Advanced search Help
Searching for terms: EXACT: "United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office" in: publisher
Clear all search criteria
Only 2/3! You are seeing results from the Public Collection, not the complete Full Collection. Sign in to search everything (see eligibility).
-
Administration Officials Join Millions of Americans in Public Earthquake Drill [April 28, 2011]
"U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today joined leaders from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), state and local officials, and more than three million Americans across the central United States to participate in the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut--the largest-ever, multi-state earthquake drill to be held in the United States, and the first major drill to take place along the New Madrid Seismic Zone, which was the site of one of the worst earthquakes in U.S. history nearly 200 years ago. 'The devastating storms and tornadoes that have impacted our nation this week are a vivid reminder that disasters of all kinds can strike at any time, and it is vital that all members of our nation's emergency management team--including the American public--are prepared.' said Secretary Napolitano. 'The Great Central U.S. Shakeout exercise will help millions of Americans know how to protect themselves in the event of an earthquake and strengthen the resiliency of communities across the central United States.' 'The safety of our nation's children is everyone's responsibility,' said Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. 'Community leaders, elected officials and educators need to work together to make sure their schools and communities are prepared to respond to earthquakes and other natural disasters.' Secretaries Napolitano and Duncan joined Missouri Governor Jay Nixon to participate in this morning's drill with school officials and students at Carnahan High School of the Future in St. Louis. In total, 2,644 K-12 schools and 117 colleges participated in the ShakeOut, along with businesses, local, state and federal government agencies, child care centers, and many other organizations. Ten states participated in today's drill, including Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Tennessee; Indiana conducted their drill last Tuesday, April 19, 2011."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-04-28
-
Testimony of Director Grayling G. Williams, Office of Counternarcotics Enforcement, Before the House Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Management, 'On the Border and in the Line of Fire: U.S. Law Enforcement, Homeland Security and Drug Cartel Violence' [May 11, 2011]
"Chairman McCaul, Ranking Member Keating, and distinguished Members of the Subcommittee, I am honored to appear before you today to discuss the efforts of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in securing the Southwest border. DHS is committed to protecting our nation's borders from the illegal entry of people, weapons, drugs and contraband, and is continuing to work with our Mexican counterparts to address the violence and criminal activities occurring in Mexico and guard against spillover effects into the United States. As Director of the Office of Counternarcotics Enforcement (CNE), I serve as the primary advisor to the Secretary on counterdrug issues, working closely with the Department's components and the interagency to ensure that our counterdrug efforts are well coordinated and support the Secretary's priorities. CNE works with components to identify and resolve issues impacting the DHS counternarcotics mission, while also supporting the goals identified in the President's National Drug Control Strategy. On behalf of the Secretary, I also serve as an executive agent for the development and implementation of the Administration's National Southwest Border Counternarcotics Strategy, which is produced by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. This strategy is a comprehensive plan that identifies concrete joint actions to improve intelligence and information sharing, enhances interdiction at and between U.S. ports of entry, and provides investigators and prosecutors with the resources and tools necessary to combat transnational criminal organizations."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-05-11
-
Secretaries Napolitano, Duncan Call on School and Colleges to Participate in April Earthquake Drill [April 19, 2011]
"Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan today called on K-12 schools, colleges and universities across the central U.S. -- and throughout the country -- to help their students, faculty and communities prepare for earthquakes by participating in a public earthquake drill on Thursday, April 28, 2011. Eleven states in the New Madrid Seismic Zone are participating in the drill, the 'Great Central U.S. ShakeOut,' which takes place at 10:15 a.m. Central time. Anyone can register to participate, whether at school, at work, or at home; to date, over 2 million Americans have signed up. While similar 'ShakeOut' earthquake drills are frequently conducted by California and other states on an individual basis, this is the first multistate earthquake drill, and the first drill in the central U.S., where many states would be impacted if a major earthquake hit the New Madrid Seismic Zone. Secretaries Duncan and Napolitano made their call to K-12 schools, colleges and universities in a letter sent earlier today."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-04-19
-
Secretary Napolitano Announces Implementation of National Terrorism Advisory System [April 20, 2011]
"Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today will announce the implementation of the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS)--a robust terrorism advisory system that provides timely information to the public about credible terrorist threats and replaces the former color-coded alert system. As part of today's announcement, Secretary Napolitano will release a public guide outlining the new system to the American public, along with an example of an NTAS Alert that would be issued to the public if the government were to receive information about a specific or credible terrorist threat. 'The terrorist threat facing our country has evolved significantly over the past ten years, and in today's environment -- more than ever -- we know that the best security strategy is one that counts on the American public as a key partner in securing our country,' said Secretary Napolitano. 'The National Terrorism Advisory System, which was developed in close collaboration with our federal, state, local, tribal and private sector partners, will provide the American public with information about credible threats so that they can better protect themselves, their families, and their communities.'"
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-04-20
-
Securing Cyberspace: Our Shared Responsibility [April 25, 2011]
"Thank you, Provost Breslauer and Dean Sastry for that kind introduction, and thank you to the UC Berkeley community for the invitation to join you this afternoon. I'm on something of a college speaking tour this year, and I always enjoy being in a great college town like Berkeley. I was at MIT last month to speak about the 'Future of Science as Public Service.' And I have been thinking maybe we can turn this into a bit of a competition, maybe an East Coast vs. West Coast rivalry. In the spirit of the football draft that is coming up, the only rule I'll impose is that we get first dibs on drafting the best and brightest to come work at the Department of Homeland Security. I began this series of remarks in January at George Washington University with the first annual 'State of America's Homeland Security' address. As I said then, our homeland is more secure than it was when we were attacked on 9/11 -- now almost a decade ago. We are better prepared than we were eight years ago when DHS was created, and, indeed, better prepared than two years ago when I began serving as Secretary. If these were ordinary times, that might suffice. But these are not ordinary times. The terrorist threats have not gone away, and have evolved in ways that -- more than ever -- make our security a shared responsibility. Indeed, consider the rapid evolution of cyberspace and threats to its security, which I'd like to address today. On September 11th, 2001, we were still a few years away from the start of the Web 2.0 and social media world we all live in today. Today, our biggest opportunities, like our most urgent threats, are networked. The pace of innovation has accelerated and become more and more decentralized, but so too have the methods to attack our way of life, especially online."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-04-25
-
Secretary Janet Napolitano, Before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: 'Securing the Border: Progress at the Federal Level' [May 4, 2011]
"Chairman Lieberman, Senator Collins, and members of the Committee: Thank you for this opportunity to testify today about the unprecedented resources that have been dedicated to securing the Southwest border over the past two years, the progress that has been made as a result, and the metrics we can use to better assess future progress. Over the past two years, this Administration has dedicated more resources to securing the Southwest border than ever before, in terms of manpower, technology, and infrastructure. Our partnership with Mexico is strong, and we continue to support Mexico's efforts to combat the drug cartels that are headquartered in that country. The actions being taken at the border are occurring alongside strong, serious, and strategic enforcement of immigration laws in the interior of the United States, focused on removing illegal immigrants who have violated our criminal laws as well as those who pose other threats to public safety, and on employers who repeatedly or egregiously violate the law. Using Recovery Act funds in addition to other resources, the federal government has also made critical investments in improving and expanding outdated port infrastructure at the Southwest border to enhance enforcement while facilitating the flow of legal travel and trade. As a person who grew up in New Mexico and spent most of my adult life in Arizona, and who has walked the border, flown it, ridden it on horseback, and worked with border communities from Brownsville to San Diego, I can say from personal experience that these steps constitute the most comprehensive and dedicated effort to strengthen border security that our country has ever deployed. These efforts are leading to significant progress on the Southwest border. In the past two years, seizures of contraband have risen in all categories - in terms of illegal drugs, weapons, and bulk cash. Furthermore, illegal immigration attempts, as measured by Border Patrol apprehensions of illegal aliens, have decreased by 36 percent in the last two years and are less than one third of what they were at their peak a decade ago. In addition, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) crime statistics demonstrate that crime rates in border communities have remained steady or dropped in recent years, continuing a decade-long trend."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-05-04
-
Statement of Mr. Pablo A. Martinez, Deputy Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Investigative Division, U.S. Secret Service, Before the Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade: 'The Threat of Data Theft to American Consumers' [May 4, 2011]
"Good morning, Madam Chair, Ranking Member Butterfield and distinguished members of the Subcommittee. Thank you for the opportunity to testify on the role of the U.S. Secret Service (Secret Service) in investigating and dismantling criminal organizations involved in cyber crime. On February 1, 2010, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) delivered the Quadrennial Homeland Security Review (QHSR), which established a unified, strategic framework for homeland security missions and goals. The QHSR underscores the need for a safe and secure cyberspace: 'Our economic vitality and national security depend today on a vast array of interdependent and critical networks, systems, services and resources. We know this interconnected world as cyberspace, and without it, we cannot communicate, travel, power our homes, run the economy, or obtain government services. Yet as we migrate more of our economic and societal transactions to cyberspace, these benefits come with increasing risk. We face a variety of adversaries who are working day and night to use our dependence on cyberspace against us. Sophisticated cyber criminals pose great cost and risk both to our economy and national security. They exploit vulnerabilities in cyberspace to steal money and information, and to destroy, disrupt, or threaten the delivery of critical services. For this reason, safeguarding and securing cyberspace has become one of the Department of Homeland Security's most important missions.' In order to maintain a safe and secure cyberspace, we have to disrupt the criminal organizations and other malicious actors engaged in high consequence or wide-scale cyber crime."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-05-04
-
Written Statement of Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery and Intergovernmental Affairs: 'Understanding the Power of Social Media as a Communication Tool in the Aftermath of Disasters' [May 5, 2011]
"Good morning Chairman Pryor and distinguished Members of the Subcommittee. My name is Craig Fugate, and I am the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). It is an honor to appear before you today on behalf of FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security. I am particularly pleased to be here today to discuss the role of social media in disasters and emergencies. Technology grows and changes rapidly. Tools that did not exist even five years ago are now primary modes of communication for millions of individuals. Of course, tools like YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and others were not created for the purpose of preparing for, responding to, or recovering from emergencies and disasters. However, our success in fulfilling our mission at FEMA is highly dependent upon our ability to communicate with the individuals, families and communities we serve. For that reason, social media is extremely valuable to the work we do, and we are fortunate to have partners in the social media community with us here today who see the value of using these tools to increase public safety. In my testimony today, I would like to discuss why social media is important to the work we do, what social media tools FEMA uses in order to fulfill our mission, and what the future might hold for the nexus between social media and emergency management. We at FEMA greatly appreciate your interest in this important subject."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-05-05
-
Statement from Secretary Janet Napolitano [May 6, 2011]
"The indictment unsealed today charging Manuel Osorio-Arrelanes and unnamed co-conspirators with crimes related to the murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry is an important step in seeing that justice is served for this unconscionable crime. I applaud the FBI, state and local law enforcement, and the United States Attorney's Office in Arizona for taking swift action in this case to ensure those responsible for Agent Terry's death are brought to justice. This indictment also sends a clear message to those who would consider committing violence against the Border Patrol: we will not stand for aggression against our men and women in uniform, and we will bring the full resources of the federal government to bear in protecting them from harm and holding accountable those who would threaten their lives or their safety."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-05-06
-
Secretary Napolitano Announces 'If You See Something, Say Something' Campaign Partnership with Los Angeles [April 25, 2011]
"Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today joined Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, LA County Sheriff Baca, Chief of Los Angeles Port Police Ronald Boyd and Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck at the Los Angeles Port of Entry to announce the expansion of the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) 'If You See Something, Say Something' public awareness campaign to the city of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Police Department, and the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department to help ensure the safety and security of Los Angeles. 'Every citizen plays a role in identifying and reporting suspicious activities and threats,' said Secretary Napolitano. 'Expanding the 'If You See Something, Say Something™' campaign to Los Angeles and across the country is an important part of our efforts to partner with the public to keep our country safe and resilient.' The 'If You See Something, Say Something™' campaign--originally implemented by New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority and now licensed to DHS for a nationwide campaign--is a simple and effective program to engage the public and key frontline employees to identify and report indicators of terrorism, crime and other threats to the proper transportation and law enforcement authorities."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-04-25
-
Testimony of Vice Admiral John P. Currier, Deputy Commandant for Mission Support, U.S. Coast Guard, Before the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, 'Improving and Streamlining the Coast Guard's Acquisition Program' [April 13, 2011]
"Good morning Mr. Chairman and distinguished members of the Subcommittee. I appreciate the opportunity to update you on the Coast Guard's acquisition enterprise and the outlook for our ongoing and much-needed recapitalization projects. Earlier this year, our Commandant, Admiral Robert J. Papp, Jr., stated that the recapitalization of our legacy cutters, air assets and systems is one of our top priorities for Fiscal Year (FY) 2012, and is essential in order to provide the men and women serving in the Coast Guard with the tools they need to ensure the Coast Guard remains well-equipped and prepared to protect our nation's waterways and maritime borders and support our nation's military operations. In recent years, the Coast Guard has made significant changes to its acquisition enterprise to increase the efficiency and efficacy of our programs. We have consolidated our acquisition, contracting, foreign military sales, and research and development functions under the Acquisition Directorate to support timely delivery of complex and interoperable cutters, boats and aircraft to our frontline forces. The Coast Guard Acquisition Directorate has reclaimed a leadership role in systems integration at all levels, and is now the Systems Integrator for all major and non-major acquisition projects across the Service. My testimony today will update you on the progress we have made over the past 12 months. I will discuss where our acquisition enterprise stands, outline the steps taken to enhance governance, highlight the accomplishments of our acquisition workforce, update you on the status of our acquisition projects and note some of the challenges that we still face."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-04-13
-
Administrator Craig Fugate, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Before the United States House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management, 'Improving the Nation's Response to Catastrophic Disasters: How to Minimize Costs and Streamline our Emergency Management Programs' [March 30, 2011]
"Good morning Chairman Denham, Ranking Member Norton, and distinguished Members of the Subcommittee. My name is Craig Fugate, and I am the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). It is an honor to appear before you today on behalf of FEMA to discuss our preparedness for catastrophic disasters. Planning and preparing for catastrophic disasters is a top priority at FEMA, and we appreciate the Subcommittee's attention to this important matter. As I sit before you today, our nation's hearts weigh heavy on the recent tragedy of the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The U.S. government is supporting the Government of Japan in this response. FEMA is currently supporting the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which is the lead U.S. agency, by providing Urban Search and Rescue Teams from California and Virginia. FEMA teams are also working with U.S. states impacted by the tsunami to assess damages. While the world watches the response to what may be one of the largest disasters in history, our thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by this tragedy. In my testimony today, I will discuss how FEMA is working to improve our preparedness through the 'Whole Community' framework. This approach recognizes that FEMA is not the nation's emergency management team--FEMA is only a part of the team. In order to successfully prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards, we must work with the entire emergency management community. This 'Whole Community' includes FEMA and our partners at the federal level; our state, local, tribal and territorial governmental partners; non-governmental organizations like faith-based and non-profit groups and private sector industry; and most importantly, individuals, families, and communities, who continue to be our greatest assets and the key to our success."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-03-30
-
Readout of Secretary Napolitano's Remarks at the DHS Science Conference & 5th Annual University Network Summit [March 30, 2011]
"Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today delivered remarks at the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Science Conference and 5th Annual University Network Summit--highlighting DHS' continued collaboration with America's science and engineering communities to help secure our nation and applauding the collaborative research efforts of the DHS Science and Technology Directorate's (S&T) University Centers of Excellence and their partners in leveraging our latest science and technology to protect against and respond and recover from terrorism, natural disasters and other threats. 'The DHS Centers of Excellence are a cornerstone of the Department's effort to engage the best and brightest minds at our nation's universities to help solve our homeland security challenges,' said Secretary Napolitano. 'We must continue to expand our collaboration with the science and engineering communities to address the evolving homeland security threats we face.' During her remarks, Secretary Napolitano highlighted the continued successes of S&T's 12 University Centers of Excellence--which have generated over 70 tools, technologies and knowledge products since 2003 for use across the homeland security enterprise, ranging from food protection and defense to catastrophic event response."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-03-30
-
Secretary Napolitano Commends Announcement of Reward for Information Regarding Shootings of Two ICE Agents [March 30, 2011]
"Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today commended the announcement of a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of additional individuals responsible for the murder of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent Jaime Zapata and the attempted murder of ICE HSI Special Agent Victor Avila. In addition, the FBI, in conjunction with ICE, has established a 24-hour tip line based in the United States to process the information. The announcement was made jointly today by the Departments of Justice, State and Homeland Security. Click here to view the press release and information related to the reward and tip line. 'This reward reflects the U.S. government's unwavering commitment to ensuring that all those responsible for the murder of Special Agent Zapata are brought to justice,' said Secretary Napolitano. 'We encourage anyone with information about this case to contact authorities.'"
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-03-30
-
Testimony of Pablo A. Martinez, Deputy Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Investigative Division, U.S. Secret Service, Before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism [April 12, 2011]
"Good afternoon, Chairman Whitehouse, Ranking Member Kyl and distinguished members of the Subcommittee. Thank you for the opportunity to testify on the role of the U.S. Secret Service (Secret Service) in investigating and dismantling criminal organizations involved in cyber crime. On February 1, 2010, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) delivered the Quadrennial Homeland Security Review (QHSR), which established a unified, strategic framework for homeland security missions and goals. The QHSR underscores the need for a safe and secure cyberspace: 'Our economic vitality and national security depend today on a vast array of interdependent and critical networks, systems, services and resources. We know this interconnected world as cyberspace, and without it, we cannot communicate, travel, power our homes, run the economy, or obtain government services. Yet as we migrate more of our economic and societal transactions to cyberspace, these benefits come with increasing risk. We face a variety of adversaries who are working day and night to use our dependence on cyberspace against us. Sophisticated cyber criminals pose great cost and risk both to our economy and national security. They exploit vulnerabilities in cyberspace to steal money and information, and to destroy, disrupt, or threaten the delivery of critical services. For this reason, safeguarding and securing cyberspace has become one of the Department of Homeland Security's most important missions.' (p. 29). In order to maintain a safe and secure cyberspace, we have to disrupt the criminal organizations and other malicious actors engaged in high consequence or wide-scale cyber crime. As the original guardian of the nation's financial payment systems, the Secret Service has a long history of protecting American consumers, industries and financial institutions. Over the last two decades, the Secret Service's statutory authorities have been reinforced to include access device fraud (18 USC §1029), which includes credit and debit card fraud. The Secret Service also has concurrent jurisdiction with other law enforcement agencies for identity theft (18 USC §1028), computer fraud (18 USC §1030), and bank fraud (18 USC §1344)."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-04-12
-
Written Statement of Nancy Ward, Region IX Administrator, and Ken Murphy, Region X Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Before the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Subcommittee on National Security, Homeland Defense and Foreign Operations: 'Tsunami Warning, Preparedness, and Interagency Cooperation: Lessons Learned' [April 14, 2011]
"Good afternoon Chairman Chaffetz, Ranking Member Tierney and distinguished Members of the Subcommittee. It is an honor to appear before you today on behalf of FEMA to discuss tsunami preparedness. Tsunamis, also known as seismic sea waves, are a series of enormous waves created by an underwater disturbance such as an earthquake, landslide, volcanic eruption or meteorite. A tsunami can move hundreds of miles per hour in the open ocean and smash into land with waves as high as 100 feet or more. Tsunamis are most common along the Pacific coast, but can strike anywhere along the U.S. coastline. The topography of the coastline and the ocean floor will influence the size of the wave. Recent history has shown the destructiveness and devastation that tsunamis can create. On December 26, 2004, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake off Sumatra generated a tsunami in ten countries, killing more than 280,000 people. The United States and its territories have recent experience with a tsunami's destructive force as well. On September 29, 2009, a magnitude 8.1 earthquake struck off the coast of American Samoa in the Western Pacific Ocean and the tsunami that followed struck the island nations of Samoa, Tonga and American Samoa. The tsunami damage resulted in nearly 200 deaths, hundreds injured across all three islands, and millions of dollars in damages. After the tsunami, President Obama declared a major disaster for American Samoa, allowing FEMA and our federal partners to immediately move supplies and staff across the Pacific from the Region IX logistics facility in Hawaii. FEMA's National Response Coordination Center coordinated teams of experts from FEMA, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Interior's National Park Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Small Business Administration, and other partners to help move the island towards recovery."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-04-14
-
Readout of Secretary Napolitano's Visit to Budapest, Hungary [April 14, 2011]
"Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today joined U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder for the biannual U.S.-European Union (EU) Justice and Home Affairs Ministerial in Budapest, Hungary, to discuss international collaboration on counterterrorism and homeland security issues with Hungarian Deputy Prime Minister, Public Administration and Justice Minister Tibor Navracsics, Hungarian Interior Minister Sándor Pintér, EU Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights, and Citizenship Viviane Reding and EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström. 'The United States is fully committed to working with our European partners to combat threats to our mutual security and economic stability,' said Secretary Napolitano. 'Together, we will enhance information sharing, strengthen cybersecurity and ensure the security and resilience of our global supply chain systems against terrorism and transnational crime.' While in Budapest, Secretary Napolitano underscored the significant progress made in negotiations on the U.S.-EU Passenger Name Record (PNR) agreement--reiterating the important role that information collection and analysis plays in ensuring the safety of the traveling public through information sharing while protecting the privacy of passengers. She also commended the World Customs Organization (WCO) for its continued collaboration on Program Global Shield----a multilateral effort led by DHS and the WCO and involving over 68 countries to prevent the illegal movement or diversion of precursor chemicals that can be used to make improvised explosive devices. She further underscored the United States and EU's shared commitment to continue strengthening international air cargo security and overall global supply chain security standards in partnership with WCO, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and the Universal Postal Union (UPU)."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-04-14
-
Testimony of Executive Director John Wagner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, Office of Admissibility and Passenger Programs, before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Subcommittee on Competitiveness, Innovation, and Export Promotion, 'Tourism in America: Removing Barriers and Promoting Growth' [April 5, 2011]
"Chairman Klobuchar, Ranking Member Blunt, and distinguished Members of the Subcommittee: thank you for the opportunity to appear today to discuss the role of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in the implementation of the Travel Promotion Act and CBP's efforts to facilitate legitimate trade and travel while securing our nation's borders. CBP is responsible for securing our nation's borders while facilitating the movement of legitimate travel and trade vital to our economy. Our purview spans more than 3,900 miles of border with Canada, 1,900 miles of border with Mexico, and 2,600 miles of shoreline. CBP is the largest uniformed federal law enforcement agency in the country, with over 20,700 Border Patrol Agents operating between the ports of entry and more than 20,600 CBP officers stationed at air, land, and sea ports nationwide. These forces are supplemented with approximately 1,200 Air and Marine agents and 2,300 agricultural specialists and other professionals. On average, CBP processes approximately 352 million travelers a year at ports of entry and processes 25.8 million in trade entities annually. To counter the threat of terrorism and secure our borders, CBP relies on a balanced mix of professional law enforcement personnel, advanced technologies and modernized facilities and infrastructure both at and between the ports of entry. Using Advanced Passenger Information and our National Targeting Centers, CBP Officers utilize advanced targeting, screening and inspection technologies to quickly identify persons or cargo that warrant additional scrutiny and address document deficiencies without unduly impeding the traveling public or commerce."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-04-05
-
Thomas Winkowski, Assistant Commissioner, Office of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Before the House Homeland Security Committee, Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security, 'Using Resources Effectively to Secure Our Border at the Ports of Entry - Stopping the Illicit Flow of Money, Guns, and Drugs' [April 5, 2011]
"Chairman Miller, Ranking Member Cuellar, Members of the Subcommittee, it is a privilege and an honor to appear before you today to discuss the work of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), particularly the tremendous dedication of our men and women in the field, both at and between our ports of entry. My testimony today focuses on CBP's operational efforts that are leveraged to combat narcotics, weapons, and cash smuggling along our borders. I would like to begin by expressing my gratitude to Congress for its continued support of the mission and people of CBP. It is clear that Congress is committed to providing CBP with the resources we need to increase and maintain the security of our borders. We greatly appreciate your efforts and assistance, and I look forward to continuing to work with you on these issues in the future. The creation of CBP, which established a single, unified border agency for the United States, is a profound achievement, and our responsibilities are immense and challenging. CBP is responsible for protecting more than 3,900 miles of border with Canada and 1,900 miles of border with Mexico, and 2,600 miles of shoreline. In fiscal year 2010, CBP officers at 331 ports of entry inspected 352 million travelers and more than 105.8 million cars, trucks, buses, trains, vessels and aircraft. Each day, CBP officers process nearly one million travelers entering the United States at our air, land and sea ports of entry and inspect more than 47,000 truck, rail and sea containers."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-04-05
-
Testimony of Mr. Larry Willis, Program Manager for the Science and Technology Directorate, U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Science and Technology Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight, on 'Behavioral Science and Security: Evaluating TSA's SPOT (Screening of Passengers by Observational Techniques) Program' [April 6, 2011]
"Good afternoon, Chairman Broun, Ranking Member Edwards and distinguished Members of the Subcommittee. I am honored to appear before you today on behalf of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) to discuss our evaluation of the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) Screening of Passengers by Observation Techniques (SPOT) program. SPOT is a behavior observation and analysis program in which personnel are trained to identify behaviors that deviate from an established baseline that could be possible indicators for terrorism or criminal activity. The SPOT program is based on scientific research and represents the best practices from defense, intelligence, and law enforcement organizations. Today, I will describe S&T's research assessing the validity of the SPOT Referral Report, which is a checklist of predefined observable indicators used by TSA to identify potentially high risk travelers. For the purpose of S&T's study, high risk travelers are defined as those passengers in possession of serious prohibited and/or illegal items or individuals engaging in conduct leading to an arrest. Specifically, our study offers an assessment of the extent to which the SPOT Referral Report of observable indicators leads to correct screening decisions at the security checkpoint."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-04-06
-
Secretary Napolitano Announces 'If You See Something, Say Something' Campaign Partnership with AEG [March 28, 2011]
"Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today joined AEG President and CEO Timothy J. Leiweke at the company's STAPLES Center to announce the expansion of the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) 'If You See Something, Say Something™' public awareness campaign to stadiums, arenas, theatres, clubs, convention centers and other venues owned by or affiliated with AEG Facilities--a division of Los Angeles-based AEG--in an effort to help ensure safety and security of the American public. 'Every citizen plays a role in identifying and reporting suspicious activities and threats,' said Secretary Napolitano. 'Expanding the 'If You See Something, Say Something™' campaign to AEG's network of venues across the country is an important part of our efforts to engage the public and ensure the safety of players, fans and concertgoers.' The 'If You See Something, Say Something™' campaign--originally implemented by New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority and now licensed to DHS for a nationwide campaign--is a simple and effective program to engage the public and key frontline employees to identify and report indicators of terrorism, crime and other threats to the proper transportation and law enforcement authorities."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-03-28
-
Readout of Secretary Napolitano's Visit to El Paso [March 24, 2011]
"Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today traveled to El Paso, Texas, to visit the Bridge of the Americas at the El Paso Port of Entry, meet with El Paso business leaders and border mayors, and highlight how the Department of Homeland Security's unprecedented efforts to strengthen border security have facilitated trade and travel along the Southwest border. 'The Obama administration is committed to fostering a secure and prosperous border region,' said Secretary Napolitano. 'I'm proud to join with local leaders on the ground to get the message out that the border is open for business.' During the visit and meeting with local business leaders, Secretary Napolitano was joined by Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Francisco Sanchez, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Alan Bersin and El Paso Mayor John Cook, as well as Mayor Arturo Garino of Nogales and Mayor Al Kreiger of Yuma, Ariz., who reiterated their shared commitment to strengthening security and economic growth in the border region. The business leaders discussed their ideas on ways to further facilitate commerce along the Southwest border and underscored the importance of combating misperceptions about the safety and security of border communities in order to grow the region's economy."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-03-24
-
Readout of Secretary Napolitano's Remarks at the IACP Division of State and Provincial Police Mid-Year Conference [March 23, 2011]
"Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today delivered remarks to law enforcement personnel from across the nation at the International Association of Chiefs of Police's (IACP) Division of State and Provincial Police Mid-Year Conference - highlighting the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) continued partnerships with state, local, tribal and territorial law enforcement to combat evolving threats of terrorism and protect our nation's communities. 'Today we must combat threats that originate both abroad and here at home,' said Secretary Napolitano. 'Our state, local, tribal and territorial law enforcement officers are on the frontlines of protecting our nation from terrorism and other threats, and DHS is committed to providing these men and women with the information and resources they need.' In her remarks, Secretary Napolitano applauded the commitment of the IACP's Division of State and Provincial Police to training approximately 58,000 troopers under the Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) Initiative--an administration effort to train state and local law enforcement to recognize behaviors and indicators related to terrorism, crime and other threats; standardize how those observations are documented and analyzed; and expand and enhance the sharing of those reports with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and DHS."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-03-23
-
Rafael Borras Confirmation Hearing, to be Under Secretary for Management, U.S. Department of Homeland Security [April 6, 2011]
"Chairman Lieberman, Senator Collins, Senator Akaka, and other distinguished members of this committee, I thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today as you consider my confirmation. It was a great honor to have been nominated by President Obama and it has been my great privilege to serve as the Under Secretary for Management (USM) at the Department of Homeland Security for a year under a recess appointment. I have worked to earn the trust and confidence of the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Departmental leadership and employees. It is my sincere hope that through my work this past year, I have earned your confidence as well. I would like to thank Secretary Napolitano and Deputy Secretary Lute for their support of the Management Directorate, as well as their personal support and encouragement. Additionally, I would like to thank the leadership and the employees of the Management Directorate. The fine work and dedication of the Management Directorate employees has enabled me to build on the progress that has already been made by my predecessors. While I recognize that continued progress to address our management challenges is needed, I strongly believe that we have laid a solid foundation to address the financial, acquisition, and human capital needs of the department. Furthermore it has been my pleasure over the last year to have had extensive interactions with many members of this committee and their dedicated staff. This Department owes a great debt of gratitude to this committee for its leadership and support in meeting the management challenges associated with weaving together the twenty-two agencies that came together in 2003 upon the creation of the Department of Homeland Security."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-04-06
-
Readout of Secretary Napolitano's Remarks on Border Security and Facilitating Legal Travel and Trade [April 1, 2011]
"Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today delivered remarks highlighting the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) unprecedented efforts to strengthen security while facilitating legal travel and trade along the Southwest border. 'Security and economic prosperity represent two sides of the same coin,' said Secretary Napolitano. 'We are committed to further strengthening our border security efforts, which will reinforce and help expand legal trade and travel in the border region.' During her remarks, Secretary Napolitano underscored the Department's historic efforts to strengthen border security through the Southwest Border Initiative, launched in March 2009-- which includes increasing the number of Border Patrol agents from approximately 10,000 in 2004 to more than 20,700 today; doubling the number of personnel assigned to Border Enforcement Security Task Forces; and deploying more than a quarter of all U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel to the Southwest border region--the most ever. Secretary Napolitano also highlighted the unprecedented collaboration between the United States and Mexico to bolster cooperation on law enforcement, intelligence sharing and joint operations along the Southwest border. The Department has increased joint training programs with Mexican law enforcement agencies and, for the first time in history, Border Patrol agents are coordinating joint operations along the Southwest border with Mexican Federal Police to combat human trafficking and smuggling in both nations."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-04-01
-
Secretary Napolitano Announces Launch of E-Verify Self Check [March 21, 2011]
"Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Alejandro Mayorkas today announced the launch of EVerify Self Check--an innovative service that allows individuals in the United States to check their own employment eligibility status before formally seeking employment. 'E-Verify is a smart, simple, and effective tool that allows us to work with employers to help them maintain a legal workforce,' said Secretary Napolitano. 'The E-Verify Self Check service will help protect workers and streamline the E-Verify process for businesses.' E-Verify Self Check, a partnership between the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA), is the first online E-Verify program offered directly to workers and job seekers. This voluntary, free, fast and secure service gives users the opportunity to submit corrections of any inaccuracies in their DHS and SSA records before applying for jobs--allowing workers to better protect themselves from potential workplace discrimination that could result from an employer's abuse of the E-Verify system. 'The development of E-Verify Self Check reflects our commitment to the continual improvement of the E-Verify program,' said USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas. 'This new tool is a tremendous service for employees and employers alike.'"
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-03-21
-
Secretary Napolitano Announces 'If You See Something, Say Something' Campaign Partnership with NCAA [March 17, 2011]
"Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today joined National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) President Mark Emmert to announce a new partnership between the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) 'If You See Something, Say Something™' public awareness campaign and the NCAA -- an effort that will help ensure safety and security during the NCAA March Madness college basketball tournament and all 88 NCAA championship games and tournaments. 'Every citizen plays a critical role in identifying and reporting suspicious activities and threats,' said Secretary Napolitano. 'Bringing the 'If You See Something, Say Something™' campaign to the NCAA's championship games and tournaments will play a critical role in ensuring the safety of players, employees, students and fans.' The 'If You See Something, Say Something™' campaign -- originally implemented by New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority and now licensed to DHS for a nationwide campaign -- is a simple and effective program to engage the public and key frontline employees to identify and report indicators of terrorism, crime and other threats to the proper transportation and law enforcement authorities."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-03-17
-
Testimony of Administrator Craig Fugate, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Before the United States House Committee on Financial Services, Subcommittee on Insurance, Housing and Community Opportunity, 'Legislative Proposals to Reform the National Flood Insurance Program'
"Good afternoon Chairwoman Biggert, Ranking Member Gutierrez, and distinguished Members of the Subcommittee. My name is Craig Fugate, and I am the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). It is an honor to appear before you today on behalf of FEMA to discuss the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The National Flood Insurance Program serves as the foundation for national efforts to reduce the loss of life and property from flood disasters, and is estimated to save the nation $1.6 billion annually in avoided flood losses. By encouraging and supporting mitigation efforts, the NFIP leads our nation in reducing the impact of disasters. In short, the NFIP saves money and, more importantly, lives. While the NFIP has experienced significant successes since it was created more than 40 years ago, there are a number of challenges currently facing the program. The most significant challenge is balancing the program's fiscal soundness. The NFIP must continue to offer affordable insurance that will properly identify those at risk and provide them adequate coverage, while reducing the need for taxpayer-financed disaster assistance. In my testimony today, I will provide a brief history and overview of the NFIP and discuss critical changes FEMA has made to the program over the years. I also plan to discuss the recent efforts of FEMA's NFIP Reform Working Group, which develops policy recommendations for comprehensive NFIP reform for the Secretary of Homeland Security. It is important to note, however, that the Administration has not taken a position on the preferred course of action for NFIP reform and that these are currently draft proposals from the NFIP Reform Working Group. Congress has been a valuable partner in all of our NFIP efforts, and we appreciate your attention to this important matter."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-03-11
-
Secretary Napolitano and Canada Public Safety Minister Vic Toews Announce Release of Joint Border Threat and Risk Assessment [March 10, 2011]
"Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Canada's Public Safety Minister Vic Toews today announced the public release of the Joint Border Threat and Risk Assessment, highlighting the United States' and Canada's commitment to identifying and mitigating potential threats of terrorism and transnational organized crime along the shared border. This fulfills their July 2010 pledge of public release of this assessment. The Joint Border Threat and Risk Assessment is a part of a shared vision for border security that Secretary Napolitano and Minister Toews outlined during meetings held throughout 2010, and reflects their mutual commitment to working together to safeguard both nations' vital assets, networks, infrastructure and citizens. 'The United States and Canada have a long history of productive collaboration,' said Secretary Napolitano. 'The Joint Border Threat and Risk Assessment reflects our ongoing commitment to enhancing security along our shared border while facilitating legitimate travel and trade that is critical to the economies of both countries.' The Assessment addresses a range of security issues, including terrorism, drug trafficking and illegal immigration. It also reflects the commitment to work together to protect our borders and shared critical infrastructure from terrorism and transnational crime articulated by President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper in February. Their historic declaration -- 'Beyond the Border: A Shared Vision for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness' -- sets forth how the United States and Canada will manage our shared homeland and economic security."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-03-10
-
Testimony of Secretary Janet Napolitano Before the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, 'Department of Homeland Security Oversight' [March 9, 2011]
"Chairman Leahy, Ranking Member Grassley, and members of the Committee: Thank you for the opportunity to testify today about the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) efforts to keep our Nation safe from evolving threats while building more prepared and resilient communities, and a more informed and engaged American public. This committee continues to play a critical role in helping us achieve these important goals, and I am grateful for the chance to update you on the progress we are making relative to your areas of jurisdiction. The Department has six mission areas: 1) Preventing terrorism and enhancing security; 2) Securing and managing our borders; 3) Enforcing and administering our immigration laws; 4) Safeguarding and securing cyberspace; 5) Ensuring resilience to disasters; and 6) Providing essential support to national and economic security. In each area, we have continued to grow and mature as a department over the past year, by strengthening our existing capabilities, building new ones where necessary, enhancing our partnerships across all levels of government and with the private sector, and streamlining our operations and increasing efficiency."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office
2011-03-09
