Little progress on nearly one fourth of 9/11 commission recommendations, chairmen say

"We're better off than we used to be," Kean told The Journal. "But there are glaring gaps."

While the U.S. has improved in such areas as intelligence sharing and airline-passenger screening, other security measures ranging from border screening to terrorist-detention standards have not been sufficiently improved, the chairmen argue.

"The threat from al Qaeda, related terrorist groups, and individual adherents to violent Islamist extremism persists," the report says. Terrorist recruitment of U.S. citizens and residents and the threat of cyber attacks are cited as areas of particular concern.

To fill the gaps in preparedness, the chairmen recommend establishing a national entry-and-exit system that uses biometric technology; establishing a standardized, secure form of identification; and creating a civil-liberties board to monitor government actions. They also recommend clarifying policies on terrorist detention and improving the ability to bring emergency responders under unified command.