of all emerging infectious diseases affecting humans. Wildlife markets of the type linked to both SARS [severe acute respiratory syndrome] and COVID-19, where many species of wild animals are crowded together under unhygienic and stressful conditions and frequently slaughtered on the premises, provide ideal circumstances for the spread of zoonoses. [...] Bans on wildlife markets can be put in place immediately, and should be adopted by all relevant governments as part of their strategy to reduce the likelihood of the emergence of further pandemic diseases. We also recommend that these bans be accompanied by support, including technical and financial if needed, for former traders leaving the markets, as well as country-appropriate public education campaigns to reduce the demand for wild animals sold as food."
Humane Society International
Orenstein, Ronald I. (Ronald Isaac), 1946-
2020-04
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Planning for School Reopening and Recovery After COVID-19: An Evidence Kit for Policymakers
From the Introduction: "Most governments around the world have temporarily closed schools in an attempt to contain the spread of the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. Many have launched distance learning programs and are beginning to plan for recovery, a phase that involves much more than reopening the gates and readmitting students. During the response, there may be opportunities for governments to improve practices and 'build back better,' but decisions are being made under extreme uncertainty. In this context, education policymaking is particularly difficult but will be strongest when it is: (1) informed by existing rigorous evidence; (2) approached with a long-term perspective that prioritizes flexibility, communication, and trust; and (3) able to be adapted based on new data and information gained from community engagement and monitoring. The short and accessible briefs collected here draw on rigorous evidence relevant to the COVID-19 emergency to formulate recommendations for policymakers on five critical dimensions of school reopening and recovery: 1. Engaging communities in reopening plans; 2. Targeting resources to where they are most needed; 3. Getting children back to school; 4. Making school environments safe; 5. Recovering learning loss and building back better."
Center for Global Development
Carvalho, Shelby; Rossiter, Jack; Angrist, Noam . . .
2020
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FEMA FOIA Log [January 3- March 31, 2011]
This document contains the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request logs for January 3- March 31, 2011. The table is broken down by: FOIA ID number, requester, subject (information requested), organization, and date received.
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
2011-05-09
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Indian Health Service: Actions Needed to Improve Oversight of Federal Facilities' Decision-Making About the Use of Funds, Report to Congressional Addressees
From the Highlights: "IHS [Indian Health Service], an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services, provides care to AI/AN [American Indians and Alaska Natives] populations through a system of federally operated and tribally operated health care facilities. AI/AN have experienced long standing problems accessing needed health care services. GAO [Government Accountability Office] has previously reported that IHS has not been able to pay for all eligible health care services; however, the resources available to federally operated facilities have recently grown. This report assesses IHS oversight of federal health care facilities' decision-making about the use of funds. GAO reviewed IHS policies and documents; and interviewed IHS officials from headquarters, nine area offices, and three federally operated facilities (two hospitals and one health clinic)."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2020-11
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Rapid Review of Physical Distancing and Alternative Disease Control Measures in South Asia
From the Background:"The COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic continues to be the biggest threat globally with over 3 million cases worldwide and over 200,000 deaths by the end of April 2020. [...] While the burden of disease is higher in higher income countries (given their older populations), their high functioning health care systems and larger social safety net programmes serve to protect their populations. As of 1st May, 2020, South Asia only accounted for about 64,260 reported cases. However, actions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are some of the most extreme globally. These early actions taken by South Asian governments have been effective at slowing the spread of the COVID-19, but are unsustainable. The unprecedented crisis posed by COVID-19 threatens South Asia with its worst economic performance in 40 years, with at least half its countries falling into a deep recession. The sudden disappearance of informal urban service sector jobs and a rise in food prices have created economic hardship, especially for poor and vulnerable people."
Great Britain. HM Government; IDinsight
Nair, Divya; Hariharan, Nisha; Adlakha, Raghav . . .
2020-05-15
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Patients Not Passports: Migrants' Access to Healthcare During the Coronavirus Crisis
From the Executive Summary: "The rapid emergence and development of Covid-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] has thrown the world into a crisis, the likes of which has not been seen in our lifetimes. The crisis has laid bare the UK's structural inequalities and injustices. [...] Our research presents new evidence of the inequalities faced by BAME [Black, Asian and minority ethnic] and migrant communities. We demonstrate how the Government's Hostile Environment immigration policies, along with other barriers, exacerbate these inequalities; and the role they play in preventing migrant and BAME people from accessing healthcare. We have identified urgently needed changes of policy and practice to help prevent deaths and suffering in these communities, which we have outlined [in this report]."
Medact; Migrants Organise; New Economics Foundation
2020-06
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Emergency Relief for Disaster-Damaged Roads and Public Transportation Systems [Updated October 9, 2020]
From the Introduction: "Disaster-damaged roads and public transportation systems are eligible for federal assistance under two U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) programs, the Emergency Relief (ER) Program administered by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Public Transportation ER Program administered by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The two programs have different histories and legal and regulatory authorities, but they share a similar intent and face some of the same issues. For example, there are concerns with both programs about the extent to which federally funded activities should go beyond restoring infrastructure to predisaster conditions, including so-called resilience projects. This report begins by discussing FHWA assistance for the repair and reconstruction of highways and bridges damaged by disasters (such as recent flood events, Western wildfires, and ongoing permanent repairs to damage from the 2017 Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria) or catastrophic failures (such as the I-5 overpass that was critically damaged in 2019 by an over-height truck near Chehalis, WA). The report includes information on the use of ER funds on disaster-damaged federally owned public-use roadways, such as National Park Service roads and U.S. Forest Service roads, under an affiliated program, the Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads Program. This is followed by a discussion of FTA's assistance program, established in 2012, which has provided assistance to public transportation systems on three occasions, once after Hurricane Sandy in 2012, after the 2017 hurricanes, and in 2019 for major declared disasters in 2018."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Kirk, Robert S.; Mallett, William
2020-10-09
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U.S. Foreign Assistance to Latin America and the Caribbean: FY2021 Appropriations [September 4, 2020]
From the Summary: "The United States provides foreign assistance to Latin American and Caribbean countries to support development and other U.S. objectives. U.S. policymakers have emphasized different strategic interests in the region at different times, from combating Soviet influence during the Cold War to promoting democracy and open markets since the 1990s. The Trump Administration has sought to reduce foreign aid significantly and refocus U.S. assistance efforts in the region to address U.S. domestic concerns, such as irregular migration and transnational crime. To date, however, Congress has opted not to adopt many of the Administration's proposals."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Meyer, Peter J.; Martin, Rachel L.
2020-09-04
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Defense Transformation: Background and Oversight Issues for Congress [Updated April 16, 2007]
From the Summary: "The Bush Administration identified transformation as a major goal for the Department of Defense (DOD) soon after taking office, and initially justified many of its proposals for DOD on the grounds that they were needed for defense transformation. Although defense transformation is still discussed in administration defense-policy documents and budget-justification materials, the concept is now less prominent in discussions of U.S. defense policy and programs than it was during the earlier years of the Bush Administration. The Administration's vision for defense transformation calls for placing increased emphasis in U.S. defense planning on the following: irregular warfare, including terrorism, insurgencies, and civil war; potential catastrophic security threats, such as the possession and possible use of weapons of mass destruction by terrorists and rogue states; and potential disruptive events, such as the emergence of new technologies that could undermine current U.S. military advantages. The Administration's vision for defense transformation calls for shifting U.S. military forces toward a greater reliance on joint operations, network-centric warfare, effects-based operations, speed and agility, and precision application of firepower. Transformation could affect the defense industrial base by transferring funding from 'legacy' systems to transformational systems, and from traditional DOD contractors to firms that previously have not done much defense work."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2007-04-16
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Defense Transformation: Background and Oversight Issues for Congress [Updated January 23, 2007]
From the Summary: "The Bush Administration identified transformation as a major goal for the Department of Defense (DOD) soon after taking office, and has justified many of its proposals for DOD on the grounds that they are needed for defense transformation. The issue for Congress is how to take the concept of defense transformation into account in assessing and acting on Administration proposals for DOD. The Administration's vision for defense transformation calls for placing increased emphasis in U.S. defense planning on irregular warfare, including terrorism, insurgencies, and civil war; potential catastrophic security threats, such as the possession and possible use of weapons of mass destruction by terrorists and rogue states; and potential disruptive events, such as the emergence of new technologies that could undermine current U.S. military advantages. The Administration's vision for defense transformation calls for shifting U.S. military forces toward a greater reliance on joint operations, network-centric warfare, effectsbased operations, speed and agility, and precision application of firepower. Transformation could affect the defense industrial base by transferring funding from 'legacy' systems to transformational systems, and from traditional DOD contractors to firms that previously have not done much defense work. Potential oversight issues for Congress regarding defense transformation include the potential for DOD transformation plans to change as a result of Robert Gates succeeding Donald Rumsfeld as Secretary of Defense; the merits of certain elements of DOD's transformation plan; overall leadership and management of transformation; experiments and exercises conducted in support of transformation; measures for creating a culture of innovation viewed as necessary to support transformation; the adequacy of information provided to Congress regarding transformation-related initiatives; and whether the Administration has invoked the term transformation as an all-purpose rhetorical tool for justifying its various proposals for DOD."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
2007-01-23
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Association Between Public Knowledge About COVID-19, Trust in Information Sources, and Adherence to Social Distancing: Cross-Sectional Survey
From the Abstract: "The success of behavioral interventions and policies designed to reduce the impact of the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic depends on how well individuals are informed about both the consequences of infection and the steps that should be taken to reduce the impact of the disease. [...] The aim of this study was to investigate associations between public knowledge about COVID-19, adherence to social distancing, and public trust in government information sources (eg, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), private sources (eg, FOX and CNN [Cable News Network]), and social networks (eg, Facebook and Twitter) to inform future policies related to critical information distribution." This article was originally published on the Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR) Public Health and Surveillance website: [https://publichealth.jmir.org/2020/3/e22060/].
JMIR Publications
Fridman, Ilona; Lucas, Nicole; Henke, Debra . . .
2020-09-15
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Management Advisory Report: A Guide for Assessing Cybersecurity Within the Office of Inspector General Community
From the Executive Summary: "The guide will assist information technology auditors in evaluating the cybersecurity policies, practices, and system security controls implemented to protect Federal computer systems and networks from cyber threats and vulnerabilities. It also cites established policies and guidance that can be used to evaluate critical information technology security controls. Further, the guide provides a foundation for conducting cybersecurity and information systems security-related audits that support Federal Information Security Management Act requirements. The guide is divided into seven sections. The first section outlines Federal agency cybersecurity roles and responsibilities. The second section covers cybersecurity policies and guidance for evaluating critical information technology security controls. The next section focuses on guidance regarding the use of vulnerability assessments and penetration testing Inspector General audit organizations can perform to evaluate the effectiveness of the system security and access controls implemented, and determine how well systems are protected when subject to attacks. The fourth and fifth sections cover information security continuous monitoring and cloud computing respectively. The sixth section consists of program steps for evaluating an agency's cybersecurity program and initiatives. The last section outlines program steps for conducting information system security-related audits and evaluations."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Inspector General
2014-02-24
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Military Review: The Professional Journal of the U.S. Army [September-October 2014]
This September-October 2014 issue of the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center's "Military Review" contains the following articles: "Noncommissioned Officers and Mission Command"; "U.S. Army Physical Readiness Training Protocols"; "Building Partnership Capacity 101: The New Jordan Armed Forces Noncommissioned Officer Corps"; "NCO 2020: A Concept for Self-Paced Learning in the Noncommissioned Officer Education System"; "The Role of Character in Effective Leadership"; "Afghanistan Endgame: Lessons from Cambodia 1973-1975"; "Transformational Stories: How the Weekend Safety Brief Can Be a Forum for the Professional Military Ethic"; "The Importance of Teaching Followership in Professional Military Education"; Macro-Ethics and Tactical Decision Making"; "The Human Domain: The Army's Necessary Push Toward Squishiness"; "Retaining the Warrior Spirit"; and "The Morality of Intervention by Waging Irregular Warfare".
U.S. Army Combined Arms Center
2014
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Current Readiness of the U.S. Forces: Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support of the Committee on Armed Services, United States Senate, One Hundred Eleventh Congress, Second Session, April 14, 2010
From the opening statement of Evan Bayh: "The purpose of today's hearing is to receive testimony on the current readiness of our forces with respect to deployed, deploying, and nondeployed units, and the Services' ability to meet combatant commanders' requirements and respond to unforeseen contingencies. We're all particularly interested in your assessment of strategic risk resulting from the commitment of forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as other areas around the globe. We are also interested in the status of unit reset activities, how you are all managing those vital readiness accounts, your areas of concern, and the impact and expected duration of reset actions on near- and mid-term readiness." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Robert Bird, Joseph I. Liberman, Jack Reed, Peter W. Chiarelli, James F. Greenert, and Carrol H. Chandler.
United States. Government Printing Office
2011
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Agency and the Hill: CIA's Relationship with Congress, 1946-2004
"This is a study of the CIA's relationship with Congress. It encompasses the period from the creation of the Agency until 2004--the era of the DCIs. When Congress created a new position in December 2004--the director of national intelligence--to supersede the director of central intelligence (DCI) as head of the US Intelligence Community, it necessarily changed the dynamic between the CIA and the Congress. While the director of the Agency would continue to represent its interests on Capitol Hill, he or she would no longer speak as the head of US intelligence. While 2008 is too early to assess how this change will affect the Agency's relationship with Congress, it is safe to say it will never be quite the same. This study is not organized as one might expect. It does not describe what occurred between the Agency and Congress in chronological order nor does it purport to describe every interaction that occurred over the period encompassed by the study. Rather it attempts to describe what the relationship was like over time and then look at what it produced in seven discrete areas. I took this approach for several reasons. First, I found that telling the story in chronological sequence tended to obscure the lessons of the past, rather than illuminate them. Taking everything at once and bringing it forward made it more difficult to discern what was happening. The forest obscured the trees, if you will."
United States. Central Intelligence Agency
2008
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Wide Area Stabilization of Radiological Particulate Contamination
"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security developed radiological decontamination and early phase waste management methods in support of first responders. This work was conducted to study the containment of radiological particle contamination, to develop best practices for gross decontamination and mitigation following a radiological incident, to develop guidance for early phase storage of radiological waste, and based on information gained in the first three work areas, to develop an easy-to-use mobile device application that could be leveraged by first responders for technical information, preparedness activities, and operational use during a response and recovery. The current study determined the containment technologies that meet the needs for the early
phase application responding to a wide area radiological incident."
United States. Environmental Protection Agency
2017-01
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Succession Planning in Homeland Security- How Can We Ensure the Effective Transfer of Knowledge to a New Generation of Employees?
From the thesis abstract: "In the past five years, the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) has seen the mass retirements of tenured, experienced personnel and the hiring of new generations. Because a large percentage of the department is currently eligible for retirement, this trend will continue over the next five to seven years. The drain of experience and knowledge will directly affect the operational capabilities of the department, as well as our nation's homeland security. Through the use of case studies, the research will examine how the LAFD can maximize institutional memory, and transfer this knowledge to a new generation of employees. The practical significance of this project is to 1) identify the challenges of current succession planning of the LAFD; 2) identify solutions to these challenges through evaluating precedent cases; and 3) develop a conceptual and tailored succession planning guide based on identified solutions. In today's world, the workforce is an organization's most important asset, often differentiating highly successful agencies from those that struggle. By developing a succession planning guide that focuses on assessment, development, identification and selection, organizations can align its goals with its human capital needs and ensure it can keep pace with the complexities in homeland security."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Butler, Patrick I.
2010-03
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Impact of the June 2012 Derecho on Communications Networks and Services
This report focuses on the Derecho and, principally, its devastating impact on the networks that connect 9-1-1 call centers to people who need help. The report recommends areas for the Commission to consider action to ensure the reliability, resiliency, and availability of 9-1-1 communications networks.
United States. Federal Communications Commission
2013-01
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Wildland Fire Use: Implementation Procedures Reference Guide
"This document, the 'Wildland Fire Use Implementation Procedures Reference Guide' (2005 Guide) provides direction, guidance, and assistance in implementing the Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy, specifi cally associated with the planning and implementation of wildland fire use, for the National Park Service, USDA Forest Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Land Management."
United States. Department of Agriculture; United States. Department of the Interior
2005-05
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Impact of the June 2012 Derecho on Communications Networks and Services: 'Report and Recommendations'
"In June 2012, portions of the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States experienced a fast-moving, destructive windstorm called a derecho, resulting in twenty-two deaths and leaving millions without electrical power. Unlike hurricanes and superstorms, which are generally well-forecast, derechos are more like earthquakes, tornados, and man-made events for which there is little-to-no advance notice and opportunity to prepare. The 2012 derecho severely disrupted 9-1-1-related communications. Seventy-seven 9-1-1 call centers (also known as 'Public Safety Answering Points' or 'PSAPs') serving more than 3.6 million people in six states lost some degree of connectivity, including vital information on the location of 9-1-1 calls, mostly due to service provider network problems. From isolated breakdowns in Ohio, New Jersey, Maryland, and Indiana, to systemic failures in northern Virginia and West Virginia, 9-1-1 systems and services were partially or completely down for up to several days. Seventeen PSAPs in three states lost service completely, affecting the ability of more than 2 million people to reach 9-1-1 at all. Even in the context of a storm like the derecho, a large-scale failure of communications -- particularly 9-1-1-related communications -- is unacceptable, and action must be taken to prevent similar outages in the future."
United States. Federal Communications Commission
2013-01
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U.S. International Broadcasting: -Is Anybody Listening?- Keeping the U.S. Connected, Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Eleventh Congress, Second Session, June 9, 2010
"American Public Diplomacy has always addressed two audiences. One audience views the United States positively, as a democracy based on the free flow of information, the freedom of expression, civic discourse and active citizen participation in government. This group will more often than not be supportive of U.S. actions and initiatives, or at least give us the benefit of the doubt. Members of the second group believe that these strengths are, instead, weaknesses and are predisposed to assume the worst about America; they reject--or worse, attack--us as a result. Successful Public Diplomacy (PD) keeps the first group engaged and increases its numbers while reducing the size and impact of the second. Impacting both groups are not only the actions, images and words of our own Nation, but fierce competition from other nations whose own interests may or may not agree with our own. One of our major tools for connecting with these audiences is through people-to-people exchanges; another is international broadcasting. Once thought of only in terms of short-wave radio broadcasts to dissidents huddled late-night over their radios, recent technological advancements and improving standards of living have seen a virtual explosion of other communication outlets, from the greater use of FM radio to television, the Internet, social media and cell phone technology. All this has, on the one hand, greatly expanded the potential audience, but on the other greatly strained our broadcasters' ability and budgets to reach them."
United States. Government Printing Office
2010
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CTC Sentinel [May 2012]
This May 2012 issue of the U.S. Military Academy's Combating Terrorism Center (CTC) Sentinel features the following articles: "The Abbottabad Documents: Bin Ladin's Security Measures" by Liam Collins; "The Evidence of Jihadist Activity in Syria" by Brian Fishman; "The Arab Spring and its Influence on Al-Qa`ida" by Bruce Hoffman; "Are Jihadist Groups Shifting Their Focus from the Far Enemy?" by Philip Mudd; "The Abbottabad Documents: Bin Ladin's Cautious Strategy in Yemen" by Gabriel Koehler-Derrick; "The Abbottabad Documents: The Quiet Ascent of Adam Gadahn" by Brian Dodwell; and "The Threat from Swarm Attacks:
Case Studies from the North Caucasus" by Cerwyn Moore.
Combating Terrorism Center (U.S.)
2012-05
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Combating Ebola in West Africa: The International Response: Hearing Before the Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, Second Session, November 13, 2014
This is the November 13, 2014 hearing on "Combating Ebola in West Africa: The International Response," held before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. From the opening statement of Ed Royce: "We have had Ebola crises in the past. We have seen this situation in the Philippines, in Congo, Uganda, but never have we seen it on the scale, with the reach that this current epidemic has in Guinea and Liberia and in Sierra Leone. There are 14,000 cases on record, there are 5,000 people who have died, there are thousands of children at this time who have been orphaned, and these numbers are very shocking, and the numbers are growing. What has worked in the past to block Ebola, obviously, is breaking the chain of transmission. But without us doing that, Ebola will continue to spill across borders, and economies will be devastated in Africa. Governments will fail. Tens of thousands will die. And that is no exaggeration, and that means that this isn't just a problem for west Africa, but a problem with far-reaching health and economic and security consequences for the globe." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Rajiv Shah, Bisa Williams, Michael D. Lumpkin, James Lariviere, and Nadja Y. West.
United States. Government Printing Office
2014
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Sampling, Laboratory and Data Considerations for Microbial Data Collected in the Field
"In-order to collect the data necessary to assess the efficacy of remediation efforts following a microbiological contamination incident, a well-defined and thorough sampling and analysis plan (SAP) needs to be developed and implemented. This document summarizes elements that should be considered when planning, developing and implementing a sampling and analysis plan (SAP) for microbiological contamination incidents in which the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would be responsible for supporting sampling and analysis. It is intended to be an informational companion to users of the EPA's Microbiological Sampling and Analysis Plan (MicroSAP) tool. The MicroSAP is an online tool which steps users through development of SAPs for microbiological contamination incidents for the following sampling stages; site characterization sampling, verification sampling, waste characterization sampling, and post-decontamination sampling. This document includes considerations for: lines of evidence (Section 2.0); field sampling (Section 3.0); laboratory analyses and reporting (Section 4.0); and data quality assessment and interpretation (Section 5.0)."
United States. Environmental Protection Agency. Office of Research and Development
Silvestri, Erin; Hall, Kathy; Chambers-Velarde, Yildiz . . .
2018-07
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Managing the Reputation of DHS and Its Components
"The Department of Homeland Security and some of its components have gained less than favorable reputations since DHS was stood up in 2003. Based upon the available literature on reputation and upon data collected from a Delphi survey of public affairs officers within DHS and its components, this thesis addresses the value, measurement, and management of reputation for DHS and its components. It also looks at the relationship between the reputation of DHS and that of its components. This thesis shows that reputation has a strong impact on such areas as public trust, Congressional funding, and employee morale. It offers several recommendations for how DHS and its components can manage their reputations more effectively. These recommendations include understanding the value of reputation, identifying key stakeholders, measuring stakeholders' perceptions, and addressing 'reputation spillover.' It also adds to the available literature on reputation, which comes primarily from the private sector."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Johnson, Bobbie L.
2009-06
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Maritime Transportation Regulations: Impacts on Safety, Security, Jobs and the Environment, Part 2: Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of Representatives, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, Second Session, March 4, 2014
This is the March 4, 2014 hearing on "Maritime Transportation Regulations: Impacts on Safety, Security, Jobs and the Environment." From the opening statement of Frank A. Lobiondo: "The Subcommittee is meeting today for the second part of our two part hearing to review regulations affecting the maritime industry. Today's hearing will focus on environmental regulations and how such regulations impact the flow of commerce through our ports, and the ability to grow jobs in the maritime sector. [...] The situation only becomes more confusing and burdensome for vessel owners as each individual state adds its own ballast water discharge requirements on top of the EPA's [Environmental Protection Agency] program. Under the EPA's current program, 25 states have added their own differing discharge standards. Some states have laws in place forcing vessel owners to treat their ballast water to a standard for which no technology has yet been invented. The situation is ridiculous. It is completely unreasonable to ask vessel operators to comply with two federal standards and as many as 25 different, contradictory, and unachievable state standards. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House and the Senate on bipartisan legislation to rectify this issue." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Joseph A. Servidio, Michael H. Shapiro, Christopher Grundler, Thomas A. Allegretti, Kathy J. Metcalf, James Roussos, Rod Jones, William Terry, Mary D. Nicholas, and Christopher A. Coakley.
United States. Government Printing Office
2014
