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• Outer Ring of Border Security: DHS's International Security Programs: Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security of the Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, First Session, June 2, 2015

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  This is the June 2, 2015 hearing on "The Outer Ring of Border Security: DHS's International Security Programs," held before the House Committee on Border and Maritime Security. From the opening statement of Candice Miller: "Today the DHS has a large footprint overseas with more than 1,800 people stationed in 77 foreign countries across the globe. I certainly understand that the posting of DHS personnel overseas is a cumbersome process with significant costs. In many cases, it costs more than $500,000 per person each year. Space is limited at many consulates and embassies overseas." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Alan D. Bersin, John Wagner, Lev J. Kubiak, and Rebecca Gambler.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2015
• Fiscal Year 2010 Budget for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Coast Guard, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Border, Maritime, and Global Counterterrorism of the Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives, One Hundred Eleventh Congress, First Session, June 11, 2009

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  From the statement of John Morton: "Although I have been on the job a very short time, I have already been struck by the dedication of our men and women in the field. I have traveled three times, so far, and on each trip I met with, and heard from, our special agents, deportation officers and attorneys. We have some very, very good people, and I hope to support them and assist them in building creative and effective programs. One such program is our work site enforcement program. My goal is to implement a strategy that will both deter employers from hiring unauthorized labor and punish those who knowingly violate the law. To that end we will seek to identify, prosecute and fine employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens, with a particular emphasis on those employers who violate the law on a grand scale, or subject workers to abusive conditions or illegal pay." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Loretta Sanchez, Mark E. Souder, Al Green, Ann Kirkpatrick, Sheila Jackson Lee, Michael McCaul, Bill Pascrell, Thad W. Allen, Jayson P. Ahern, and Bennie G. Thompson.

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2010
• Serial No. 82: Diversity Visa Program and its Susceptibility to Fraud and Abuse: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims of the Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, One Hundred Eighth Congress, Second Session, April 28, 2004

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  Serial No. 82: This hearing before the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims on April 29, 2004, examines the Diversity Visa or (DV) Program. It reviews the history of the program and its implementation. "The DV Program was part of the Immigration Act of 1990. It was designed to increase diversity in the U.S. immigrant population by providing nationals of countries that have had low immigration rates to the United States the opportunity to apply for immigrant visas. Applicants for the DV Program participate in a lottery in which the winners are selected through a computer-generated random drawing. Qualifying winners are issued visas on a first-come, first-served basis. Approximately 50,000 aliens enter under the program annually. Critics argue that the program is susceptible to fraud and manipulation, and that identity fraud is 'endemic.'" Critics also assert that the program poses a danger to national security. These issues are addressed at this hearing. Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: John N. Hostettler, Howard Berman, Steve King, Bob Goodlatte, Sheila Jackson Lee, Anne W. Patterson, Jan Ting, Steven A. Camarota, and Charles Nyaga.

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2004
• Eleven Years Later: Preventing Terrorists from Coming to America, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security of the Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, Second Session, September 11, 2012

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  This is the September 11, 2012 hearing on "Eleven Years Later: Preventing Terrorists from Coming to America," held before the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security. From the opening statement of Candice S. Miller: "Good morning, everyone. The Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security will come to order. The subcommittee is meeting today to examine the Department of Homeland Security's ability to prevent terrorists from traveling to the United States. We have an excellent panel of witnesses. I would just remind the committee, though, and the witnesses as well, obviously in remembrance of this day, 9/11, 11 years ago, we have some pictures on the back of this committee room which remind us all, each and every day, of why this committee was even formed, the main committee and certainly our subcommittees as well. […] Among the most important weaknesses the attackers exploited was the porous outer ring of border security. The hijackers actually passed through United States Border Security a combined total of 68 times. The relative ease with which the terrorists evaded detection by presenting fraudulent documentation, passports, and made detectable false statements on visa applications, gave false statements to border officials, and certainly the failure to watch lists with known al-Qaeda operatives became missed opportunities to stop those attacks. It has highlighted certainly the need to close the holes exploited by the 9/11 terrorists by strengthening our border security and visa issuance policy. Curtailing the ability of terrorists to travel to the United States can be one of the most effective counter-terrorism tools, because denying terrorists the freedom to travel essentially eliminates their ability to plan or to exercise or to carry out attacks on our homeland." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Candice S. Miller, Henry Cuellar, Kelli Ann Walther, Kevin McAleenan, John P. Woods, Edward J. Ramotowski, Charles K. Edwards, and Bennie G. Thompson.

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2013
• Shortfalls of the 1986 Immigration Reform Legislation, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law of the Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, One Hundred Tenth Congress, First Session, April 19, 2007

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  From the opening statement of Zoe Lofgren: "Our opening hearing on comprehensive immigration reform at Ellis Island provided us with an analysis of immigration in the United States in the past and present and with an eye to the future to help us better understand the need for comprehensive immigration reform. [...] I very much look forward to the testimony of the expert witnesses here to help us as we develop the appropriate ingredients for comprehensive immigration reform. Although IRCA was certainly a well-intentioned attempt to resolve the problem of illegal immigration, we now have what many experts tell us is 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States 21 years after IRCA [Immigration Reform and Control Act] was signed into law by President Reagan. It is clear that any attempt at immigration reform today should be informed by the actual results of past efforts and not resulting in an additional 12 million undocumented immigrants 20 years from now. This hearing is to learn what went wrong and how we in Congress can fix our broken immigration system now and for the future. We hope with this and other hearings to learn what legislation is necessary to end illegal immigration once and for all. That is what comprehensive immigration reform is all about." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Zoe Lofgren, Steve King, John Conyers, Jr., Stephen Pitti, Muzaffar Chishti, Stephen Legomsky, Rosemary Jenks, Shelia Jackson Lee, Elton Gallegly, study entitled 'The Underground Labor Force is Rising to the Surface,' by Robert Justich and Betty Ng, Study entitled 'The Fiscal Cost of Low-Skill Households to the U.S. Taxpayer,' by Robert Rector, Christine Kim and Shanea Watkins, and an article entitled 'Enacting Immigration Reform, Again,' by Romano Mazzoli and Alan S. Simpson.

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2007
• Alien Removals under Operation Predator, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims of the Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, One Hundred Eighth Congress, Second Session, March 4, 2004

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  From the opening statement of John N. Hostettler: "Operation Predator is an initiative Mr. Garcia launched on July 9, 2003, to identify alien child predators and remove them from the United States. As part of this operation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is working with State and local police to help arrest alien predators and apprehend smugglers of children. ICE is prioritizing for removal aliens already convicted of sex offenses, as well as identifying alien sex offenders in prisons around the country so that they can be removed upon release. The Subcommittee will examine these components of Operation Predator in more detail to see how ICE has taken the lead in protecting our children from harm. We will also examine how this Subcommittee may further empower ICE in ridding the country of alien predators of child sex crimes."

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2004
• Role of Immigration in Strengthening America's Economy, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law of the Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, One Hundred Eleventh Congress, Second Session, September 30, 2010

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  From the testimony of Michael R. Bloomberg: "Our system of immigration I think it is fair to say is broken, I think it is undermining our economy. It is slowing our recovery and really is hurting millions of Americans, and we just have to fix it. And I do believe that this is an issue where Republicans and Democrats can come together and Independents as well to find common ground. That has been our experience in forming what we call the Partnership for a New American Economy that Rupert Murdoch and I have started of business people and mayors around this country. We have members of every political background. We believe that immigration reform needs to become a top national priority, and we are urging members of both parties to help us shift the debate away from emotions and toward economics because the economics couldn't be any clearer. Many studies have analyzed the economic impact of immigration. I will just touch briefly on seven key areas that come out of that data." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Zoe Lofgren, Steve King, Lamar Smith, Anthony D. Weiner, Rupert Murdoch, Jeff Moseley, and Steven A. Camarota.

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2010
• Immigration and Customs Enforcement: Customs and Border Protection FY18 Budget Request, Hearing before the Homeland Security Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, United States House of Representatives, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, June 13, 2017

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  This is the June 13, 2017 hearing on "Immigration and Customs Enforcement & Customs and Border Protection FY18 Budget Request," held before the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Homeland Security. From the opening statement of John Carter: "Let me state at the outset that I support the proposed budget increases for both CBP and ICE. Thankfully, illegal migration is down. However, the border is still vulnerable and gaining operational control remains an imperative. In my opinion, technology solutions that improve situational awareness, and infrastructure that slows illegal crossings, make the country safer." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: John Carter, Thomas D. Homan, John P. Wagner, and Carla L. Provost.

  United States. Congress. House. Committee on Appropriations
• Hearing on Americans Detained in Iran and Markup of H. Res. 233, Expressing the Sense of the House of Representatives That Iran Should Immediately Release the Three United States Citizens It Holds, as Well as Provide All Known Information on Any United States Citizens That Have Disappeared Within Its Borders: Hearing and Markup Before the Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, First Session, June 2, 2015

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  This is the June 2, 2015 hearing on "Americans Detained in Iran and Markup of H. Res. 233," held before the U.S. Senate/House Committee on Foreign Affairs. From the opening statement of Edward Royce: "Each of these tragic cases is unique, but they each demonstrate Iran's view of the United States, which is one of contempt. Washington Post editor, Martin Baron, wrote last week, ''There is no justice in this system, not an ounce of it. Iran is making a statement about its values in the disgraceful treatment of our colleague.'' This is, by the way, I would point out, a country that regularly holds these ''Death to America'' rallies. " Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Ali Rezaian, Naghmeh Abedini, Sarah Hekmati, and Daniel Levinson.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2015
• Preventing Crime: What Works, What Doesn't, What's Promising

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  "Many crime prevention programs work. Others don't. Most programs have not yet been evaluated with enough scientific evidence to draw conclusions. Enough evidence is available, however, to create provisional lists of what works, what doesn't, and what's promising. Those lists will grow more quickly if the Nation invests more resources in scientific evaluations to hold all crime prevention programs accountable for their results. These are the major conclusions of a 1997 report to Congress, which was based on a systematic review of more than 500 scientific evaluations of crime prevention practices. This Research in Brief summarizes the research methods and conclusions found in that report. In 1996, a Federal law required the U.S. Attorney General to provide Congress with an independent review of the effectiveness of State and local crime prevention assistance programs funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, 'with special emphasis on factors that relate to juvenile crime and the effect of these programs on youth violence.' The law required that the review 'employ rigorous and scientifically recognized standards and methodologies.'"

  National Institute of Justice (U.S.)

  Sherman, Lawrence W.; Gottfredson, Denise C.; MacKenzie, Doris L. . . .

  1998-07
• James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2009, Joint Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law and the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties of the Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, One Hundred Eleventh Congress, First Session on H.R. 847, March 31, 2009

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  From the opening statement of Jerrold Nadler: "Today, these two Subcommittees will investigate the status of compensation for the tens of thousands of people who are suffering because of the collapse of the World Trade Center after the terrorist attack on 9/11. Last year, we held a hearing that examined the possible mechanisms that could be used to compensate those suffering from 9/11- related health effects. And this year, we have a bill, H.R. 847, the 'James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2009,' which I believe provides the best avenue to making our first responders, area residents, workers, students and others whole." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Zoe Lofgren, Jerrold Nadler, F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr., Steve King, John Conyers, Jr., Kenneth R. Feinberg, Barbara Burnette, James Melius, Christine LaSala, Michael A. Cardozo, Theodore H. Frank, Richard Wood, and Christine C. Quinn.

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2009
• United States-Japan Joint Statement toward a World without Nuclear Weapons [November 13, 2009]

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  On November 13, 2009, the governments of Japan and the United States issued a statement toward a world without nuclear weapons. From the statement: "The Government of the United States of America and the Government of Japan welcome the renewed international attention and commitment to achieve the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons and confirm their determination to realize such a world. They welcome, in this context, the recent United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Summit on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Nuclear Disarmament and UNSC Resolutions 1540 and 1887, as well as the resolution of the Government of Japan, co-sponsored by the Government of the United States, to the United Nations General Assembly entitled 'Renewed determination towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons.' Recognizing the challenge to achieve total elimination of nuclear weapons, the Government of the United States and the Government of Japan plan to work actively to create conditions for achieving this objective. They express their determination to take the following practical steps on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, in a way that promotes international stability and security while ensuring that those steps do not in any way diminish the national security of Japan or the United States of America and its allies?" The press release also briefly discussed the following: nuclear disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and nuclear security.

  United States. Office of the White House Press Secretary

  2009-11-13
• Statement by the Press Secretary on H.R. 730 [February 16, 2010]

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  This February 16, 2010 press release states that President Obama has "signed into law H.R. 730, the 'Nuclear Forensics and Attribution Act.'"

  United States. Office of the White House Press Secretary

  2010-02-16
• Presidential Decision Directive: Nuclear Scientific and Technical Cooperation with Russia Related to Stockpile Safety and security and comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) Monitoring and Verification

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  From the Document: "This Presidential Decision Directive establishes and directs the implementation of U.S. policy on nuclear scientific and technical cooperation with Russia related to stockpile safety and security and Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) monitoring and verification."

  United States. White House Office; National Security Council (U.S.)

  1996-03-21
• Augmented Reality (AR) Usability Evaluation Framework: The Case of Public Safety Communications Research

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  From the Abstract: "Augmented Reality (AR) is an enhanced version of reality created by the use of technology to overlay digital information on an image of something being viewed through a device. AR solutions have potential uses in many fields such as education, healthcare, retail, repair/maintenance, manufacturing, and gaming. Any well-conducted and well-planned product development project should follow an iterative human-centered process. [...] This report provides a five-component AR Usability Evaluation Framework to facilitate systematic planning of usability evaluations to ensure successful evaluations and collection of useful usability data for product improvement. The five components are: (1) Determine evaluation scope; (2) Identify users and context of use; (3) Develop evaluation scenario and tasks; (4) Select applicable usability metrics; and (5) Define usability measures for selected metrics. Following this framework to conduct usability evaluations throughout development cycle will help reduce development cost and bring the AR solutions to market faster, while providing usable products that are easy, quick, comfortable, and safe to use."

  National Institute of Standards and Technology (U.S.)

  Choong, Yee-Yin; Goad, Kurtis; Mangold, Kevin

  2022-04
• Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR Part 587, General License No. 27: Certain Transactions in Support of Nongovernmental Organizations' Activities

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  From the Document: "Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this general license, all transactions ordinarily incident and necessary to the activities described in paragraph (b) by nongovernmental organizations that are prohibited by the Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR [Code of Federal Regulations] part 587 (RuHSR), are authorized, provided that the only involvement of blocked persons is the processing of funds by financial institutions blocked pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14024."

  United States. Office of Foreign Assets Control

  Gacki, Andrea M.

  2022-04-19
• Viewpoints in Homeland Defense and Security: Thesis Series: Regulating Hawala: Thwarting Terrorism or Jeopardizing Stability? [video]

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  From the Video Description: "NPS-CHDS [Naval Postgraduate School-Center for Homeland Defense and Security] master's graduate Monika Mali (MA1803/1804), Transportation Security Inspector at the Transportation Security Administration [hyperlink], talks about her thesis which uses the case study method to investigate the unintended consequences that have resulted from the United States' efforts to deter criminal abuses of hawala. It explores the illegitimate and legitimate uses of hawala in Africa and the Middle East in the post-9/11 era. Despite extensive regulatory blocks, hawala has been a key financial node for the Taliban, Islamic State, and al-Shabaab. On the other hand, hawala serves as a lifeline for victims of terrorism in Africa and the Middle East. Any disruption in service jeopardizes their survival and protection. This study identifies how regulatory action has caused financial exclusion and is counterproductive to the United States' anti-money laundering efforts and campaigns against terrorism financing. Practices like de-risking encourage the growth of alternative money transfer systems. This assessment concludes with a recommendation to use mobile money platforms to reinvigorate the formal financial sector and promote financial inclusion. Mobile hawalas are already leveraging digital delivery channels and have gained rapid momentum. In lieu of further regulatory action, Western institutions can employ these emerging technologies to transform into more adaptive and advantageous competitors of hawala and avoid compromising the essential service it provides." The duration of this video is 12 minutes and 10 seconds. The complete thesis can be accessed at the following web address: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=834586].

  Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security

  Mali, Monika

  2020-07-15
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications Ben Rhodes, and Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Russian Affairs Michael Mcfaul [April 8, 2010]

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  In this press release from April 8, 2010, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications Ben Rhodes, and Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Russian Affairs Michael Mcfaul answered questions regarding current US-Russia relations, including the Strategic Threat Arms Reduction Treaty (START), the security of nuclear materials and the Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), and the situation in Kyrgyzstan.

  United States. Office of the White House Press Secretary

  2010-04-08
• Briefing by Secretary Clinton, Secretary Gates, Admiral Mullen on the Announcement of the New START Treaty [March 26, 2010]

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  In this press release from March 26, 2010, Secretary Clinton, Admiral Mullen, and Secretary Gates gave remarks announcing the new Strategic Threat Arms Reduction Treaty (START). A question and answer period follows which covers questions with regards to the Treaty and some of its implications for national security.

  United States. Office of the White House Press Secretary

  2010-03-26
• Presidential Decision Directive: U.S. Nuclear Posture and Policy on Nuclear Arms Control Beyond the START I and START II Treaties

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  From the Document: "This Presidential Decision Directive establishes and directs the implementation U.S. nuclear posture and policy on nuclear arms control beyond the START [Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty] I and START II Treaties."

  United States. White House Office; National Security Council (U.S.)

  1994-09-21
• Remarks by the President on the Announcement of New START Treaty [March 26, 2010]

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  In his remarks on March 26, 2010, regarding the conclusion of negotiations on the new START [Strategic Arms Reduction] Treaty, President Obama briefly discussed the process, his administration's efforts to "reset" the relationship between the United States and Russia, and broadly discussed the text of the treaty and what it will accomplish.

  United States. Office of the White House Press Secretary

  Obama, Barack

  2010-03-26
• Key Facts about the New START Treaty [March 26, 2010]

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  According to this March 26, 2010 White House press release: "the New START [Strategic Arms Reduction] Treaty is organized in three tiers of increasing level of detail. The first tier is the Treaty text itself. The second tier consists of a Protocol to the Treaty, which contains additional rights and obligations associated with Treaty provisions. The basic rights and obligations are contained in these two documents. The third tier consists of Technical Annexes to the Protocol. All three tiers will be legally binding. The Protocol and Annexes will be integral parts of the Treaty and thus submitted to the U.S. Senate for its advice and consent to ratification."

  United States. Office of the White House Press Secretary

  2010-03-26
• Statement from the President Regarding North Korea [May 25, 2009]

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  From the statement of the U.S. President regarding North Korea: "Today [May 25, 2009], North Korea said that it has conducted a nuclear test in violation of international law. It appears to also have attempted a short range missile launch. These actions, while not a surprise given its statements and actions to date, are a matter of grave concern to all nations. North Korea's attempts to develop nuclear weapons, as well as its ballistic missile program, constitute a threat to international peace and security."

  United States. Office of the White House Press Secretary

  Bush, George W. (George Walker), 1946-

  2009-05-25
• President Bush's Statement on House Passage of India Civil Nuclear Cooperation Legislation [July 27, 2007]

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  From the Document: "President Bush commends the House of Representatives for last night's passage of landmark legislation to enable U.S. civil nuclear cooperation with India. This historic action by the House of Representatives is another important step toward building a new strategic partnership between the United States and India, the world's oldest and largest democracies. The U.S.-India civil nuclear cooperation initiative will help India generate more nuclear power to meet its enormous energy needs in a manner that does not increase greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, or increase demand on global oil and gas supplies. This initiative also advances U.S. nonproliferation objectives by bringing India into the international nonproliferation mainstream. The President urges the Senate to act expeditiously to pass companion legislation to enable this important initiative to become a reality."

  United States. Office of the White House Press Secretary

  2006-07-27
• Viewpoints in Homeland Defense and Security: Thesis Series: Civil Rights Auditors: Defining Reasonable Time, Place, and Manner Restrictions on First Amendment Activities [video]

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  From the Video Description: "NPS-CHDS [Naval Postgraduate School-Center for Homeland Defense and Security] master's graduate Gary Cummings (MA1803/1804), Lieutenant at the Garland Police Department [hyperlink], talks about how police increasingly encounter citizens who challenge constitutional boundaries between civil rights and police power. These so-called 'civil rights auditors' and 'copwatchers' record government officials with cell phones or body cameras, while baiting or challenging them to cross constitutional lines established by the First Amendment. An officer reacting incorrectly in these encounters can--through action or inaction--create conflict, loss of police legitimacy, or liability for the officers or their agencies. Preliminary examination of auditor activities and current legal and scholarly works leads to the thesis question: What are reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions to civil liberties with regard to recording police, government property, and the public? Gary conducts a qualitative analysis of 59 auditor videos representing audits around the nation and identifies common tactics and targets among auditors, which provides scenarios for legal analysis and a policy review. This thesis reveals two things. First, auditors are not part of the legal, scholarly, and policy discussions and decision making; and second, through other areas of First Amendment case law, the Supreme Court has developed a framework for First Amendment challenges that directly applies to auditors. Gary applies this framework to the 10 locations commonly targeted by auditors." The duration of this video is 16 minutes and 25 seconds. The complete thesis can be accessed at the following web address: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=834484].

  Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security

  Cummings, Gary D.

  2020-07-15
• Regulating Hawala: Thwarting Terrorism or Jeopardizing Stability?

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  From the Thesis Abstract: "This thesis uses the case study method to investigate the unintended consequences that have resulted from the United States' efforts to deter criminal abuses of hawala. It explores the illegitimate and legitimate uses of hawala in Africa and the Middle East in the post-9/11 era. Despite extensive regulatory blocks, hawala has been a key financial node for the Taliban, Islamic State, and al-Shabaab. On the other hand, hawala serves as a lifeline for victims of terrorism in Africa and the Middle East. Any disruption in service jeopardizes their survival and protection. This study identifies how regulatory action has caused financial exclusion and is counterproductive to the United States' anti-money laundering efforts and campaigns against terrorism financing. Practices like de-risking encourage the growth of alternative money transfer systems. This assessment concludes with a recommendation to use mobile money platforms to reinvigorate the formal financial sector and promote financial inclusion. Mobile hawalas are already leveraging digital delivery channels and have gained rapid momentum. In lieu of further regulatory action, Western institutions can employ these emerging technologies to transform into more adaptive and advantageous competitors of hawala and avoid compromising the essential service it provides." A 12 minute and 10 second interview on this thesis is also available at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=866898].

  Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security

  Mali, Monika

  2019-12
• Transportation Infrastructure: Bridge Conditions, 2005 to 2014, Briefing for Congressional Staff, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, United States House of Representatives, September 22, 2015

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  From the Document: "Bridge safety remains a high-priority issue for our transportation system. Despite recent progress in improving bridge conditions, 10 percent of the nation's 610,000 bridges were considered structurally deficient as of December 2014, according to the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI).[...] In summary, based on 2014 NBI data, the nation has 610,749 bridges. Of those bridges, 23 percent are on the NHS, and this 23 percent comprise 58 percent of the nation's total deck area. Nearly 25 percent of all bridges are deficient, with 10 percent categorized as structurally deficient and 14 percent categorized as functionally obsolete. Of bridges on the NHS, 4 percent are categorized as structurally deficient while 17 percent are categorized as functionally obsolete. State agencies own about half of all bridges and over 90 percent of NHS bridges."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2015-10-29
• Viewpoints in Homeland Defense and Security: Interoperability in the State of Vermont [video]

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  In this Viewpoints interview, "Col. Sonny Schumacher explains his unique role in the state of Vermont - where the expertise of the Vermont National Guard and his personal experience in applying strategic vision to technology-centric issues have been used to assist the state communications board with moving forwards in implementing a successful statewide plan for interoperable communications." The duration of the video is 8 minutes and 22 seconds.

  Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security

  Schumacher, Sonny

  2009-08-17
• Aviation Security: Improved Testing, Evaluation, and Performance Measurement Could Enhance Effectiveness, Statement of Jennifer Grover, Director, Homeland Security and Justice, Testimony Before the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, House of Representatives

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  From the Highlights: "Since the attacks of September 11, 2001 exposed vulnerabilities in the nation's aviation system, billions of dollars have been spent on a wide range of programs designed to enhance aviation security. Continuing fiscal pressure highlights the need for DHS's TSA [Transportation Security Administration], the primary federal agency responsible for aviation security, to allocate its finite resources for the greatest impact. This testimony addresses the extent to which TSA has (1) evaluated the overall effectiveness of new technologies, programs, and processes using robust methods of testing and evaluation, (2) established performance measures that fully reflect program goals, and (3) used program data to identify opportunities for improvement. This statement is based on findings from GAO [Government Accountability Office] reports and testimonies issued from January 2013 through June 2015, with selected updates conducted from April 2015 through October 2015 to, among other things, determine progress made in implementing previous GAO recommendations. For prior work, GAO analyzed TSA policy documents and interviewed TSA officials, among other things. For the updates, GAO reviewed documents and followed up with TSA officials about actions to address GAO recommendations. GAO has previously made recommendations to DHS to strengthen TSA's aviation security programs. DHS generally agreed and has either addressed or has actions underway to address most of them. Consequently, GAO is not making new recommendations in this testimony."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2015-11-03
• Surface Transportation Security: TSA Has Taken Steps Designed to Develop Processes for Sharing and Analyzing Information and to Improve Rail Security Incident Reporting, Statement of Jennifer Grover, Director, Homeland Security and Justice, Testimony Before the Subcommittees on Transportation Security and Counterterrorism and Intelligence, Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives

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  From the Highlights: "The U.S. surface transportation system's size and importance to the country's safety, security, and economic well-being make it an attractive target for terrorists. Within the federal government, TSA [Transportation Security Administration]-a component of the Department of Homeland Security-is the primary federal agency responsible for overseeing and enhancing the security of the surface transportation system. A key component of this responsibility is ensuring that security-related information is collected, analyzed, and shared effectively across all modes, including rail. In 2008, TSA issued a regulation requiring U.S. passenger rail agencies to report all potential threats and significant security concerns to TSA, among other things. This testimony addresses the extent to which TSA has (1) developed systematic processes for integrating stakeholder feedback about security-related information it provides and analyzing trends in reported rail security incidents and (2) ensured consistent implementation of rail security incident reporting requirements. This statement is based on related GAO [Government Accountability Office] reports issued in June 2014 and December 2012, including selected updates on TSA's efforts to implement GAO's prior recommendations related to rail security and information sharing. For the selected updates, GAO reviewed related documentation, including tools TSA developed to provide oversight. GAO also interviewed TSA officials."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2015-09-17