| The nation’s threat level remains high because of recent events, and Chertoff said it will stay that way until officials are confident they have “reverse-engineered the plot.” At this moment, he added, there are loose ends, and they are “unraveling by the hour.” Chertoff listed security improvements since September 11: - Airplanes now have reinforced cockpit doors.
- Airport screening has been increased and screeners have been trained to look for detonators.
- Armed air marshals are present on flights.
- The intelligence community has been refashioned and worked toward greater information sharing.
- The federal government has invested $10 billion in port security improvements.
- FEMA has been retooled to better respond to state emergencies.
- Visitors from anywhere but Canada are undergoing biometric screenings at the U.S. border.
- Ten major cities have improved their emergency radio communications systems so that all jurisdictions including police and fire departments can talk to each other in crisis situations.
“We are here to support you but we honor the traditional model that puts state and local governments first when responding to natural disasters,” Chertoff said, and the audience applauded. As for what still needs to be done, Chertoff listed some programs in the works: - New technologies are being developed to better detect bombs—including liquid explosives—efficiently.
- Airport screeners are being trained to notice suspicious behaviors.
- The federal government is conducting a national radio interoperability survey to see how well different state and local agencies can communicate with each other on radios.
- REAL ID regulations are being written and are expected to be finished by the end of the year.
Chertoff briefly discussed REAL ID, which would standardize state drivers’ licenses. He sympathized with states that are facing formidable implementation demands, but he explained why he thinks the law is important. Between 75 and 100 different IDs will get a person over the U.S. border, Chertoff said, referring to a recent report by the Government Accountability Office. That makes it harder for border patrols to pick out fake ones. “We’re not interested in taking over production of state-issued licenses,” Chertoff said. “We want to develop guidelines to ensure that licenses are secure, and we want to come up with a way for states to share information.” That information sharing mechanism might not be a national database, Chertoff said. He expects that states will still be able to house their data in the same way, but after REAL ID is put in place, they’ll have an easier time talking to each other. Chertoff didn’t discuss funding the mandate, which state officials expect to cost billions. Massachusetts Senator Richard Moore, who is a co-chair of NCSL's Task Force on Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, worries about the cost, and also the timeline. “The biggest concern is that they give states adequate time to implement it, and we would like to see some financial help to do that,” Senator Moore said. Moore added that overall, he was pleased with Chertoff’s report on the progress that has been made since 9/11 and his willingness to work closely with state legislatures on homeland security. NCSL President Steve Rauschenberger, an Illinois senator, agreed. “I think it’s extraordinary for the secretary of homeland security to make the time to talk to us. His message is clear and warmly received: the 50 sovereign states have a clear and critical role to play in homeland security," Senator Rauschenberger said. ### |