Date: July 14, 2005 6:26:58 AM PDT
Subject: [Spy News] Homeland Security overhaul centralizes intelligence
on=cnn_latest
Homeland Security overhaul centralizes intelligence
Stresses bioterrorism, transportation, border security
Wednesday, July 13, 2005; Posted: 9:51 p.m. EDT (01:51 GMT)
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Proclaiming the Homeland Security Department "open to
change," Secretary Michael Chertoff on Wednesday announced plans to
centralize his agency's terror analysis, put a higher priority on
bioterrorism and step up detection systems in mass transit.
In welcome news to Washington-area commuters, the department also will lift
a rule that forbade passengers from leaving their seats for 30 minutes
before flying into or out of Reagan National Airport, Chertoff said in
revealing the details of a sweeping overhaul of the 2-year-old agency
founded in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks.
Chertoff ordered the review in March shortly after he took office. The
overhaul aims to spur the sluggish bureaucracy beset by turf wars and
growing pains, and to ensure department resources are put into the nation's
most vulnerable areas.
"Over time, as intelligence warrants and progress allows, DHS will be open
to change. We will be straight forward. If something goes wrong, we will not
only acknowledge it, we will be the first to fix the error," Chertoff told a
packed ballroom of lawmakers, department employees and other officials.
Chertoff, who opened his speech offering condolences to the British people
after the London bombings. He did not give any specifics about his plan to
put explosives, bioterror, chemical or radioactive material detection
systems in the nation's rail, subway and bus systems.
He also renewed his pitch to retool terror-watch lists used to screen
passengers on airline flights to eliminate what he called "an unacceptably
high number of false positives."
Chertoff said the United States needs to improve its immigration system as
part of bolstering border security. Though the department will deploy more
personnel and technology at borders to deter illegal immigrants from
entering the country, Chertoff said a newly approved temporary worker
program should help migrants seeking jobs in the United States "into
regulated legal channels."
He said he and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will soon announce plans
to ease visa hassles for foreigners entering the country to visit, work and
study.\Chertoff also pledged better oversight of private contracting
practices in the department.
Organizational structure changes
Most of his recommendations Wednesday focused on a shaking up of Homeland
Security's chain of command.
Chief among them was creation of an intelligence director to centralize the
analysis of information gathered by 11 Homeland Security bureaus. The
director, who has not yet been appointed, will be asked to improve Homeland
Security's standing within the intelligence community, where it is perceived
as a junior partner and often left out of the loop.
Homeland Security was initially designed to be the government's chief center
for analyzing terrorist threats, but an interagency office led by a CIA
officer has assumed that role. Homeland Security merged 22 agencies when it
opened its doors in March 2003 -- the largest U.S. government reorganization
in 50 years.
A chief medical officer also will be named to oversee bioterror policy and
coordinate responses to biological attacks by the Centers for Disease
Control, which stockpiles vaccines and antidotes, and state and local
officials. Poor information flow between federal agencies during the
Washington-area's false anthrax scare this year contributed to the decision
to create this post, officials said.
A new policy undersecretary will oversee international affairs, strategic
plans and work with the private sector. And Chertoff will elevate cyber
security by assigning it to an assistant secretary, who also focuses on
telecommunications.
Eighty percent of the changes can be accomplished under Chertoff's existing
authority; the remainder require congressional approval.
Some lawmakers Chertoff briefed Tuesday said the overhaul was headed in the
right direction but remained skeptical that bureaucratic reorganization
would make the country safer.
"We appreciated him coming and talking to us, but ... at the end of the day
you have to show Congress and the public what you have done will in fact
make us safer" said Rep. Bennie G. Thompson of Mississippi, top Democrat on
the House Homeland Security Committee.
Thompson said Chertoff highlighted immigration and vulnerabilities at
chemical and nuclear plants as top priorities.
Many of Chertoff's changes were recommended last year by experts at the
Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Heritage Foundation,
two Washington think tanks.
"The current organization is weighted with bureaucratic layers -- there are
still turf wars and there is no place for strategic thinking and policy
making," said CSIS Homeland Security director David Heyman, who helped craft
the recommendations.
Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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