Government Executive - Authors - Winter Casey

Interior chief names 'recovery czar'

Winter Casey — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar last week welcomed yet another "czar" to the Obama administration. As the "recovery czar" for the Interior Department, Chris Henderson will oversee more than $3 billion the department plans to invest in communities, parks, and public lands.

Henderson, who has been named senior adviser to the secretary for economic recovery, has served as the chief operating officer for Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper since 2006 and also has experience in private equity investing.

National Journal reported in February about the multitude of czars Obama has named or promised to name in his administration. Still yet to be filled are the congressionally created White House position of intellectual property enforcement coordinator, or IP czar, and the long-promised tech czar post. Obama reportedly has selected Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske to be the nation's next drug czar and Melissa Hathaway may become the next cybersecurity czar.

Check out the blog Lost in Transition, a joint effort of Government Executive and National Journal.

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Former DHS official touts emergency-response network

Winter Casey — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0400

During a National Press Club briefing held Friday by the Corporate Crisis Response Officers Association to tout the network, current association Chairman Hutchinson said his experience in government has helped him understand both the critical role of government and its limitations. Hutchinson, who served in Congress before joining the Bush administration, added that the network can fill a gap in disaster response and that the government can tap into the resource.

The goal of the network is to support immediate information-sharing and coordination at the local level and in the private sector. The network aims to provide interactive maps and breaking news alerts on wireless text devices, as well as a national database of community stakeholders.

Hutchinson's group is "recruiting private-, public- and community-sector leaders through media, pilot projects and organizational agreements" to be crisis-response officers in the network, according to a fact sheet released at the briefing. Test projects for the network are under way in three communities.

Currently, the network is free to verified users. It has been primarily funded by the association. The future structure and what it eventually will cost users has not been resolved, according to association President Jeb Carney. Providing something for free is not a productive system, he added.

The network is using the same technology the government uses for various portals, Carney said. The project could be combined with a government network, and the association is hoping the government will provide emergency information feeds into the system.

The network will be maintained by NC4, a for-profit corporation that has been involved in the network's creation.

Homeland Security did not respond to a press inquiry about the network by deadline.

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Lawmakers want tech updates at State Department

Winter Casey — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0400

The committee report on the foreign aid spending bill, H.R. 2764, cited that figure as the Bush administration's budget request for the fees. Added to the $59 million the panel approved for the department's capital investments, the total money for IT modernization in fiscal 2008 would be about $304 million.

According to the report, the committee has appropriated close to $2 billion for the department's global IT infrastructure since 2001 "to enable rapid and reliable communication between Washington and the more than 300 locations worldwide." The House report said the committee expects State "to maintain and protect this investment."

Appropriators also encouraged the office in charge of the U.S. government's worldwide overseas buildings program to pursue the development of integrated building management systems.

"Such technology upgrades to integrate disparate legacy systems will protect the large and continuing investment of taxpayer resources in overseas properties and those who occupy them," the report said. "The committee has provided sufficient resources to support this effort."

The House committee hailed the secretary of State's science and technology adviser "for continuing to promote the essential role of science and technology in diplomacy." The report calls for more "science and technology capacity and literacy within the department and the role of science and technology in our nation's foreign policy."

The committee said the secretary of State should be prepared to report to Congress on the progress during fiscal 2008 to increase departmental tech capabilities. The committee further encouraged the department to consider support for a project to create and test an iris-scanning system "to identify, track and log visitors at select U.S. missions."

Finally, the House committee endorsed attempts to defeat the jamming of Radio Free Asia and Voice of America signals for broadcasts to China, Tibet, Vietnam and North Korea. And the panel touted efforts to counter Internet censorship in China and Iran.

The report for the draft companion bill approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee said State should assess threats to the department's computer networks and "consider the need to improve the capacity to monitor inside threats to networks of U.S. missions."

The panel wants at least $22 million spent on American schools and hospitals abroad in fiscal 2008. The Agency for International Development administers the program, known as ASHA, and some of its work involves computer technology.

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Administration announces border, immigration initiatives

Winter Casey — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0400

The administration said this move will "significantly expand use of E-Verify, and make it more difficult for illegal immigrants to obtain jobs through fraud." E-Verify is a free Internet-based system "operated by the Department of Homeland Security in partnership with the Social Security Administration that allows participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees," according to the DHS Web site.

The changes to the E-Verify system were part of a series of immigration and border initiatives Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez announced Friday.

"These reforms represent steps my administration can take within the boundaries of existing law to better secure our borders, improve worksite enforcement, streamline existing temporary worker programs, and help new immigrants assimilate into American society," President Bush said in a statement.

In addressing E-Verify, the administration said it will help states make greater use of the system. Currently, some states already mandate the use of E-Verify by some agencies and the administration said it will "assist such efforts through outreach and offers of technical assistance."

The White House said it plans to expand the data sources the system can check. The administration plans to seek out voluntary state partners willing to share with the program state department of motor vehicles photos and records. This move is expected to "help prevent illegal immigrants from using fraudulent driver's licenses to obtain employment," according to the White House.

On the border security front, the administration said it is committed to having 105 camera and radar towers and three additional unmanned aerial vehicles on the border by Dec. 31, 2008.

The White House also addressed the issue of cultural assimilation. The administration said the Department Of Education will "launch a free, Web-based portal to help immigrants learn English, and expand this model over time."

"Knowledge of English is the most important component of assimilation," the White House said. "An investment in tools to help new Americans learn English will be repaid many times over in the contributions these immigrants make to our political discourse, economy, and society."

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EPA cites area where agencies can take lead on energy efficiency

Winter Casey — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0400

"The government should commit to: publicly reporting the energy performance of its data centers once standardized metrics are available, conducting energy efficiency assessments in all its data centers within two to three years, and implementing all cost-effective operational improvements," the report stated.

The study also recommended that government and industry work together "to develop an objective, credible energy performance rating system for data centers."

Lowell Sachs, a manager of government affairs at Sun Microsystems, said in a statement that the government could help by pushing "for more accountability between those who make the IT purchasing decisions for federal offices and those who ultimately pay the bills."

A data center, according to Jon Weisblatt, senior manager of enterprise marketing at Dell, is generally a large room or building where a company's computing infrastructure is located. Every business and government institution has a data center of some size, he said.

During the past five years, a jump in demand for computer resources has resulted in an increase in data centers and an estimated doubling in the amount of energy they consume, according to the EPA report. "There is significant potential for energy-efficiency improvements in data centers," the report found.

However, the issue has been plagued by the difficulty in defining "energy efficiency for a complex system such as a data center or a server." Sachs said "more consistent data about actual energy use and savings" needs to be made available.

The report recommended that the federal government collaborate with other stakeholders on a comprehensive research and development program to develop technologies and best practices for energy efficiency in data centers.

Meanwhile, a number of large tech companies have announced changes to their data center practices.

Weisblatt said Dell has consolidated more than 24 data centers into two primary facilities. This move has resulted in the centers using less energy, with corresponding cost savings, and has reduced the company's computing footprint.

Last year, Hewlett-Packard said it planned to consolidate its 85 data centers worldwide into six larger centers located in Atlanta, Houston and Austin, Texas. The move was expected to reduce the company's IT spending by approximately $1 billion over time.

Microsoft said it is focused on maximizing energy and design efficiencies in its data centers. The company's data center in Quincy, Washington, is designed to leave a minimal carbon footprint and uses hydropower as its primary source of energy.

Weisblatt said the possibility of data center legislation or setting standards for energy efficiency has been given attention on Capitol Hill. However, a bill could potentially result in systems that over time could consume more energy or be inefficient, he said. Lowell said a provision in one bill, H.R.3221, taps into innovation and progress already being made in the private sector.

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SEC's suspension of anti-terrorism Web tool praised

Winter Casey — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0400

"Retooling this Web site -- which previously provided access to incomplete and extraneous information -- will enhance its usefulness to citizens seeking to determine whether their investments are being used to finance terrorism or genocide," Rep. Spencer Bachus of Alabama said, in a statement.

SEC Chairman Christopher Cox said the agency plans to work to improve the Web tool, which permits investors to view company disclosure documents on business interests in countries that the secretary of State has designated to be "state sponsors of terrorism." These countries include Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria. This tool, which Cox said has experienced "exceptional traffic" since it was unveiled on June 25, has generated criticism from some lawmakers and businesses.

According to Cox, the commission received many positive comments about the usefulness of the Web tool but also negative comments, "primarily from the registrants whose disclosures were findable using the Web tool," as well as from those concerned by the lack of updated information beyond what a company has included in its most recent annual report.

Both Bachus and House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank, D-Mass., recently sent letters to Cox regarding the list. Bachus said the "ill-conceived" initiative links companies with no apparent link to terrorist-financing states and leaves off the list other publicly traded companies that have significant operations in such nations. He said the list was seemingly created by performing a cursory word-search using the SEC's EDGAR database.

Frank said "the concept of a list generated in this fashion strikes me as unfair and perhaps counterproductive." Frank also said "it is a significant concern to me that by developing its list without any clear criteria, the SEC's efforts will dilute the effectiveness of publicizing the names of companies that do have material investments in the economies of rogue states."

SEC Republican Commissioner Paul Atkins reportedly said last week that the SEC should fix the Web tool if possible or remove the page.

SEC "staff is considering whether the use of interactive data tags applied by companies themselves could permit investors, analysts and others to easily discover this disclosure without need of an SEC-provided Web tool at all," Cox said in his statement. While the Web tool is offline, the companies' disclosures regarding their business contacts in the specified countries will be available through the SEC's EDGAR database, he said.

Cox disputed claims that the Web site's content was generated from a "mere keyword" search of the SEC's EDGAR database. He also said the SEC's only commentary with the search results stated that a company's disclosure does not mean the entity directly or indirectly has supported any improper activities.

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Homeland Security data-sharing systems criticized

Winter Casey — Thu, 10 May 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Testimony before the Homeland Security Intelligence, Information Sharing and Terrorism Risk Assessment Subcommittee primarily focused on the Regional Information Sharing Systems, known as RISS, and the Homeland Security Information Network, or HSIN. The latter is a computer-based counter-terrorism system designed to connect all 50 states.

"I think we'd be living in a dream world if we believed that the HSIN is anywhere near where it needs to be," declared full committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss.

Thompson said HSIN has been found to duplicate other information-sharing systems that can perform the same job for half the cost. He added that it does not integrate well with other systems and said the Homeland Security Department has not "clearly defined the system's purpose."

The department rushed to deploy HSIN following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, according to David Powner, director of information technology management issues for the Government Accountability Office. Powner said GAO has found that in developing HSIN, the department did not adequately account for key initiatives associated with RISS.

RISS is a national program of regionally oriented services designed to enhance the communication and coordination of federal, state and local agencies in fighting crime. That program has been in operation for about 25 years, well before HSIN was implemented.

Due to problems in integrating HSIN with the previously existing structure, Powner said HSIN "may be duplicating state and local capabilities" while running the risk that "effective information-sharing is not occurring."

Brian Tomblin, an official of the Tennessee Army National Guard's homeland security office, said "the problems and frustrations currently experienced with HSIN are all directly related to a lack of communication and clear guidance between [the U.S. Homeland Security Department] and state partners."

Wayne Parent, deputy director of operations coordination at Homeland Security, responded: "Over the past nine months, numerous improvements and enhancements to HSIN have been made, and I believe it has the potential [to] become the information-sharing and situational awareness tool it was envisioned to be. ... Work needs to continue to ensure there is robust connectively and interoperability with all [Homeland Security Department] partners."

William Harris of the Delaware State Police characterized RISS as the best information-sharing resource available. And Donald Kennedy, executive director of the New England State Police Information Network -- one of the six RISS centers -- noted its attributes in fighting crime.

"The federal government should provide the funding needed to leverage existing information-sharing systems and expand intelligence-sharing by executing interoperability between operating systems at the local, state, regional, federal and tribal levels," he said. "... Users should be able to access all pertinent information from disparate systems with a single sign-on, based on the user's classification level and need to know."

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Government to test Internet routing in space

Winter Casey — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Last week, Intelsat General, a subsidiary of the commercial satellite company Intelsat, announced that it will manage the project, known as IRIS, which was funded and announced in fiscal 2007 as a joint capability technology demonstration by the Defense Department. Other companies set to work on the endeavor include Cisco Systems, Concerto Advisors, SEAKR Engineering and Space Systems/Loral.

"IRIS extends the Internet into space, integrating satellite systems and the ground infrastructure for war-fighters, first responders and others who need seamless and instant communications," Intelsat General CEO Bill Shernit said in a statement. "IRIS will enable U.S. and allied military forces with diverse satellite equipment to seamlessly communicate over the Internet from the most remote regions of the world."

According to Intelsat, the router would work like a computer processor in the sky and merge communications being received on various frequency bands. The router then would transmit signals to multiple users based on data instructions from a station on earth.

It is hoped that the router also would enable military units to communicate with each other across various forms of technology.

The Defense Information Systems Agency will be responsible for coordinating the use of the technology within government. The Defense Department chose the IRIS project from hundreds of other proposals. The space initiative will be funded as a Joint Capability Technology Demonstration.

The demonstration program is a revamped version of the Advanced Concept Technology Demonstrations initiative. ACTD was renamed and updated to better meet the challenges of the 21st century, address congressional concerns, and respond to recommendations made by the Government Accountability Office.

In April 2007, the Defense Department announced that it plans to work on 10 such demonstration projects. Two look to enhance maritime tracking and coordinated radio-frequency communications. Another project would work toward high-speed, wireless Web connections over long distances.

President Bush proposed $2.69 million to be spent on the demonstrations in fiscal 2008.

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Senate rejects GOP changes to anti-terrorism bill

Chris Strohm and Winter Casey — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0400

The bill aims to implement unfulfilled recommendations of the commission that investigated the 2001 terrorist attacks. Democrats and a handful of Republicans voted to table two amendments from Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla.

The first amendment would have caused every provision in the bill to expire in five years. Coburn argued that the so-called sunset provision was necessary in order to ensure congressional review of homeland security policy.

"We don't know what the terrorism situation is going to be in five years," he said. "None of us know exactly what we need to do five years from now, and a sunset will not cause this to lapse. It will cause us to act."

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., led opposition to the amendment, calling it "disruptive" and "bizarre." He said the bill contains numerous provisions to update security policies based on lessons learned in recent years.

The second Coburn amendment would have required the Homeland Security Department to comply with a federal law that prohibits improper payments. The amendment would have prohibited grants to state and local governments until the department certified the fiscal integrity of how grants were being managed and spent.

The National Governors Association opposed the amendment, arguing that it would have prevented state governments from receiving grants. Coburn said his amendment would have forced Homeland Security to better manage its money.

"That is tough love. It's putting them under the gun," he said. "That's exactly what we're supposed to do. As this amendment goes down ... the senators are going to reject the very idea of having accountability."

Senate Homeland Security Committee ranking Republican Susan Collins of Maine led opposition to the amendment, saying it would "halt" grant programs, and penalize emergency responders and state agencies for faults of the Homeland Security Department.

"It isn't just the governors and the emergency managers; it's also the Department of Homeland Security that strongly opposes the amendment," she added.

Off Capitol Hill, meanwhile, experts addressed the security priorities of the 110th Congress at a security technology summit hosted by Equity International.

Rob Housman, the founder of the Housman Group, a public affairs firm specializing in homeland security, said Democrats have made the issue a top priority. He noted the party's push for better rail security and more cargo screening.

Veronique Pluviose-Fenton, the policy director at the House Homeland Security Committee, said panel Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., wants to work with the department to "provide resources and staff where Congress can." She added that Thompson said the nation "can't do homeland security on the cheap."

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Lawmaker unhappy with Homeland Security research agency

Winter Casey — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0500

During a budget hearing before the Technology and Innovation Subcommittee, the panel's chairman, David Wu, D-Ore., said lawmakers are "familiar with management problems that have caused a lack of focus on important research and development priorities and the attrition of the best and the brightest minds from the Science and Technology Directorate" at the department.

He also said that he is concerned "about the lack of a strategic plan or risk assessment that should be the basis for research priorities within [Homeland Security] ... I strongly encourage you to carry out a detailed, scientific risk assessment soon."

For fiscal 2008, the Bush administration has requested $799 million for Homeland Security's science and technology directorate, a 9.5 percent decrease from the amount allocated for 2007. The directorate helps coordinate all federal homeland security related research, and carries out R&D projects to support Homeland Security initiatives.

During the hearing, Jay Cohen, undersecretary of the science and technology directorate, said he has spent his first six months at his job "laying the foundation in organization, people and processes." He said he has made an effort to improve fiscal responsibility at the directorate and established international program officers to help coordinate global efforts to combat terrorism through science and technology.

Cohen added that the directorate has focused on leveraging R&D efforts across the federal government to benefit homeland security first responders.

But Wu said "only time will tell whether the changes Undersecretary Cohen has made will bring about the radical improvements to the S&T Directorate that our nation needs."

Jonah Czerwinski, managing consultant of IBM Global Business Services, focused his testimony on investments at Homeland Security's Domestic Nuclear Detection Office that he said challenged the assumptions regarding the limits of technology.

The president's budget proposal calls for increasing funding for the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, which conducts research on detection of nuclear and radiological materials, by 17 percent over 2007, to $569.1 million.

Czerwinski said the office has led a number of efforts meant to improve the nation's ability to combat nuclear terrorism. These include a technology demonstration called the Verification of Shielded Special Nuclear Material, which the Bush budget proposes allocating about $12 million toward, and a technology he said "represents a move from search to surveillance." The administration has requested $11 million for the project.

"The country needs a strategic framework to overarch our R&D investments for maximum benefit to both our homeland security interests and our economic competitiveness," Czerwinski said.

Homeland Security and its nuclear detection office "lack this strategic framework today. Nevertheless, [the office] has chosen successfully several important pilots. ... Congress should view DNDO's work as being on track after three years."

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Federal officials say data sharing efforts are improving

Winter Casey — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Michael Jackson said at the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association conference that the government is engaged in various initiatives to improve security -- like greater investment in Secure Flight and the rollout of the Registered Traveler program.

As defined by the Transportation Security Administration, Secure Flight involves the submission of passenger reservation information by airlines to TSA for comparing names against criminal and terrorist watch lists. Registered Traveler is designed to provide faster airport security screening to travelers who undergo background checks in advance.

More attention also has been placed on protecting infrastructure, screening cargo, engaging in the mining of information from government and commercial databases, and looking to control the border with technology tools, Jackson said.

Many of the projects were started or strengthened in the last few years, as the Bush administration has made improved security a national priority.

Jackson pointed to a "multiplicity of identity-management investments" his department is making. He stressed that the government is "not Big Brother" and respects the Constitution and privacy concerns. Still, it is important to understand who is coming into this country in an "analytic and disciplined way," he said.

Homeland Security Chief Intelligence Officer Charles Allen said the government has a responsibility to share information, which is the main reason the department exists.

Allen said he is working on information-sharing outreach to state and local governments. "We have made progress," but we need to move faster, he said.

While Allen argued that protecting privacy and civil liberties for Americans is key to the department's success, privacy and civil liberties groups continue to raise concerns about government use of technology that they claim infringes privacy rights.

A late-morning panel discussion outlined new so-called "fusion centers," and multiple speakers commented on what the centers can offer. In 2006, authorities created 38 such centers, which, according to DHS, "blend relevant law enforcement and intelligence information analysis and coordinate security measures in order to reduce threats in local communities."

Homeland Security has provided hundreds of millions of dollars to support the centers.

The department said in 2006 that it would have tailored "multidisciplinary teams of intelligence and operational professionals in major fusion centers nationwide by the end of fiscal year 2008."

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Truckers must file e-summaries of cargo at borders

Winter Casey — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500

As of Jan. 25, all truck carriers entering through Arizona, Washington and seven ports in North Dakota must file electronic manifests through the Automated Commercial Environment, a processing system being developed to enhance national security and facilitate legitimate trade.

An e-manifest requires the trucker to provide details of the trip, vehicle, shipment, passengers and driver. All of the data goes into the ACE databank or a national CBP database, CBP spokesman Eric Blum said.

Legislation from 2002 gave CBP the authority to require the electronic transmission of advance cargo information. Blum said the goal is to deploy the program into all states within the next year.

Once states are designated for compliance, truckers will be given notices if they fail to meet the requirement. After 60 days, carriers arriving at designated ports must demonstrate that attempts were made to submit e-manifests. During a third stage, carriers that fail to comply will be denied entry to the United States or could be fined.

In the past, all commercial trucks arriving at the borders have had to apply for entrance using paper manifests. That process resulted in problems such as incomplete information, Blum said.

CBP now has the capacity to accept e-manifests at every port on the southern border. Blum said, however, that northern-border states such as Alaska, Idaho, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire and parts of Minnesota and North Dakota have work to do.

The electronic program saves shippers time, makes the documents more accessible and legible, and enables determinations on the frequency and normalcy of certain shipments. CBP's spokesman said the program has been more difficult for smaller companies or trucker groups satisfy, although third parties can assist such companies.

As of April 19, three new states -- California, New Mexico and Texas -- will have to adhere to the e-manifest initiative. Other states will be put into the mandatory category following a 90-day notice, Blum said. The agency has been moving toward mandatory, nationwide participation for a long time, he noted.

"E-manifests are a good thing but making them mandatory in certain states before it is rolled out to all ports may have been pre-mature," said Margaret Irwin, director of customs, immigration and cross-border operations at the American Trucking Association. "We still do not have all of the kinks worked out of the system."

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Push for standard federal worker IDs faces challenges

Winter Casey — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500

By Oct. 27, 2008, all employees and contractors must have IDs that meet a new standard in order to access certain federal buildings. David Temoshok, a director of identity policy at the General Services Administration, said that means hundreds of enrollment stations soon will need to be deployed across the nation, cards will need to be issued to 2 million users in the next 23 months, and systems will have to be tested.

Speaking at a Thursday briefing on Capitol Hill, Temoshok also said common applications for who can access the information on the cards will need to be built, testing operations will have to be established and a commitment to continued issuance must be made.

The government identification requirements stem from a 2004 presidential directive that sought to establish a common identification standard for federal workers. Temoshok said other entities and larger communities could adopt the standard for the cards.

During the lunch, one person noted that there have been discussions to legislatively extend the deadlines for ID programs. Participants also noted financial concerns about the initiative.

Currently, about a dozen agencies have committed to establishing their own card infrastructure, while more than 100 agencies want GSA's help in implementing the directive and to share service providers. Temoshok said the administration already has called on GSA to test the encoding on all cards to ensure that they can work together.

"We are at the start" of this entire process, Temoshok said.

Roy Bie of JDSU's Advanced Optical Technologies Group said that when implementing a directive, a solution with multiple technologies is necessary, the counterfeiting risks need to be minimized and the cards must be reliable and easy to read quickly. Designing such a card can be costly, he said.

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Bush seeks billions of dollars for Army technology

Winter Casey — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500

The figure would mark a $300 million increase over the amount expected to be appropriated in fiscal 2007 for the Army's Future Combat System, which entered the development phase in 2003, according to a Defense Department summary. Major areas of the investment include unmanned aerial vehicles, manned and unmanned ground vehicles, and battlefield command-and-communications systems.

In the past, Congress has regularly trimmed hundreds of millions of dollars from the Pentagon's funding requests for the Future Combat System. About $400 million was slashed from the fiscal 2007 budget request. To gain more support on Capitol Hill, government officials have encouraged congressional staffers to visit Army testing sites to learn more about the systems.

The Government Accountability Office has further criticized the program in studies that have questioned the Army's ability to successfully deploy the project.

The budget also requests $1.6 billion for research, development and procurement focused on protecting military forces that could be exposed to chemical or biological warfare agents, and the budget would support improved early attack warnings.

Overall, Bush requested roughly $481.4 billion for the Defense Department for fiscal 2008 -- an 11.3 percent increase over the fiscal 2007 allocation. For that year, the president asked Congress for $435.4 billion.

Bush also requested an additional $141.7 billion to be used for the "global war on terror" in fiscal 2008 and $93.4 billion in emergency supplemental funding to cover war equipment and operation costs for the remainder of fiscal 2007.

The administration said the budget would support improved sharing of intelligence information through a government-wide effort to share terrorist data among interested parties in federal, state and local governments.

"Policymakers, military commanders and law enforcement personnel need timely, accurate information regarding the capabilities and intentions of foreign powers, terrorists and other international actors," according to the budget.

Additionally, the fiscal 2008 budget calls for a 50 percent increase in the number of CIA case officers and analysts.

The United States needs to support improved technology to enable troops to meet future threats successfully, according to the budget. Within the document, Bush touted the success of the Defense Department's global electronic health record system which is expected to eventually serve more than 9 million service members and affiliated parties.

In 2008, the system will be active in 60 percent of military hospitals, the budget stated.

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Departments get serious about border technologies

Winter Casey — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0500

In January 2006, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced their strategic vision for securing the nation's borders. The agenda included using new information technology to make it easier for foreign visitors to travel to the United States and creating travel documents to quickly verify people's identities as they cross the border.

Rice also said in her 2006 speech that the U.S. government planned to "conduct smarter screening in every place that we encounter travelers."

The summary that State released late Thursday said the department is working with Homeland Security to identify the best practices at U.S. ports, such as improved screening, more efficient movement of people, and customized video messages with information on the entry process. State tested various methods in 2006 to "remotely collect fingerprints and capture data for the non-immigrant application form from applicants with special needs," the summary said.

The government also announced an increase in the issuance of student and business visas since the September 2001 terrorist attacks.

In the past year, the summary said the government has looked to enhance its relationship with the private sector. Both departments plan to soon inaugurate a program that would be a "streamlined redress center for travelers who have concerns about their treatment in the screening process."

State said in August that it had begun issuing electronic passports to business and tourist travelers, and the summary noted that by spring "all 17 passport issuance agencies will be converted to full e-passport production."

The department is currently seeking feedback on a proposed credit-card-sized identification documentation that would "offer a secure, less expensive alternative to the passport book for border community residents," the summary said. The border-crossing cards that the United States issues to Mexican citizens along the southern border also will be updated to incorporate that technology, the department said.

State noted that Homeland Security has established "a single trusted-traveler program strategy that integrates all existing and proposed trusted-traveler programs for international air, land and sea travel." The core information system for it is the Global Enrollment System.

The government also announced improvements in screening technology.

As of Jan. 23 all U.S.-bound air travelers, including American citizens, must submit secure documents. As of November, all applicants for non-immigrant visas must use electronic application forms, which State said should be available online by the end of fiscal 2007.

In 2006, the government began testing digital videoconferencing and expanded its use of facial-recognition technology to identify visa applicants. "We expect to soon begin using this technology to assist in adjudicating passport applications," the department said.

The State Department also has initiated conversations with 28 countries to determine the degree to which they may be interested in sharing "terrorist lookout information."

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White House eyes action on borders, electronic IDs

Winter Casey — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0500

"We are very much looking to pass a bill in Congress" that is workable and can be implemented, Greg Jacob, special assistant to the president for domestic policy, said during the second day of an annual homeland security conference sponsored by the American Bar Association.

Ryan Bounds, chief of staff at the Justice Department office of legal policy, said the United States has doubled its funding for border support and enforcement in recent years. When illegal aliens enter the United States, it contributes to identity theft and national security concerns, he said.

"One of the ... improvements we are seeking is a mandatory employer electronic system," Bounds noted.

The official also said the Bush administration is interested in the creation of a biometric-based, tamper-proof identification card and supports increased penalties for employing illegal aliens. Additionally, the White House has launched task forces to curtail illegal immigration rings, Bounds said.

Randy Johnson, a vice president at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said the group supports a new employment verification system.

Officials also discussed how to curb the incentive for illegal aliens to enter the United States and how to get them to come out of the dark without rewarding them. Another issue is how to fulfill the talent needs that U.S. companies seek and the appropriate way to allow foreigners, in some cases, to fill any industry voids.

During a Thursday session, Philip Perry, general counsel at the Homeland Security Department, said substantial congressional activity can be expected on the immigration front this year. He specifically mentioned issues related to border security, workplace enforcement and a temporary worker program.

Legislation "is not going to be easy to implement," Perry said.

On Friday, C. Stewart Verdery from the Monument Policy Group said it is hard to imagine that Congress will adjourn without passing an immigration law.

Both Jacob and Verdery, a former assistant Homeland Security secretary for border and transportation security policy and planning, said immigration reform is particularly challenging because it has so many challenging facets.

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U.S. officials tackle global communications issues

Winter Casey — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0500

David Gross, U.S. coordinator for international communications and information policy at the State Department, also called cyber security a key issue for the future during a Federal Communications Bar Association lunch.

On Friday, Mali-born Hamadoun Toure, the newly appointed head of the ITU, said he does not intend to try to take over Internet governance, and he plans to focus on narrowing the "digital divide" of technology access between rich and poor countries.

Toure said he supports the role of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers in overseeing the Internet. Some global officials have criticized ICANN's role. Gross said Toure's comments were very much in "harmony" with what the United States has said.

Gross said the United States looks toward the ITU "with regards to next-generation networks" and how standards will be developed. "We all have an interest in making sure these networks" are secure, practical and the right policies emerge to go along with them, Gross said.

However, Gross said he personally does not care for the term "digital divide," although the development sector of the ITU exists to help all countries deploy technology in a sustainable way to as many people as possible, such as through private leadership and a solid rule of law.

"In much of the developing role, the ITU has a reputation for being a source of information without parallel," he said. "We want that to continue."

John Kneuer, head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, said the digital divide and security are areas of mutual concern that do not easily lend themselves to domestic solutions.

Toure also reportedly said Friday that his priorities include developing standards for high-speed Internet access and for access to so-called third-generation mobile telephones.

Gross said the United States supports technology neutrality that lets consumers decide what they prefer to use. The United States wants to facilitate the use of technology, but "we don't want to be a conduit for those who seek to restrict" its use, said Gross, who also noted that a goal is to make sure the country gets the spectrum it needs to foster new technologies.

Meanwhile, Gross hailed the international effort over the past five years to discuss issues of major importance to information and communication technologies.

He also noted that during ITU's recent conference, the organization experienced a number of staffing changes and also discussed the terminology of technology terms and grammar. For example, the ITU decided that the word "Internet" will continue to be capitalized, Gross said.

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Democratic senators want agency data-mining reports

Winter Casey — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0500

"The overwhelming majority of these data-mining programs use, collect, and analyze personal information about ordinary American citizens," Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said during a hearing on balancing privacy and security. "We need look no further than the government's own terrorist watch list, which now contains the names of more than 300,000 individuals -- including infants, nuns and even members of Congress-- to understand the inefficiencies that can result from data mining and government dragnets."

Leahy said that "at least 52 different federal agencies are currently using data-mining technology," adding that there are "at least 199 different government data-mining programs operating or planned throughout the federal government." Despite its widespread use, Leahy said questions remain about how effective data mining is in preventing terrorism.

Leahy and Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., touted a planned bill that would require agency reports to Congress on their data-mining activities. Feingold said he hopes the hearing will be the first step in "perhaps regulating this type of technology."

Former Rep. Bob Barr of Georgia said there never has been a comprehensive examination of who owns the data. Barr, who now heads a civil liberties coalition called Patriots to Restore Checks and Balances, said in a written statement that the Bush administration's data mining programs violate the Constitution and federal laws in several ways.

Barr recently switched his affiliation from Republican to the Libertarian Party in part because of his concerns over the GOP's actions on civil liberties and privacy issues.

"Predictive data mining is appropriate for seeking credit card fraud" and sending cops to a certain part of town, Jim Harper, director of information policy studies at the Cato Institute, said in testimony. However, "because of the near statistical impossibility of catching terrorists through data mining, and because of its high costs in investigator time, taxpayer dollars, lost privacy and threatened liberty, I conclude that data mining does not work in the area of terrorism."

Harper called for greater transparency of the practice.

Leslie Harris, executive director for the Center for Democracy and Technology, said in testimony that "technology has far outstripped existing privacy protections at the very time that legal standards for government access to data have been lowered."

Meanwhile, James Carafano, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, argued that traditional law enforcement models need to be modified. He said the threat of terrorism requires law enforcement to be preventive rather than reactive.

Carafano proposed rules to guide U.S. implementation of basic principles for fighting a long-term war in the electronic world. He said the development of technology should not justify authorizing new government powers.

He also said citizen representatives should authorize new, tamper-proof systems.

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Tax season begins with policy changes, e-filing push

Winter Casey — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Currently taxpayers who wish to file electronically can do so by going to authorized tax preparers, using over-the-counter software, or going through the Free File program, according to an IRS spokeswoman. The program allows free e-filing for eligible taxpayers and is headed by the Free File Alliance and the IRS.

The agency announced that ancillary offerings such as solicitations for refund loans -- which sometimes carry high interest charges and fees -- will be removed from Free File this month.

The IRS has advised the public that taxpayers who file their taxes electronically will get their refunds faster and drastically reduce their chances of making errors. In order to address the people who do not have Internet access or computers, IRS spokeswoman Nancy Mathis said "the IRS partners with organizations that operate 12,000 free tax-preparation physical sites nationwide to help lo-income and elderly people to file their taxes."

Mathis said that currently, paper returns must be manually entered into electronic forms by IRS employees. In 2006, roughly 54 percent of taxpayers filed electronically, she said. Money saved from new technology has been diverted to customer service and enforcement, Mathis added.

The IRS also has advised taxpayers to visit its Web site in order to receive information on how a new law affects their taxes.

This year, individual taxpayers can request refunds if they paid the federal excise tax on long-distance or bundled telephone service between Feb. 28, 2003, and Aug. 1, 2006. The government stopped collecting the tax on long-distance service in August 2006. The IRS expects more than 146 million individual taxpayers to request the refund.

The e-filing system has been updated to reflect the elimination of that tax, but paper forms went to print before the law was enacted in December.

Members of the 110th Congress wasted no time last week introducing bills that would eliminate the remaining portion of the tax that applies to customers who receive only local phone service. Sens. John Ensign, R-Nev., and Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., filed measures on the subject.

IRS.gov at times is one of the most heavily visited Web sites in the world and so the agency has tried to make the site more user friendly, Mathis noted.

Over the last couple of years, the IRS increasingly has offered new online tools to help educate taxpayers. Mathis said one of the most popular features allows users to check the status of their tax filings and track their refunds.

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Experts discuss how blogs helped pass database bill

Winter Casey — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0400

They gathered at the Heritage Foundation to discuss how authors of Republican and Democratic Web logs this summer influenced the passage of legislation aimed at creating a Google-like search tool for the government.

On Sept. 26, President Bush signed into law a bill, S. 2590, that calls for the White House Office of Management and Budget to create a free search engine and database to track an estimated $1 trillion in federal grants and contracts.

Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., one of the measure's co-sponsors, said at a briefing in September that blogs showed some of their power in pushing the measure forward. "This is a bill that passed precisely because of grassroots support," he said.

The bill faced anonymous procedural "holds" that delayed a Senate vote. News of the holds animated the blogosphere, which worked to expose the senators behind them, Democrat Robert Byrd of West Virginia and Republican Ted Stevens of Alaska.

N.Z. Bear of The Truth Laid Bear and Porkbusters said the reason the bill inspired the blogosphere was because it was so "obviously a good thing" for all ideologies. Bear said bloggers harnessed the power of the public to call lawmakers' offices about the holds. The blogs "did try to motivate the public" and it became "fun and entertaining" for people to participate, he said.

"It wasn't the blogs that made this happen but facilitated it happening," Bear said.

Rebecca Carr, a national correspondent for Cox Newspapers, said bloggers exposed the secretive nature of Congress. The public felt disenfranchised about the Senate's legislative process, she said. Carr noted that government transparency issues and corruption are bipartisan problems.

Mark Tapscott from The Washington Examiner, who also blogs at Tapscott's Copy Desk, said the Internet gives the public the power to focus all its talents simultaneously. He also noted that lawmakers may want to take more steps to use the Internet to interact with the public.

The forthcoming database is going to work because blogs will be watching, Tapscott added. OMB already has solicited bloggers' help with other initiatives, too, according to GovExec.com.

Bear noted that "it is becoming much more difficult for politicians to say something completely wrong and get away with it."

Responding to reports this week that Google CEO Eric Schmidt envisions an Internet where users could instantly check whether a statement made by a politician is true or false, Bear said he is skeptical of "magic technology." But blogs and other Internet tools do give people more power, he said, and the tools will only become easier to use.

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New pact moves Internet body toward independence

Winter Casey — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400

Commerce Department oversight of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers dates back to a 1998 agreement that was set to expire Sept. 30. On Friday, ICANN signed a new agreement that includes what it calls "major gains" in its move towards independence.

Under the deal, "ICANN will no longer have its work prescribed for it," and "how it works and what it works on is up to ICANN and its community to devise," according to an ICANN statement. The Internet-addressing body said it no longer will be required to report its activities every six months but will provide one annual report to the entire Internet community.

"There is no requirement to report regularly to [Commerce]," the statement said. "The [department] will simply meet with senior ICANN staff from time to time." However, the pact said "the department will hold regular meetings with ICANN senior management and leadership to assess progress" and will conduct a mid-term review of progress.

"Commerce has clearly signaled that multi-stakeholder management of the Internet's system of unique identifiers is the way ahead and ICANN is the obvious organization to take that responsibility," Paul Twomey, president and CEO of ICANN, said in a statement. The agreement "means ICANN is more autonomous," he said.

The department "reaffirms its policy goal of transitioning the technical coordination of the [domain-name system] to the private sector in a manner that promotes stability and security, competition, bottom-up coordination, and representation," the agreement said.

Under the accord, the U.S. government will continue to provide expertise and advice on measures that support greater transparency and accountability of ICANN. The government plans to continue consulting with managers of Internet root-name servers it operates. Commerce also plans to participate in ICANN's Governmental Advisory Committee.

Some in the international community have pushed for a greater role in the underlying decisions of the Internet and called for the creation of a global Internet governance body.

Commerce has not yet issued a decision on a proposed agreement between VeriSign and ICANN that has been the subject of congressional hearings. As part of a February settlement, VeriSign's contract to operate Web addresses ending in .com would be extended to 2012, when the firm would retain a presumptive renewal right as the .com registry.

Both VeriSign and its rival, Network Solutions, applauded Friday's ICANN decision by Commerce.

VeriSign said it supports Commerce's decision because the "the public-private partnership model embodied in the agreement is the best way to ensure the continued growth and safety and security of the Internet." Network Solutions commended "this next step toward the transition of the management of the [domain-name system] to the private sector."

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U.S. needs harmonious IT standards, official says

Winter Casey — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400

The nation must "ensure that privacy and security standards are up to date" and take steps to prevent data breaches, Robert Kolodner, interim national coordinator of health information, said during an opening speech at the Health Information Technology Summit for national, regional and state healthcare decision makers.

During the two-day event of the eHealth Initiative and Bridges to Excellence, leaders are discussing emerging policy changes related to health IT, government and the private sector.

Kolodner said the United States has made incredible strides in health IT over the past few years. However, the price of health insurance for companies has dramatically increased and has taken a "toll on our nation and economy," he said.

The high cost is only expected to grow, added Kolodner, who attributed it to higher incomes and higher insurance rates. "We are not getting the value for the dollars we spend," he said. He also said electronic health records are needed.

Mark McClellan, administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, ran through various programs to support health IT, including steps to expand standards for making systems work together. He cited uncertainty regarding the financial consequences of new technologies.

McClellan said his agency seeks to use technology and knowledge to help the country achieve the best health care for patients at the lowest cost. A former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, he also said the country is spending more than it should on healthcare. Contributing to the spending is "the overuse and misuse" of some technologies, he said.

McClellan said his agency is looking to focus more on supporting quality care. "CMS is making major investments in health IT in the drive to personal healthcare," he said. The center also has made a "good deal of progress" in Internet-related health IT projects and is actively promoting health IT records, he said.

Beginning in mid-October, new Medicare tools will be available to help people learn more about their health coverage, including comparative information about prescription-drug plans and the ability to track the status of Medicare claims and learn about preventive benefits.

The tools will be available at mymedicare.gov and medicare.gov. "Millions of our beneficiaries go online," and the number is increasing, McClellan said.

According to key highlights from the eHealth Initiative's 2006 survey of health information exchanges, which was released at the event, 36 health IT bills were passed in 24 states during 2005 and 2006. Ten governors have passed executive orders related to health IT. The survey also found that two-thirds of community or locally focused respondents are concentrating on the implementation of health information networks. Only 29 percent of state-level initiatives are focusing on the implementation of health IT networks, the research stated.

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U.S. seeks improvements to sharing of security info

Winter Casey — Mon, 11 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400

According to Jarrod Agen, a spokesman from the U.S. Homeland Security Department, the United States currently is given passenger data of those traveling from the European Union 15 minutes after airplanes depart. The information includes basic information such as names and birthdates. The United States wants to get that information before take-off, he said.

Secondly, the United States is negotiating for improvements in the information the United States receives about the booking of tickets, as well as itinerary details. Currently, the U.S. is restricted on how much it can share the information and for how long it can be retained, Agen said.

The European Union has probably been the most productive in the field of biometrics, according to James Carafano, a Heritage Foundation homeland security scholar. The European Commission recently said that by June 2009, two fingerprints will be added to the microchips in biometrics-based passports.

Jonah Czerwinski, a homeland security director for the Center for the Study of the Presidency, said the "EU is moving farther than anyone else in developing passports with biometrics."

Biometrics in passports could help alleviate some concern related to an agreement on travel within the European Union and a U.S. program that waives the need for visas from people in friendly countries. Under EU rules, citizens in participating countries can move freely without being subject to internal border controls.

According to Czerwinski, more countries are moving to join the agreement, which he said has a "border security cost" but an "economic payoff."

The European Union has databases with people's security information, according to Telmo Baltazar, the EU counselor for justice and home affairs. "We can only afford to create this possibility by putting in place adequate security measures," Baltazar said. The union also is considering a full biometric-based entry-exist system similar to the US-VISIT program for tracking visitors.

Czerwinski said Europe must find a way that addresses a cultural issue that dates to World War II: people not wanting to show identification papers.

Visa reciprocity between the United States and Europe remains an issue. Americans traveling to all EU nations do not require visas, but citizens from 10 of the 25 EU nations must have visas for U.S. travel. "This creates a serious issue of a lack of full reciprocity," Baltazar said.

Biometrics could provide more faith in passports and result in the visa program becoming less of an issue, Czerwinski said.

The European Commission on Monday released a list of initiatives it has taken in the fight against terrorism, including a pending decision on electronic customs and a framework on security and safeguarding liberties.

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Panel examines high-risk technology projects

Winter Casey and Daniel Pulliam — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0400

Each quarter, agencies evaluate and report to OMB on the performance of high-risk projects, or those requiring "special attention from the highest level of agency management and oversight authorities," said Karen Evans, the office's e-government and IT administrator. However, she told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, and International Security that some projects with significant cost overruns are not on the list.

OMB must evaluate major IT investments under a 1996 law that requires agencies to develop clear strategies for such expenditures. A 2002 e-government law and a 2004 IT management framework published by the Government Accountability Office provide further guidance.

Evans said a suggestion given at the hearing for agency inspector generals to provide random checks on projects was a good one.

Subcommittee Chairman Tom Coburn, R-Okla., said he is concerned about the government getting its money's worth for IT spending. For example, he said unqualified managers are running projects. Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., noted that wasting money is a disgrace.

David Powner, the GAO's director for information technology issues, said in his statement that more than $12 billion in estimated IT expenditures for fiscal 2007 have been identified as either being poorly planned or performing badly. OMB's management watch list may be undermined by inaccurate and unreliable data, and the criteria for identifying high-risk projects has not been consistently applied, GAO said in a statement.

Agencies need to improve the accuracy and reliability of the information they provide on some IT projects, Powner said.

Coburn said he will be sending a letter to the agencies for detailed lists of their IT projects and cost overruns. He said the recommendations in the GAO's report on the management watch list are necessary to maintain fiscal responsibility in IT spending.

Evans said after the hearing that she is concerned that by publicizing the management watch list, its purpose will be distorted. By compiling a list of projects that need special attention, she is worried that agencies will not provide "good quality information" in an attempt to avoid being on the list.

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Debate over e-voting is still plaguing elections

Winter Casey — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 00:00:00 -0400

Complaints surfaced anew Tuesday in Georgia, where Rep. Cynthia McKinney was soundly defeated in a Democratic primary. Any e-voting problems that might have existed would not have changed the outcome of the race, but McKinney still decried the technology.

"Electronic voting machines are a threat to our democracy," she said in a post-election rally. "So let the word go out: We aren't going to tolerate any more stolen elections."

David Bear, a representative from the Diebold e-voting company, reiterated that the technology is reliable and accurate. And as the technology is being deployed, much of the focus now is on making sure it is properly used and administered.

Some states and jurisdictions still have not complied with federal e-voting deadlines for the November election, according to a national panel.

The Committee on a Framework for Understanding Electronic Voting, a body of the National Research Council, said in a July 20 paper that it expects some states will use equipment and systems that fail to satisfy standards imposed under a 2002 federal law.

The statute includes guidelines for implementing e-voting technology. The United States has enforced the act through litigation and by helping jurisdictions interpret the requirements.

According to a June update from VerifiedVoting.org, 27 states now require voter-verified paper records to confirm votes cast electronically, and Arkansas requires paper trails in most counties. Only 15 states require manual audits to check for voter accuracy, according to the group.

The research council's e-voting committee said that for some states, this year's primaries, most of which have been conducted, mark the first large-scale use of electronic systems redesigned for paper verification. For many voters, it will be their first experience with e-voting technology.

The panel said election officials' relations with equipment vendors and service providers have become "increasingly adversarial."

The committee said top election concerns include security, such as physical security for the machines, and the electronic equipment's ability to perform its job. The committee also noted that properly trained poll workers could become an issue this fall, and it recommended that election jurisdictions have backup voting mechanisms available.

The Brennan Center for Justice at New York University also noted security vulnerabilities in the most common e-voting systems. It released a report on the topic in late June, specifically raising concerns about wireless components.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology played a role in developing voluntary e-voting guidelines, and Director William Jeffrey testified about those principles before the House Science Committee in July. NIST is working on a more comprehensive 2007 e-voting standard and a way to test the new requirements, he said.

The agency also is involved in the testing of election hardware and software.

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