ID card industry pushes for DHS work

Executives at identification card companies are intensifying their push for alternative technologies for the Homeland Security Department’s upcoming requirements for border crossing cards and drivers’ licenses. Representatives of the laser card and “smart card” industries told lawmakers on Oct. 18 that their products offer unique benefits and avoid shortcomings of the formats proposed by DHS for the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative border-crossing card and the Real ID Act of 2005 driver’s license standard. For the WHTI border crossing card, also known as the Pass card, DHS officials have said they intend to use long-distance radio frequency identification tags that can be read at 20 feet. A similar RFID tag is to be used in the hybrid WHTI-Real ID act identification card to be issued in three border states.
(Washington Technology story)

Chertoff's steps to discourage attacks

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff on Oct. 19 warned the United States faces a "heightened threat of terrorist attack for the foreseeable future" but said his department was doing more than ever to counter it. As one new anti-terrorism initiative, he cited a plan to screen and inspect small boats for bombs. "Are there going to be some squawks? Absolutely," Chertoff said at a conference held by the Center for Strategic and International Studies on the potential for improvised explosive device attacks in this country. As evidence of the increased terrorist threat, he pointed to the summer's National Intelligence Estimate finding that al-Qaida had reconstituted its training camps in the rugged tribal areas of northwestern Pakistan after being chased out of Afghanistan by U.S. forces in the fall 2001. He said al-Qaida knew how to "pick itself up" after a defeat, but that the "good news is that we are doing the same thing."
(Government Executive story)

Schneider fill-in DHS deputy secretary

President Bush on Oct. 18 tapped the Homeland Security Department's management chief to act as deputy secretary after Michael Jackson vacates the job next week. Paul Schneider, a former acquisition executive at the National Security Agency, has been Homeland Security's undersecretary for management since January. He will assume the acting position when Jackson departs Oct. 26. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff issued a statement saying he was "enormously pleased" by the selection of Schneider. "Paul has exhibited tremendous leadership and dedication as the undersecretary for management," Chertoff said. "He has the respect and admiration of staff and my full support."
(Government Executive story; DHS press release with Chertoff's statement)

USDA approves two animal ID systems

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service on Oct. 11 announced the approval of two new animal identification devices: a visual tag with radio frequency identification (RFID) from Leader Products and the first approved injectable transponder from Digital Angel. The devices carry an official animal identification number (AIN), which is used to identify individual animals as part of USDA’s National Animal Identification System (NAIS). USDA is technology neutral and supports a range of NAIS-compliant identification methods. All NAIS-compliant RFID devices are ISO-compliant and therefore, an ISO-compliant reader would read any of them.
(USDA press release; USDA NAIS homepage)

Chertoff to speak at IdentEvent

Secretary of the DHS Michael Chertoff will give a special keynote speech at IdentEvent 2007 on Wednesday, Oct. 17 at the Grand Hyatt in Washington, D.C. IdentEvent is a one-day conference to bring together industry executives, policy and security experts, government officials, analysts, the media and more in a highly-focused, higly-effective airing of identity management issues and viewpoints. Event topics include: Credentialing & Access Management; Enhanced Driver's Licenses; Federal Identity Credentialing Strategies; The Future of ID Management; Real ID: Will it Happen?; Congressional Outlook; Overview of Government ID Management Market.
(ITAA Web site with registration information)

DHS sets consolidation course

The Homeland Security Department is emphasizing consolidation in its information technology infrastructure with contracts to merge an array of data centers into one $800 million location and select a lead software service provider for the Transportation Security Administration at a cost of about $400 million to $500 million. EDS is set to build the new data center, likely in Clarksville, Va., during the next eight years. IBM Global Business Services is leading a team of partners, most prominently Deloitte, in a five-year project to provide a consolidated source of IT services to the TSA. Those two infrastructure contracts had the effect of consolidating dozens of the sprawling department’s IT projects.
(Government Computer News report: DHS Consolidation; DHS seeks brainiacs; DHS quiet on data center location)

TSA approves four screening products

Three years after being directed to establish a “qualified products list” for airport screening programs, the Transportation Security Administration has named the first products to qualify. Of seven products that vendors submitted for testing, four were approved for the list. Two of them — Bioscrypt’s V-Station and Cogent Systems’ ID-Gate — combine keypads, fingerprint scanners and smart-card scanners. Two fingerprint sensors from Lumidigm also won approval. Rick Lazarick, chief scientist at Computer Sciences Corp.’s Identity Labs and a consultant to TSA, said the testing was run directly by TSA, although it was performed by International Biometric Group, a private company based in New York and London.
(Government Computer News story)

Senators praise ICE head Myers

At a Sept. 12 hearing on the nomination of Julie Myers to continue has head of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, the senators who opposed her in 2005 on the grounds she lacked experience said they were impressed by her track record since President Bush gave her a recess appointment at the beginning of 2006. "You've done a terrific job," said Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, one of Myers' harshest critics two years ago, at the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing. "I'm grateful for it, and I'm grateful that you want to stick around. A lot of people are out circulating their resumes, and you want to stick with this thing." In particular, Voinovich praised Myers' financial management of ICE, and said he hoped her efforts could provide a model for other agencies. Myers moved quickly after her recess appointment to tap ICE's first permanent chief financial officer and to centralize contracting practices.
(Government Executive story; ICE Web site bio on Julie Myers)

GAO releases report on US VISIT

The U.S. Government Accountability Office released an Aug. 31 report that looks at the U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US-VISIT) program. The report cited issues with the program's strategic plan and program management, but also found that program has met cost and scheduling expectations. In response to the report, DHS officials framed past work on the exit component as pilot efforts intended to be valuable learning experiences rather than fully operational systems. Officials said the testing showed that the exit systems worked but the procedures did not, because, unlike with entry systems, there is no existing, exit infrastructure to which a biometric-based system can be added. DHS plans to incorporate the exit component of US VISIT into the airline check-in process, program director Robert Mocny said in a June 28 hearing before the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border, Maritime and Global Counterterrorism. Mocny said DHS plans to publish a notice of proposed rule-making by the end of the year, and a final rule by June 2008.
(Government Executive story; GAO report in .pdf format)

Maritime Radiation Detection Project Announced

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) announced Sept. 5 that the West Coast Maritime pilot program that will provide maritime radiation detection capabilities for State and local authorities in Washington’s Puget Sound and California’s San Diego areas. The three-year pilot program involves the development of a radiation detection architecture that reduces the risk of radiological and nuclear threats that could be illegally transported on recreational or small commercial vessels. The pilot will be conducted in close coordination with the U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection. DNDO anticipates investing roughly $10 million in the pilot program. The Puget Sound region and San Diego, with DNDO assistance, will leverage existing federal grant funding to support small vessel radiation detection programs and the procurement of recommended equipment.
(DHS press release; DHS DNDO homepage)

Thousands a part of National Preparedness Month

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Aug. 31 that more than 1,700 national, regional, state, and local organizations will support the department by participating in National Preparedness Month 2007. This campaign occurs annually in September, and encourages Americans to prepare for all types of emergencies in their homes, businesses, schools, and communities. DHS promotes individual emergency preparedness through the Ready Campaign and the department’s Citizen Corps Program throughout the year. “Too many individuals remain in a state of denial when it comes to personal preparedness,” said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. “Able-bodied Americans need to be prepared to take care of themselves and their families after an emergency, so that first responders can focus on those who need assistance most. With the help of our coalition members, we encourage Americans to get an emergency supply kit, make a family communications plan, and be informed about the different types of emergencies that may affect them.”
(DHS Web site)

Travel Accommodation nearing end

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is reminding air carriers and the traveling public that the temporary Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) accommodation allowing U.S. citizens to travel by air within the Western Hemisphere using a Department of State (DOS) official proof of passport application receipt will end as scheduled at midnight on Sept. 30, 2007. U.S. citizens who departed the country under this travel accommodation prior to Oct. 1 with a Department of State official proof of passport application receipt and government-issued identification will be readmitted with these same documents if returning to the United States after Sept. 30.
(DHS Web site; U.S. State Department travel Web site)

Building a Culture of Security

The commander of national cybersecurity has issued a call to arms to both private-sector and government organizations in the battle against cunning adversaries bent on wreaking havoc on U.S. critical infrastructures. During the past year, many sector-specific government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, have been working hand-in-glove with their industry counterparts to draft specific battle plans. Among the top priorities in the telecommunications and information technology sectors is conducting a national vulnerability assessment of all infrastructure. Similar plans also were designed for the other 15 component sectors covered by the department’s National Infrastructure Protection Plan. (AFCEA Signal story; DHS Web site's NIPP homepage)

Lack of Real ID funding stymies states

Two years after enactment of the Real ID Act to create national driver’s license standards, the long ride toward implementation has been slow and bumpy, and the road ahead still has some potholes to dodge. Recent developments suggest that deployment of the controversial Real ID national identification program still faces significant obstacles related to its $11 billion cost and its privacy and security risks. Legislatures in 17 states have taken action opposing the act, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. What’s more, the Senate recently took a stand against funding it. An amendment submitted by Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) to provide $300 million toward Real ID implementation costs failed July 26. (Washington Technology story)

Sounding the alarm

The tragic shooting at Virginia Polytechnic Institute in April was only the most recent, but perhaps most poignant, proof of the need to communicate emergency alerts and instructions to thousands of people simultaneously. In the aftermath, government agencies have been taking a hard look at emergency notification systems that automate the process. Mass notification and alerting has other critical uses. The Air Force Reserve Command, for example, will use AtHoc’s IWSAlerts to recall, within four hours, 30,000 reserve personnel when orders come down, using automated, text-to-speech voice mail. It replaces a phone-tree system that is a manual process. Other government and vendor sources say many agencies still use phone trees to alert first responders.
(Government Computer News special report: Emergency notification systems come in variety of forms; Emergency notification products and vendors; RFP checklist for emergency notification systems)

Justice advances identity tools

Law enforcement agencies are likely to see improved methods for sharing information and managing identity if new technology advances being shepherded by the Justice Department live up to expectations. The release of Version 2.0 of the National Information Exchange Model is “imminent — due out in a matter of weeks,” Jeremy Warren, DOJ chief technology officer, said last week at an AFCEA conference on law enforcement technology in Bethesda, Md. NIEM 2.0 will include a justice domain, which will be called the Global Justice Extensible Markup Language data model.
(Government Computer News story; NIEM Web site)

Chertoff vows to move forward with ID law

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff told a group of state lawmakers gathered here on Wednesday that he would not retreat from a plan to impose nationwide standards for driver's licenses. Chertoff acknowledged at the annual meeting of the National Conference of State Legislatures that it will be a challenge for states to implement the so-called REAL ID Act, especially if they are not given more federal funding to do so. But he said he would not support legislative efforts to repeal the controversial law and insisted that insecure travel documents in the hands of terrorists are dangerous. The Homeland Security Department still has not issued final compliance regulations, but it has estimated that it will cost states about $23 billion to implement the mandate.
(Government Executive story; H.R.418 Bill via Library of Congress Web site)

DHS to require passenger info before takeoff

The Homeland Security Department on Aug. 9 released a proposed rule that will require that incoming and outgoing international flights send their passenger information list to the department before taking off. Current policy requires that airlines' data be sent afterward. "This information will better identify individuals who may pose a known or suspected threat to aviation or national security," Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said in a statement. "These programs will improve the passenger experience by establishing a more consistent vetting process and better resolution for misidentified passengers."
(Government Executive story)

Managing Technology Spiraling Into Control

When firefighters rush into a burning building, their chief manages the incident from outside. Chiefs would love to have a tool pinpointing the precise location of their crews inside a building at any moment, in case the fire changes direction or part of the building collapses. But metal and steel can interfere with the signal from, say, a Global Positioning System. And most GPSs would not be able to distinguish between parallel spaces on different floors. The Homeland Security Department is working on a device to solve the problem as part of a new first responder technology development program called TechSolutions. Housed in the Science and Technology Directorate, DHS' research and development arm, the program aims to take capability gaps identified by police, firefighters, emergency medical teams and bomb squads and develop a prototype solution quickly and cheaply.
(Government Executive story)

Border Agents Tread Fine Line

I am standing in government offices about 30 feet above the dense northbound traffic at the Mexico border in San Ysidro, Calif., when word comes that officers have fingered a suspected smuggler and confiscated his vehicle for closer inspection. Together with ranking Customs and Border Protection officials in the San Diego sector, I rush downstairs to see an old gray car stripped down, its seats uprooted to reveal bales of marijuana carefully encased in transparent plastic wrapping. This small moment of drama unfolds just after I've arrived at the busiest border crossing in the world, where U.S. agents process 50,000 vehicles a day with an average of 2.5 passengers each, and 20,000 to 30,000 pedestrians. Smugglers routinely are part of the mix. Back upstairs a few minutes later, we're told there's another bust, probably a load of undocumented immigrants. We descend again to witness in quick succession no fewer than four nondescript cars - a Chevy Impala, a Chevy Malibu, an old Dodge sedan and a small Acura - as they're driven into CBP's secondary inspection facility.
(Government Executive story)