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Critical Infrastructure Partnership Strategic Assessment Study, October 14, 2008
This document contains PowerPoint slides from the National Infrastructure Advisory Council's October 14, 2008 meeting on a critical infrastructure partnership strategic assessment study. "The Study focused On: The Sector Partnership Model, as described in the National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP July 2006); The Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory Council (CIPAC), the Sector Coordinating Councils (SCC) and Government Coordinating Councils (GCC); Limited to the 18 sectors identified as 'critical infrastructures and key resources (CIKR)' by the NIPP; and Included investigations of the design, governance structure, processes, operations, and implementation approaches used to accomplish partnership activities."
National Infrastructure Advisory Council (U.S.)
2008-10-14
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Fiscal Year 2004 Budget Fact Sheet
"The President has requested a budget which reflects his clear commitment to supporting the priorities and the mission of the Department of Homeland Security. The Fiscal Year 2004 budget supports the Department's effort to implement the objectives outlined in the President's National Strategy for Homeland Security including: 1.) Preventing terrorist attacks within the United States; 2.) Reducing America's vulnerability to terrorism; and 3.) Minimizing the damage and recovering from attacks that do occur. The Department will move forward with a sustained and cohesive strategy in key areas such as improving security at the nation's borders, implementing grant programs to ensure that first responders are properly trained and equipped, decreasing the vulnerabilities of the nation's critical infrastructure, protecting against bio-terrorism, advancing research in science and technology aimed at countering terrorist attacks, improving intelligence analysis and coordination and recapitalizing the Coast Guard. The budget seeks to maintain funding for critical operations of each of the Department agencies and organizations since their individual missions will enable the Department to achieve its overall vision for securing the homeland. The Fiscal Year 2004 budget request for the Department of Homeland Security is 36.2 billion. This represents a 7.4 percent increase in funding over FY2003, and a 64 percent increase ($14.1 billion) over FY2002, with over 60 thousand staff added to protect our country. The consolidation of these entities into the new Department is the largest federal reorganization in more than 50 years."
United States. Department of Homeland Security
2003-02-03
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Information Sharing Environment - Suspicious Activity Reporting Functional Standard and Evaluation Environment: Initial Privacy and Civil Liberties Analysis
"This analysis has been prepared for the purpose of conducting an initial examination of the privacy and civil liberties ramifications of the Information Sharing Environment -- Suspicious Activity Reporting (ISE‐SAR) Functional Standard and included Information Exchange Package Documentation (IEPD) component1 and of the vision for deploying these in operating environments (ISE‐SAR Evaluation Environment initiative), making recommendations to address issues identified as a result of the examination, and identifying policies and safeguards that should be implemented at the preliminary stages of this process. The overarching purpose of this analysis--as with all activities conducted in protecting the Nation from terrorism--is to help ensure those carrying out the activities contemplated by these plans do so in a manner that fully protects the legal rights of all United States persons, including information privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States."
United States. Information Sharing Environment
2008-09
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Response to the Recommendation to Limit USCIS Adjudication of Asylum Applications to Those Submitted by Individuals in Valid Non-Immigrant Status
This document is a response by Dr. Emilio T. Gonzales, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to the recommendations made by the USCIS Ombudsman, Prakash Khatri-"to reform the asylum adjudication process." More specifically, Director Gonzales breaks down the response to the recommendations as follows: "we first analyze the justification and assumed benefits upon which you base your recommendations to limit USCIS adjudication of asylum applications to those filed by applicants with valid immigration status and to charge asylum applicants filing fees. We also address in detail why we believe that virtual elimination of the affirmative asylum process would be detrimental to the nation's asylum system. We next address your recommendation that Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) assume responsibility for credible and reasonable fear screenings. Finally, we address in summary form the number of other recommendations embedded in the proposed regulation you put forward. As no explanation was included for those recommendations, we could not respond to their underlying rationales, but did carefully consider the merits of the proposed changes. We also provide an Executive Summary, given the length of this response."
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Gonzales, Emilio T.
2006-06-20
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Preparedness Planning for Home Health Care Providers
This is a disaster preparedness guide produced by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for "home health care providers to support their patients and their service animals effectively and professionally."
United States. Department of Homeland Security
2008-09-30
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President Bush Discusses Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 [October 3, 2008]
This document is a White House transcript of President Bush speech on October 3, 2008 where he discusses the emergency economic stabilization act.
United States. Office of the White House Press Secretary
Bush, George W. (George Walker), 1946-
2008-10-03
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NNSA Fact Sheet: U.S. Nuclear Weapons Stockpile
This National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) fact sheet discusses the current status of U.S. Nuclear Stockpiles. This document includes sections on Reducing the Nuclear Weapons Stockpile, Consolidating Nuclear Material, Consolidating the Nuclear Weapons Complex, and Maintaining the Nuclear Weapons Stockpile.
United States. National Nuclear Security Administration
2008-10
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Memorandum for the Director of National Intelligence: Designation of Officers of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to Act as Director of National Intelligence [October 3, 2008]
This document from the White House Press Secretary is a copy of a memorandum to the Director of National Intelligence on October 3, 2008.
United States. Office of the White House Press Secretary
Bush, George W. (George Walker), 1946-
2008-10-03
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Investigation Report: Petroleum Products Facility Incident, Brazoria County, Texas, May 1, 2002
"This investigation report examines a petroleum products facility incident that occurred on May 1, 2002, at the Third Coast Industries facility in Friendswood, Texas. A fire of relatively small magnitude destroyed the entire facility, which blended and packaged motor oils, hydraulic oils, and engine and other lubricants. This report identifies the root and contributing causes of the incident and makes recommendations on fire control, consensus standards, and fire codes." Key issues discussed include: fire control, consensus standards, and fire codes.
United States. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board
2003-03
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Office of Inspector General, Department of Homeland Security: Strategic Plan (Fiscal Years 2008-2013)
This report is a Strategic Plan published by the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG), which highlights the OIG's plan for the next five years. More specifically, Inspector General Skinner states that "this plan reiterates our statutory missions, and communicates our performance goals and strategies for achieving those goals. [...] Our goals reflect our aims to aid the department in improving its performance and to improve our own internal operations and performance. [...] This plan establishes a broad vision for the next 5 years, while also providing a comprehensive focus on the major issues facing the department and our office."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Inspector General
2008-09
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Case Study: Hydrogen Sulfide Exposure, Cincinnati, Ohio, December 11, 2003
"This Case Study describes a hydrogen sulfide (H2S) exposure incident that occurred December 11, 2002, at the Environmental Enterprises, Inc. (EEI), facility in Cincinnati, Ohio. One person was injured. The H2S exposure was caused by using the incorrect vessel for waste treatment." Key issues discussed include: hazard communication, operating procedures, management oversight, and mechanical integrity.
United States. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board
2003-09
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Fact Sheet: Initial Privacy and Civil Liberties Analysis of the Information Sharing Environment-Suspicious Activity Reporting (ISE-SAR) Functional Standard and Evaluation Environment
This fact sheet is an over view of the following report from the Information Sharing Environment. "The Program Manager for the Information Sharing Environment (PM-ISE) -- in consultation with the Civil Liberties and Privacy Office of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the Office of Privacy and Civil Liberties of the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Legal Issues Working Group of the ISE Privacy Guidelines Committee (PGC)--has prepared and publicly released a report entitled, Initial Privacy and Civil Liberties Analysis of the Information Sharing Environment -- Suspicious Activities Reporting (ISE-SAR) Functional Standard and Evaluation Environment (Report). The purpose of this Report is to ensure that the implementation of the ISE‐SAR Functional Standard and Evaluation Environment is conducted in a manner that fully protects the legal rights of Americans, including information privacy, civil rights and civil liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and the laws of the United States. This is an interim privacy and civil liberties analysis that will be updated as more information is obtained during the ISE‐SAR Evaluation Environment initiative, including lessons learned from participants and feedback received from privacy and civil liberties advocates and other interested parties."
United States. Information Sharing Environment
2008
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Federal Energy Management: Addressing Challenges through Better Plans and Clarifying the Greenhouse Gas Emission Measure Will Help Meet Long-term Goals for Buildings, Report to Congressional Requesters
"GAO recommends that DOE (1) reevaluate the current measure for greenhouse gas emissions and establish one that more accurately reflects agencies' performance in reducing these emissions, and (2) finalize and issue guidance for agencies' use in developing longterm plans that contains key elements for meeting current and future energy goals. GSA, NASA, and USPS concurred; VA neither agreed nor disagreed; and the other agencies did not comment. Further, The federal government is the nation's single largest energy consumer, spending approximately $17 billion in fiscal year 2007. A number of statutes and executive orders have established and revised goals directing agencies to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions--such as carbon dioxide, which results from combustion of fossil fuels and natural processes, among other things--and increase renewable energy use. GAO was asked to determine the extent to which (1) federal agencies met energy efficiency, greenhouse gas emission, and renewable energy goals in fiscal year 2007; (2) federal agencies have made progress in each of these areas in the recent past; and (3) six selected agencies are poised to meet energy goals into the future. For this review, GAO, among other things, conducted site visits for six agencies and reviewed the Department of Energy's (DOE) annual reports to Congress on federal energy management."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2008-09
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Memorandum for the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security [September 30, 2008]
This White House document is a copy of a memorandum for the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security from President Bush on September 30, 2008.
United States. Office of the White House Press Secretary
2008-09-30
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Statement by the President on H.R. 2638, the 'Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009' [September 30, 2008]
"Today I [President Bush] have signed into law H.R. 2638, the 'Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009.' The Act, consisting of five divisions, consolidates into a single Act several appropriations bills. It provides through emergency supplemental appropriations additional Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 resources needed for relief and recovery from hurricanes, floods, and other disasters, and other supplemental appropriations. The Act also includes full-year FY 2009 appropriations for the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security and for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs."
United States. Office of the White House Press Secretary
2008-09-30
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Investigation Report: Refinery Explosion and Fire, Texas City, Texas, March 23, 2005
"The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) investigated not only BP'S safety performance at Texas City, but also the role played by BP Group management, based in London, England. The CSB further examined the effectiveness of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which has primary U.S. federal government oversight responsibility for worker safety. The Texas City disaster was caused by organizational and safety deficiencies at all levels of the BP Corporation. Warning signs of a possible disaster were present for several years, but company officials did not intervene effectively to prevent it. The extent of the serious safety culture deficiencies was further revealed when the refinery experienced two additional serious incidents just a few months after the March 2005 disaster. In one, a pipe failure caused a reported $30 million in damage; the other resulted in a $2 million property loss. In each incident, community shelter-in-place orders were issued. This investigation was conducted in a manner similar to that used by the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) in its probe of the loss of the space shuttle. Using the CAIB model, the CSB examined both the technical and organizational causes of the incident at Texas City." Key issues discussed include: safety culture, regulatory oversight, process safety metrics, and human factors.
United States. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board
2007-03
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National Nanotechnology Initiative: Environmental, Health, and Safety Research Needs for Engineered Nanoscale Materials
This report, "prepared by the Nanotechnology Environmental and Health Implications Working Group under the National Science and Technology Council's (NSTC) Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology Subcommittee, […] identifies the research and information needed in order to enable sound risk assessment and risk management of nanoscale materials and the products that incorporate them." Furthermore, "its primary purpose is to inform Federal agencies that support nanotechnology research to guide planning, management, and coordination of nanotechnology-related environmental health and safety research. These efforts will also support agencies responsible for protecting public health, workers, consumers, and the environment, and guide other stakeholders, including manufacturers and users of nanoscale materials, in their own health and safety activities."
National Science and Technology Council (U.S.). Subcommittee on Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology
2006-09
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Report on the Review of Security Requirements of the National Reconnaissance Program
This report from the National Reconnaissance Office "covers alternative options with regard to degrees of secrecy, declassification, and decompartmentation." "This report responds to tasking by the Director of Central Inte11igence and the Director, National Reconnaissance Office for a review of the need for continuing covert security for the National Reconnaissance Program in today's environment."
United States. National Reconnaissance Office
1974-06-24
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Case Study: Hot Work Control and Safe Work Practices at Oil and Gas Production Wells, Raleigh, MS, June 5, 2006
"This Case Study describes a fatal explosion in a rural oil production field in Raleigh, Mississippi on June 5, 2006. Three contractor workers died and a fourth was seriously injured. The explosion occurred when flammable vapor inside two tanks was ignited by welding activities on a nearby tank. CSB issues this Case Study to emphasize the importance of using safe hot work procedures and to provide hazard awareness training." Key issues include: hot work control, and safe work practices at oil& gas production wells.
United States. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board
2006-06-05
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Case Study: Mixing and Heating a Flammable Liquid in an Open Top Tank, Bellwood, Illinois, June 14, 2006
"This Case Study describes the ignition of a vapor cloud generated by mixing and heating a flammable liquid in an open top tank without adequate safety controls. The tank was located in the chemical mixing area of the Universal Form Clamp (UFC) facility in Bellwood, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. On the morning of June 14, 2006, an operator was mixing and heating a flammable mixture of heptane and mineral spirits in a 2,200-gallon open top tank equipped with steam coils. The finished product, 'Super Clean and Tilt,' is a proprietary mixture, which is applied to cured concrete surfaces to prevent bonding with wet concrete." Key issues discussed include: flammable liquid process design, engineering controls, plan review and code enforcement, and emergency preparedness.
United States. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board
2007-04
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Memorandum for Chairman, NFIB Working Group on Compartmentation, APEX Policy Elements, Regarding Proposed Changes to Classification and Compartmentation Regulations
"One of Stansfield Turner's attempted innovations when he became Director of Central Intelligence in 1977 was to revise the codeword system that had evolved over the previous 17 years, in order to provide additional protection beyond Top Secret for information concerning overhead reconnaissance, signals intelligence, underwater reconnaissance, and other sensitive collection activities as well as intelligence reports based on the intelligence gathered. Part of the attempted innovation was the creation of an APEX control system to replace several control systems - including the BYEMAN and TALENT-KEYHOLE systems. Both the undated covering memo and dated memo envision the declassification of the terms 'National Reconnaissance Office' and 'National Reconnaissance Program,' noting that 'they fail to meet the test of classification.'"
United States. Central Intelligence Agency
1979-09-28
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Letter to John M. Spratt Jr. from Peter R. Orszag, Director, Congressional Budget Office, Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate for H.R. 7174: The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2008, September 27, 2008
This Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate analyzes the cost of House Resolution 7174, which deals with health care and benefits to those affected by the clean-up of the September 11, 2001 attacks. "The legislation would provide: (1) Health care benefits for eligible emergency personnel who responded to the terrorist attacks in New York City on September 11, 2001, and for recovery and clean-up workers following the attacks; (2) Health care benefits to eligible residents and others present in the part of New York City that was affected by those attacks; and (3) Monetary compensation to newly eligible individuals for death and physical injury claims resulting from the attacks. In addition, the legislation would raise revenues by altering various provisions of the tax code as described below. CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 7174 would increase direct spending by just under $11 billion over the 2009-2018 period. The Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) estimates that the tax provisions in the bill would increase revenues by about $11 billion over the same period. On balance, CBO and JCT estimate that the direct spending and revenue effects from enacting the legislation would reduce deficits by about $230 million over the 2009-2013 period and by $35 million over the 2009-2018 period (see enclosed table)."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
Orszag, Peter R.
2008-09-27
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Administrative and Management Operations of the U.S. Capitol Police, Hearing before the United States Senate, Committee on Rules and Administration, July 16, 2008
From the opening statement of Dianne Feinstein: "We expect to hear from the Chief about the state of the Department and direction he plans on taking the Department over the next few years. I expect that the Chief will discuss how he plans on advancing the professional development of his agency and how he plans on anticipating and meeting future challenges. I also expect to hear how the opening of the new Capitol Visitors Center will affect current force staffing. Acquiring a new interoperable and secure radio system for the Capitol Police, I believe should be a key priority for the Department, and I believe we need to get it done. The current radio system the Capitol Police rely on has very limited interoperability. They cannot communicate with local police and fire or other Federal law enforcement agencies. The system is neither secure nor encrypted and it has several coverage holes, or dead spots, where the radios simply will not work." The statements of Senator Bennett, Philip D. Morse, Richard M. Stana, and Matthew Tighe are included in this transcript.
United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Rules and Administration
2008-07
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 3263: Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2008
This Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate analyzes the cost of Senate Bill 3263 on the Federal government, as a result of its mandates with regard to assistance to Pakistan. "S. 3263 would authorize the appropriation of up to $1.5 billion a year over the 2009-2013 period--a total of up to $7.5 billion over five years--for nonsecurity assistance to Pakistan. CBO estimates that implementing S. 3263 would cost $344 million in 2009 and about $5 billion over the 2009-2013 period, assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts. (Additional spending over the 2014-2018 period would total about $2.5 billion, CBO estimates.) Enacting the bill would not affect direct spending or revenues. S. 3263 contains no intergovernmental mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) and would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments. S. 3263 could impose a private-sector mandate, as defined in UMRA, on exporters of major defense equipment. If the Secretary does not certify that the security forces of Pakistan have met certain security standards by 2012 or does not waive the requirement for such certification, the bill would prohibit the export of major defense equipment to Pakistan. CBO cannot determine whether the cost of the mandate, if imposed, would exceed the annual threshold established in UMRA for private-sector mandates ($136 million in 2008, adjusted annually for inflation)."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2008-09-26
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President Bush's Radio Address [September 27, 2008]
This document is a White House transcript of President Bush's radio address on September 27, 2008 where he discusses the U.S. economic crisis and the drafted proposal for economic aid.
United States. Office of the White House Press Secretary
Bush, George W. (George Walker), 1946-
2008-09-27
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President Bush Discusses Financial Rescue Legislation [September 29, 2008]
This document is a White House transcript of President Bush's September 29, 2008 speech where he discusses the proposal to stabilize the U.S. financial system.
United States. Office of the White House Press Secretary
Bush, George W. (George Walker), 1946-
2008-09-29
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Investigation Report: Combustible Dust Fire and Explosions, Corbin, Kentucky, February 20, 2003
"In investigating this incident, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) determined that combustible phenolic resin dust that had accumulated throughout the facility fueled the explosion. The investigation identified the following root causes for the February 20 incident: CTA Acoustics, Inc. management did not implement effective measures to prevent combustible dust explosions.; The CTA cleaning and maintenance procedures for production lines did not prevent the accumulation of unsafe levels of combustible dust on elevated flat surfaces.; The CTA incident investigation program did not ensure that all oven fires were investigated and that underlying causes were identified and resolved; The Borden Chemical product stewardship program did not explicitly convey to CTA the explosive hazards of phenolic resins; and The original building design and subsequent building modifications did not effectively address the fire and explosion hazards associated with combustible dusts." Key issues discussed include: combustible dust hazard awareness, work practices, building design, and product stewardship.
United States. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board
2003-02-20
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Investigation Report: Chlorine Release, Contaminated Antimony Pentachloride Exposure, and Hydrogen Fluoride Release
"The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) incident investigation determined root and contributing causes for the three incidents. An overall analysis revealed common deficiencies in the following management systems: Hazard analyses did not ensure a review of all equipment, procedures, and likely scenarios. The safeguards listed were generic and, in many cases, relied too heavily on administrative procedures; Nonroutine situations were not always recognized and reviewed to ensure that work could proceed safely; and Work practices at the plant did not always strictly follow written operating procedures. CSB determined that guidance and standards for design and maintenance of positive pressure control room systems were lacking in the U.S. chemical industry. CSB also found that manufacturers and users of hydrogen fluoride could benefit from sharing of best practices on draining equipment and maintenance operations for hydrogen fluoride."
United States. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board
2005-08
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Operation Community Shield: Targeting Violent Transnational Street Gangs
This document provides recent developments in regards to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) initiative known as Operation Community Shield- "a national law enforcement initiative that targets violent transnational street gangs through the use of ICE's broad law enforcement powers, including the unique and powerful authority to remove (deport) criminal aliens, including illegal aliens and legal permanent resident aliens." More specifically, "during the months of June through September 2008 ICE conducted a coordinated, nationwide summer enforcement action targeting gangs, Operation ICE Surge 2008, which tallied 1,759 arrests of persons with citizenship from 20 different countries. Arrests were made in 53 cities across 28 states and the District of Columbia."
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
2008-10-01
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Influenza Pandemic: HHS Needs to Continue Its Actions and Finalize Guidance for Pharmaceutical Interventions, Report to Congressional Requesters, United States Congress
This is a GAO (Government Accountability Office) report, in which "GAO was asked to provide information on the progress of the Department of Health and Human Services's (HHS) plans for responding to a pandemic, including analyzing how HHS plans to (1) use pharmaceutical interventions to treat infected individuals and protect the critical workforce and (2) use nonpharmaceutical interventions to slow the spread of disease. To conduct this work, GAO reviewed government documents and scientific literature, and interviewed HHS officials, state and local public health officials, and subject-matter experts on pandemic response. GAO recommends that HHS expeditiously finalize guidance to assist state and local jurisdictions to determine how to effectively use limited supplies of antivirals and pre-pandemic vaccine in a pandemic, including prioritizing target groups for pre-pandemic vaccine. In comments on a draft of this report, HHS described additional actions it has taken and plans to take relating to GAO's recommendation, including releasing for public comment in the near future proposed guidance on pre-pandemic vaccine allocation. [...] The emergence of the H5N1 avian influenza virus (also known as 'bird flu') has raised concerns that it or another virus might mutate into a virulent strain that could lead to an influenza pandemic. Experts predict that a severe pandemic could overwhelm the nation's health care system, requiring the rationing of limited resources."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2008-09
