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EMR-ISAC: InfoGram, Volume 18 Issue 30, July 26, 2018
The Emergency Management and Response Information Sharing and Analysis Center's (EMR-ISAC) InfoGram is a weekly publication of information concerning the protection of critical infrastructures relevant to members of the Emergency Services Sector. This issue includes the following articles: "Pipeline emergencies toolkit for volunteer fire departments"; "9-1-1 response to active shooter incidents"; "FEMA releases 2017 Hurricane After-Action Report" ; and "Online briefings: Russian Activity Against Critical Infrastructure".
Emergency Management and Response-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (U.S.)
2018-07-26
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Firefighter Burnout and Workplace Safety
"Are firefighters who show symptoms of burnout less likely to follow safety procedures? A team of researchers recently set out to learn if burnout impacted a firefighter's ability to follow required safe work practices, care for and safely use personal protective equipment (PPE), and communicate and report safety concerns. The team also wanted to assess the direct effects that work stress and work-family conflict have on burnout."
United States Fire Administration
2018-07-26
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Most Complaints About CBP's Polygraph Program Are Ambiguous or Unfounded
"Although CBP [Customs and Border Protection] had controls over its polygraph examination process, a key control over its review and approval process was not always operating as intended. Specifically, in a small number of cases, the polygraph quality control program may not have always conducted independent and objective reviews (blind reviews) of polygraph examination results, as required. During the audit, CBP addressed our concerns and updated its quality control procedures. These updated procedures -- finalized in September 2017 -- require independent and objective quality control reviews. We also determined that 96 percent of the complaints we reviewed were unfounded or ambiguous. However, CBP did not have a formal complaint review process, which led to inconsistent and subjective reviews. This approach risks not finding or properly addressing issues contained in the complaints."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Inspector General
2018-07-26
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H. Rept. 115-877: Resolution Directing the Secretary of Homeland Security to Transmit Certain Documents to the House of Representatives Relating to the Border Security Policies, Procedures, and Activities as Such Relate to the Interdiction of Families by the U.S. Border Patrol Between Ports of Entry, Adverse Report Together with Dissenting Views to Accompany H. Res. 1005, July 26, 2018
From the Purpose and Summary: "On July 19, 2018, Representative Bennie G. Thompson of Mississippi introduced H. Res. 1005, a non-binding resolution of inquiry directing the Secretary of Homeland Security to transmit certain documents to the House of Representatives relating to the border security policies, procedures, and activities as such relate to the interdiction of families by the U.S. Border Patrol between ports of entry."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2018-07-26
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Defense Agreement Between the United States of America and Qatar
This document contains the series of notes and exchanges between the United States and Qatar which have culminated in a standing defense agreement. The document contains notes exchanged in Doha for March 13, 2017, February 14, 2018, and July 26, 2018.
United States. Department of State
2018-07-26
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Department of Homeland Security: Comprehensive Plan for Immigration Data Improvement (Fiscal Year 2017 Report to Congress)
"The ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] mission is to protect America from the crossborder crime and illegal immigration that threaten national security and public safety. This mission is executed through the enforcement of more than 400 federal statutes and focuses on smart immigration enforcement, preventing terrorism, and combating the illegal movement of people and goods. In response to the congressional concerns as outlined in Senate Report 114-264, which accompanies the FY 2017 DHS Appropriations Act (P.L. 115-31), ICE presents this Comprehensive Plan for Immigration Data Improvement (hereafter referenced to as the Plan). The Plan builds on activities already underway in FY 2016 and takes a multifaceted approach that involves: 1) creating an agency-level information governance organization, 2) modernizing critical immigration information technology (IT) systems, and 3) engaging with federal partners in the immigration data domain. By identifying both short- and long-term actions, ICE believes that the Plan addresses the concerns of the committees and shows a clear strategy to achieving success. To improve ICE immigration data, all of the following offices at ICE will contribute to the execution of the Plan: Enforcement and Removal Operations, Homeland Security Investigations, Information Governance and Privacy, the Office of the Chief Information Officer, and the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor. ICE also will coordinate its efforts for improvements with the DHS Office of Immigration Statistics (OIS) across all facets of the Plan."
United States. Department of Homeland Security; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
2018-07-26
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Federal Prize Competitions [July 25, 2018]
"Prize competitions are a tool for incentivizing the achievement of scientific and technological innovation by offering monetary and non-monetary benefits (e.g., recognition) to competition participants. Prize competitions have a long history of use in both the public and private sectors, but have gained popularity in recent years. Experts view federal prize competitions as an alternative policy instrument for spurring innovation, not a substitute for more traditional methods of federal support for research and innovation such as competitive research grants and procurement contracts. [...] Despite an increase in the use of federal prize competitions, there is limited information on their effectiveness and impact in spurring innovation and providing other potential benefits to the federal government. Members of Congress may wish to examine the ability of prize competitions to spur innovation in comparison to more traditional policy tools (e.g., grants and contracts); the cost effectiveness of prize competitions; the metrics federal agencies are using to evaluate the success of federal prize competitions; and the capability of federal agencies to appropriately design and administer prize competitions."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Gallo, Marcy E.
2018-07-25
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Trump Administration Reform and Reorganization Plan: Discussion of 35 'Government - Wide' Proposals
"This memorandum provides a brief summary and some preliminary analysis of the Donald J. Trump Administration's recent proposals to restructure and reform agencies, programs, and operations in the executive branch. Specifically, the memorandum covers the 32 proposals characterized by the Trump Administration as 'Government-wide.' The 32 proposals include several sub-proposals, which, when enumerated separately as they are in this memorandum, bring the total to 35. The analysis of each proposal includes, to the extent possible, a discussion of statutes that might be involved in the proposed changes, and whether some changes might be achieved through administrative action. The memorandum includes research and writing of analysts and information professionals from across the Congressional Research Service (CRS)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hogue, Henry B.; Brass, Clinton T.
2018-07-25
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Cyprus [July 25, 2018]
"The island of Cyprus is located in the Eastern Mediterranean, 65 miles off the southern coast of Turkey. After gaining independence from Great Britain in 1960, Cyprus's success as a politically stable, united republic began to unravel in 1963 as relations between the Greek Cypriot majority and the Turkish Cypriots deteriorated. In 1964, the Turkish Cypriots, objecting to revisions made to the constitution by the majority, withdrew from most national institutions and began to administer their own affairs. Sporadic, and sometimes intense, intercommunal violence prompted the United Nations Security Council to order a U.N. peacekeeping force to the island. In 1974, a coup against the Greek Cypriot government, intended to unify Cyprus with Greece, led to the deployment of Turkish military forces to northern Cyprus. Since then, the island has been politically and physically divided; the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus governs about two-thirds of the island, and the Turkish Cypriots administer an area in the northern third of the island. In 1983, the Turkish Cypriots declared their independence and established the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The TRNC is recognized only by Turkey."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Morelli, Vincent L.
2018-07-25
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Ebola: Democratic Republic of Congo [July 25, 2018]
"In contrast to the 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak, the WHO response was swift. On the same day that the outbreak was reported, WHO released $2 million from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE), deployed a team to the region, and activated an emergency incident management system. WHO also issued a $57 million appeal to control the outbreak. The international community exceeded the request, having provided $63 million. The largest contributions were provided by Germany (€5 million), United Kingdom (£5 million), and the United States ($5.3 million). Other types of support included in-kind contributions for medical evacuations and intercountry air transport from Norway and the European Union, respectively; technical assistance from Germany, Guinea, the United Kingdom, and the United States; and the provision of vaccines to protect over 3,300 people."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Salaam-Blyther, Tiaji; Chavers, Monyai L.
2018-07-25
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Essential Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh Reader: What Cases Should You Read? [July 25, 2018]
"Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh, whom President Trump has nominated to fill the impending Supreme Court vacancy caused by Justice Anthony M. Kennedy's retirement from the Court, has amassed a voluminous record of judicial writings during his legal career. These writings are certain to be a key topic of interest as the Senate prepares to hold hearings and a possible vote on Judge Kavanaugh's nomination to the High Court. CRS [Congressional Research Service] has published a report, Judicial Opinions of Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh, which provides a tabular listing of every judicial opinion authored by Judge Kavanaugh during his time on the federal bench, briefly describing each opinion (and the contrasting approach taken in any separate judicial opinion authored by another member of the panel on which Judge Kavanaugh served) and the primary legal subject the ruling addresses. While the report provides succinct descriptions of more than 300 judicial opinions authored by Judge Kavanaugh (the overwhelming majority as part of a D.C. Circuit panel, though a handful were authored as part of three-judge district court panels), some of the judicial opinions might be particularly useful to Members, congressional committees, and staff seeking to better understand Judge Kavanaugh's approach to different subjects. The following table, adapted from the larger report, highlights many of Judge Kavanaugh's judicial opinions that have received the greatest degree of attention from legal observers."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Garcia, Michael John
2018-07-25
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Flood Resilience and Risk Reduction: Federal Assistance and Programs [July 25, 2018]
"Recent flood disasters have raised congressional and public interest in not only reducing flood risks, but also improving flood resilience, which is the ability to adapt to, withstand, and rapidly recover from floods. Congress has established various federal programs that may be available to assist U.S. state, local, and territorial entities and tribes in reducing flood risks. Among the most significant current federal programs assisting communities with improvements to reduce their flood risks and improve their flood resilience are (1) programs that assist with infrastructure to reduce flood risks and other flood mitigation activities, and (2) programs of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) that provide incentives to reduce flood risks."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Carter, Nicole T.; Horn, Diane P.; Brown, Jared T. . . .
2018-07-25
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High-Risk Series: Urgent Actions Are Needed to Address Cybersecurity Challenges Facing the Nation, Statement of Gene L. Dodaro, Comptroller General of the United States, Testimony Before the Subcommittees on Government Operations and Information Technology, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, House of Representatives
"Federal agencies and the nation's critical infrastructures--such as energy, transportation systems, communications, and financial services--are dependent on information technology systems to carry out operations. The security of these systems and the data they use is vital to public confidence and national security, prosperity, and well-being. The risks to these systems are increasing as security threats evolve and become more sophisticated. GAO [Government Accountability Office] first designated information security as a government-wide high-risk area in 1997. This was expanded to include protecting cyber critical infrastructure in 2003 and protecting the privacy of personally identifiable information in 2015."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2018-07-25
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Using Innovative Technology and Practices to Enhance the Culture of Preparedness, Testimony of Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Inspector General John V. Kelly Before the Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications, U.S. House of Representatives
"Despite the crucial role of technology, FEMA's IT [Information Technology] systems historically have not fully met mission needs. Major disasters over the past number of years exposed numerous limitations in FEMA's IT infrastructure and system capabilities. We have conducted a series of audits from September 2005 to the present addressing FEMA's use of IT to support its mission operations."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Inspector General
2018-07-25
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Department of Homeland Security Privacy Office Fiscal Year 2018 First Semiannual Report to Congress
From the Foreword: "[This is] the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS or Department) Privacy Office's Fiscal Year 2018 Semiannual Report to Congress, covering the period October 1, 2017 - March 31, 2018. During the reporting period, the Privacy Office: [1] Completed 774 privacy reviews, including 541 Privacy Threshold Analyses, 22 Privacy Impact Assessments, five System of Records Notices, and three Privacy Compliance Reviews. [2] Published its '2017 Annual Report to Congress'. [3] Issued one new and two revised Privacy Policy Instructions on privacy incident prevention and response."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Privacy Office
2018-07-25
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Moldova: An Overview [July 25, 2018]
"Moldova is one of three post-Soviet states, together with Ukraine and Georgia, seeking greater integration with the West as it copes with separatist territories occupied by Russian forces. A small, landlocked state, Moldova is located near the Black Sea between Ukraine and Romania."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Welt, Cory
2018-07-25
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Assessing the State of Federal Cybersecurity Risk Determination, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection of the Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, Second Session, July 25, 2018
This is the July 25, 2018 hearing on "Assessing the State of Federal Cybersecurity Risk Determination," held before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection of the Committee on Homeland Security. From the opening statement of Hon. John Ratcliffe: "The subcommittee is meeting this morning to receive testimony regarding how the Federal Government understands and manages enterprise-wide cybersecurity risks. I now recognize myself for an opening statement. As we convene today, this subcommittee is concerned that the Federal Government is not yet equipped to determine how threat actors seek to gain access to our private information." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Ken Durbin, Summer Fowler, and Ari Schwartz.
United States. Government Publishing Office
2018-07-25
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Resurgence of Chemical Weapons Use: Issues for Congress [July 24, 2018]
"With increasing numbers of incidents, the use of chemical weapons (CW) has become a growing international concern two decades after the international community decided to ban them under the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). The nerve agent sarin and chlorine bombs continue to be used by the Syrian regime on the battlefield in that country's civil war; the Islamic State used mustard gas in that conflict in 2015 and 2016. The nerve agent VX was used to assassinate the brother of the North Korean leader in a Malaysian airport in 2017. Also, an attempted assassination of a former Russian spy in the United Kingdom in March 2018 involved the Soviet-developed 'Novichok' nerve agent. Prior to the Syrian civil war, major use of chemical weapons had not been seen since the 1995 terror attack by the Aum Shinrikyo in Tokyo and by Iraq in the 1980s during its war with Iran. Some argue that recent use and lack of accountability for such incidents undermine the international norm against chemical weapons."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Nikitin, Mary Beth Dunham; Jabbari, Cyrus A.
2018-07-24
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Cyprus: Reunification Proving Elusive [July 24, 2018]
"Almost eight months into 2018, unification talks that were intended to end the division of Cyprus after 54 years as a politically separated nation and 44 years as a physically divided country remain suspended until sometime in fall 2018. The long-sought bizonal, bicommunal, federal solution for the island remains elusive and, for some, looks to be in doubt. The negotiations were suspended in July 2017, when talks held at Crans Montana, Switzerland, between Republic of Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci collapsed over the sensitive issues of Turkish troop levels on the island, future security guarantees, and political equality sought by the Turkish Cypriots. Cyprus negotiations typically have been characterized as exhibiting periodic levels of optimism, quickly tempered by the political reality that difficult times between Greek and Turkish Cypriots always lay ahead. Such was the case at Crans Montana, as the optimism expressed before the negotiations again fell victim to the harsh realities of five decades of separation, mistrust, misunderstanding, and, in some cases, both sides' inability to make the necessary concessions to reach a final settlement."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Morelli, Vincent L.
2018-07-24
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Momentum Toward Peace Talks in Afghanistan? [July 24, 2018]
"Developments in Afghanistan since February 2018, including a potential change in the U.S. stance toward direct talks with the Taliban, have increased the prospects for a negotiated end to the conflict there. In August 2017, President Trump said, 'Someday, after an effective military effort, perhaps it will be possible to have a political settlement that includes elements of the Taliban in Afghanistan, but nobody knows if or when that will ever happen.' In the following months, American military operations intensified, with the number of U.S. troops in the country rising to about 15,000. A flurry of recent official visits to the region signal a possible new emphasis on efforts to settle the war. Many continue to describe the conflict as stalemated. Reports that President Trump (who acknowledged that 'my original instinct was to pull out') 'has expressed his frustration with the war and is desperate to see its end' are a commonly cited explanation for this new push. A grassroots Afghan initiative, which originated in March 2018 in the southern province of Helmand as a protest calling on both sides to lay down arms, spread throughout the country and culminated in a march to Kabul in June, raising expectations for peace talks."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Thomas, Clayton (Analyst in Middle Eastern Affairs)
2018-07-24
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FAMS Needs to Demonstrate How Ground-Based Assignments Contribute to TSA's Mission
"Despite dedicating approximately $272 million to ground-based activities, including Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response (VIPR) operations, FAMS [Federal Air Marshal Service] could not demonstrate how these activities contributed to TSA's [Transportation Security Administration] mission. During our assessment of FAMS' contributions to TSA's layered approach to security, we determined that FAMS lacked performance measures for the 24 strategic initiatives and most ground-based activities outlined in its strategic plan. Additionally, FAMS' VIPR operations performance measures fail to determine the program's effectiveness. FAMS could not provide a budget breakout by operational or divisional area. Without effective performance measures or detailed accounting of funds, FAMS cannot ensure it is maximizing its resources to address its highest risks and cannot measure the value of its investments in these ground-based activities."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Inspector General
2018-07-24
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Strategic Petroleum Reserve: Observations on the Emergency Stockpile, Statement of Statement of Frank Rusco, Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Energy, Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives
"Over 4 decades ago, Congress authorized the SPR [Strategic Petroleum Reserve]--the world's largest government-owned stockpile of emergency crude oil--to reduce the impact of disruptions in supplies of petroleum products. Since 2015, Congress has also mandated sales of SPR oil to fund the modernization of SPR facilities and other national priorities. DOE [Department of Energy] manages the SPR, whose storage and related infrastructure is aging, and has plans to modernize its facilities. As a member of the International Energy Agency, the United States is obligated to maintain reserves equivalent to at least 90 days of the previous year's net imports (imports minus exports). As of March 2018, the SPR held about 665 million barrels of crude oil, about 138 days of net imports. This testimony highlights GAO's [Government Accountability Office] May 2018 report on the SPR, including the extent to which (1) DOE has identified the optimal size of the SPR, and (2) DOE's plans for modernizing the SPR take into account the effects of congressionally mandated crude oil sales. GAO reviewed DOE's documents and studies and interviewed agency officials."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2018-07-24
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Coast Guard Improved Acquisition Portfolio Management Could Help Address Aging Assets and Capability Gaps Statement of Marie A. Mak, Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of Representatives
"The Coast Guard, a component within DHS [Department of Homeland Security], is spending billions of dollars to acquire assets, such as cutters and aircraft. This portfolio of major acquisition programs is intended to help the Coast Guard accomplish its missions--including interdicting illegal drugs and search and rescue missions. GAO's [Government Accountability Office] extensive prior work on Coast Guard acquisitions has found that the Coast Guard's reliance on its annual budget process to manage its portfolio is a major management challenge. In the report issued today, GAO discusses particular challenges with the Coast Guard's approach in managing its acquisition portfolio, such as not performing a collective assessment of the portfolio to ensure affordability"
United States. Government Accountability Office
2018-07-24
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Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the Russian Federation: A Sketch [July 24, 2018]
"The recent indictment by Special Counsel Robert Mueller of twelve Russian intelligence officials for offenses related to interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election raises questions concerning the Russian Federation's obligations to cooperate with U.S. prosecutorial efforts. Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated that assistance could be provided in accordance with the 1999 Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters between the United States and the Russian Federation (U.S.-Russia MLAT), which entered into force in 2002. This Legal Sidebar post provides an overview of mutual legal assistance treaties (MLATs) in general and a sketch of the terms of the U.S.-Russia MLAT in particular."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Elsea, Jennifer
2018-07-24
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H. Rept. 115-871: Veterans Serving Veterans Act of 2018, Report to Accompany H.R. 5938 Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, July 24, 2018
From the Purpose and Summary: "H.R. 5938, as amended, the Veterans Serving Veterans Act, would alleviate staff shortages and provide employment opportunities in the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA's) for transitioning and separated servicemembers. Representative Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon of Puerto Rico introduced H.R. 5938 on May 23, 2018."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2018-07-24
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Reflecting Pool Podcast: Anti-Intellectualism and the Search for Truth [audio]
"We live in a world where information is abundant. But in our search for truth we must be careful. Without carefully curating the quality and rigor of information we receive, its likely that we're only consuming information that appeals to our preconceived worldview, our social identity, or our subconscious biases."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Favre, Greggory J.
2018-07-24
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H. Rept. 115-864, Part 1: Navy SEAL Chief Petty Officer William 'Bill' Mulder (Ret.) Transition Improvement Act of 2018, Report to Accompany H.R. 5649, Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, July 24, 2018
From the Purpose and Summary: "H.R. 5649, as amended, the Navy SEAL Chief Petty Officer William 'Bill' Mulder (Ret.) Transition Improvement Act of 2018, would make improvements to the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) to improve long term outcomes of participants, provide educational assistance for veterans impacted by natural disaster, eliminate the current 12-year delimiting date for use of the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) benefits, and make changes to flight training provided through the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Representative Jodey Arrington of Texas introduced H.R. 5649 on April 27, 2018."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2018-07-24
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PrepTalks: Safety is Personal - Lessons Learned as a Survivor of the Virginia Tech [video]
"In her PrepTalk, Kristina Anderson, founder and executive director of The Koshka Foundation for Safe Schools, begins with her experience during the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007. She translates her experience into a focus on the importance of threat assessments in schools to identify and mitigate potential threats. She explains that it's important to improve physical safety, but it's just as important to encourage people to monitor their environment and to build a supportive culture in a school."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
Anderson, Kristina
2018-07-24
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PrepTalk: Michele Gay 'Rethinking School Safety' [video]
"In her PrepTalk, Michele Gay, a mother of three, former teacher, and co-founder of Safe and Sound Schools, relays her personal experience as the parent of a child killed in the Sandy Hook tragedy in 2012. She highlights some of the simple solutions that students and staff needed during the crisis at Sandy Hook, and presents Safe and Sound Schools' Framework for Comprehensive School Safety Planning and Development: Emergency Management, Community Engagement, Physical Safety, Mental and Behavioral Health, Climate and Culture, and Health and Wellness."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
Gay, Michele
2018-07-24
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Crisis Standards of Care [presentation]
This is a presentation on standards of crisis care from the Department of Health and Human Services: "What is crisis care? [1] Crisis standards of care - systems response including formal government recognition of situation and support for crisis actions - prolonged event; [2] Crisis care - situational - inadequate resources -- must provide 'best care possible' given the situation despite some risks to the patient(s) -- 'much' more common[.]"
United States. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response
2018-07-24
