Homeland Security: Small Vessels

Fact Sheet: DHS Small Vessel Security Strategy

Traditional maritime security efforts have primarily focused on large commercial vessels, their cargoes, and crew. Efforts to address the small vessel environment have largely been limited to traditional safety and law enforcement concerns. Small vessels, however, are readily vulnerable to potential exploitation by terrorists; smugglers of weapons of mass destruction, narcotics, aliens, and other contraband; and other criminals. Small vessels have also been successfully employed overseas by terrorists to deliver Waterborne Improvised Explosive Devices.

As the U.S.S. Cole attack vividly demonstrated, there is a clear need to close security gaps and enhance the small vessel security environment. The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Small Vessel Security Strategy (SVSS) addresses these concerns, providing a coherent framework to improve maritime security and safety. It envisions a coordinated effort of federal, state, local and tribal authorities, together with international partners, private industry, and the recreational users of the waterways.

U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security

The United States House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security was created by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2002 in the aftermath of September 11, 2001. It was first formed as a Select, non-permanent Committee, to provide Congressional oversight on the development of the Department of Homeland Security. The Committee was made permanent when it was designated as a Standing Committee of the House on January 4, 2005, the first day of the 109th Congress and is made up of 19 Democratic and 15 Republican Members of Congress.


Source: U.S. House of Representatives

Homeland Security Vacancies

From the House Committee on Homeland Security:

Critical Leadership Vacancies Impede Department of Homeland Security
(PDF; 328 KB)

The Department of Homeland Security became operational in the spring of 2003. This ambitious undertaking pulled together 22 existing Federal organizations into a single new Departmental entity. Since that time, contracting abuses, poor leadership, and low employee moral have been endemic.
As pointed out by the National Journal in its June 2 issue, one of the continuing problems appears to be the over politicization of the top ranks of Department management. This is evident in the fact that some 24 percent of all Department top positions are now vacant. This could lead to heightened vulnerability to terrorist attack when the new administration is installed in January of 2009 and the political appointees who now run the Department exit without ensuring continuity of operations. The gaping hole in Department executive resources is a homeland security issue that must be addressed and rectified immediately.

Bioterriorism

From The Center for Public Health and Disasters:

Bioterrorism: Are You Prepared?

The materials available through this site were developed specifically to help familiarize physicians with:

agents most likely to be used in a bioterrorist incident
associated signs and symptoms
decontamination and infection control measures
treatment
reporting
working with local, regional, and state facilities
bioterrorism-related information resources.

The Center for Public Health and Disasters is committed to bringing you the best in disaster training materials. We hope this information will help you and your staff learn about recognizing and responding to a biological terrorism event.

The training materials include:

PowerPoint slide presentation
List of bioterrorism-related journal articles
Links to other web-based resources
Frequently asked questions about biological agents

Source: Center for Public Health and Disasters (UCLA)

Homeland Security

UN counter-terrorism body launches online information assistance

New: Counter-Terrorism Technical Assistance Database

The Security Council’s Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate has launched an online database containing information about technical assistance both requested by and provided to States.

Homeland Security

The cost of homeland security

What Has Homeland Security Cost? An Assessment: 2001-2005

This February 2007 analysis of "public and private expenditures on homeland security shows that overall spending rose by $44 billion between 2001 and 2005 -- a clear increase but one that represents a gain of only 1/4 of 1 percent as a share of U.S. GDP."

Includes a press release and the full text of the article with statistical tables and charts. From the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.


URL: http://www.newyorkfed.org/research/current_issues/ci13-2.html