Homeland Security Watch

Following are a few Homeland Security events for the coming week.  For more information  access the embedded links.  Please use the comment function to identify other events you would like to bring to readers’ attention.  If you are attending or monitoring any of these events, please use the comment function to report out to the rest of us.

This week HLSwatch will give some continuing attention to the creation of a proposed Resilience Policy Directorate within the National Security Staff.  Please join the conversation with questions, concerns, and comments. On Wednesday, Thursday, and — especially — Saturday of last week (see below) we began this consideration.  Look for a new post later today.

Monday, June 1

This is the first official day of the Atlantic Hurricane Season.

10:00 am (pacific) Alameda, California - The US Coast Guard will commission its Force Readiness Command, an integrated tactics-to-policy, uniformed-and-civilian training and education function.

Tuesday, June 2

2:30 pm (eastern) Washington D.C. - The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs will hold a hearing on the nomination of Rand Beers to serve as DHS Undersecretary for National Protection and Programs.

Security Industry Association 2009 Government Summit opens in Washington D.C.  Continues on Wednesday.

Defense Daily Cybersecurity Conference, all day in Washington D.C.

Wednesday, June 3

12 noon (eastern) Washington D.C.  The Aspen Institute hosts a roundtable on homeland security.   Secretary Napolitano is scheduled to speak.

12 noon (eastern) Washington D.C.  The American Enterprise Institute hosts a seminar on addressing systemic risk (while focused on financial issues, may have implications for risk-informed thinking in homeland security).

Thursday, June 4

President Obama will give a speech at Cairo University focused on US relations with the Islamic world.

9:30 am (eastern) Washington D.C. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery will hold a hearing on preparations for the 2009 hurricane season.

10:00 am (eastern) Washington D.C. House Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Management, Investigations and Oversight will conduct a hearing on the DHS fiscal year 2009 budget.

Friday, June 5

Following are a few Homeland Security events for the coming week.  For more information  access the embedded links.  Please use the comment function to identify other events you would like to bring to readers’ attention.  If you are attending or monitoring any of these events, please use the comment function to report out to the rest of us.

AN IMPORTANT CHANGE HAS BEEN MADE IN THE WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY SCHEDULES (1:00 pm eastern on Monday)

Monday, April 27

Food Safety Summit opens in Washington D.C. continues through Thursday.

Tuesday, April 28

10:00 am (eastern) Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs conducts a hearing on developing a national cybersecurity strategy.

Wednesday, April 29

10:00 am (eastern) The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will conduct a hearing on coordinating the federal response to swine flu. I understand Secretary Napolitano will testify.

Thursday, April 30

10:00 am (eastern) Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing to consider nominations of the Timothy Manning (FEMA, National Preparedness) and Ivan Fong (DHS, General Counsel)

This is the 100th day since Mr. Obama’s inauguration as President

Friday, May 1

10:00 am (eastern) Heritage Foundation panel discussion on “Grading Obama’s immigration policies.”

10:00 am (eastern) House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Committee conducts hearing on preparedness for the hurricane season (field hearing in Miami)

The Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee will not consider the nomination of Tim Manning tomorrow (Wednesday) as originally scheduled. Consideration of this nomination has been re-scheduled for April 29. The Senate Committee will still convene on the other nominations as noted below in Homeland Security This Week.

Following are a few Homeland Security events for the coming week.  For more information  access the embedded links.  Please use the comment function to identity other events you would like to bring to readers’ attention.  If you are attending or monitoring any of these events, please use the comment function to report out to the rest of us.

Sunday, April 19

Anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing.  Please see below for related post  from Sunday morning.

Monday, April 20

9:00 am (mountain): Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee will hold a field hearing in Phoenix, Arizona on southern border violence.

RSA Conference opens in San Francisco.  Continues through Friday at the Moscone Center.

Tuesday, April 21

10:00 am (eastern): House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation will conduct a hearing on the August 28 explosion and fire at Bayer Cropscience .      
               
10:30 am (eastern): Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, subcommittee on State, Local and Private Sector Preparedness and Integration holds a hearing on counternarcotics.

12:45 (eastern): Secretary Napolitano will address the Anti-Defamation League National Leadership Conference, Renaissance Mayflower Hotel, Washington D.C. (This is a correction)

Wednesday, April 22

10:00 am (eastern): Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs will consider the nominations of Craig Fugate, FEMA administrator, John Morton, ICE Assistant Secretary; Ivan Fong DHS General Counsel; and Tim Manning, FEMA Deputy Administrator for National Preparedness.

National Conference on Emergency Communications opens in Chicago.  Continues through Friday.

4:00 pm (eastern) AEI seminar on high skilled immigration.

Thursday, April 23

11:00 am (eastern) The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold a hearing on An Independent Fema. (Relevant prior posting)

Friday, April 24

Sometime this week we are likely to hear about final — or close to final — reports on the cybersecurity review and the HSC review set out by PSD-1.

NINTH FLOOR

Drug Enforcement Administration

Shelly D. Bland, 25, Tuttle
Carrol June “Chip” Fields, 48, Guthrie
Rona Linn Kuehner-Chafey, 35, Oklahoma City
Carrie Ann Lenz, 26, Chotaw
Kenneth Glenn McCullough, 36, Edmond

U.S. Secret Service

Cynthia L. Brown, 26, Oklahoma City
Donald Ray Leonard, 50, Edmond
Mickey B. Maroney, 50, Oklahoma City
Linda G. McKinney, 47, Oklahoma City
Kathy Lynn Seidl, 39, Bethel
Alan G. Whicher, 40, Edmond

EIGHTH FLOOR

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Ted L. Allen, 48, Norman
Peter R. Avillanoza, 56, Oklahoma City
David Neil Burkett, 47, Oklahoma City
Donald Earl Burns, Sr., 63, Oklahoma City
Kimberly Kay Clark, 39, Oklahoma City
Susan Jane Ferrell, 37, Oklahoma City
Dr. George Michael Howard, 45, Vallejo, Calif.
Antonio “Tony” C. Reyes, 55, Edmond
Lanny Lee David Scroggins, 46, Yukon
Leora Lee Sells, 57, Oklahoma City
Jules A. Valdez, 51, Edmond
David Jack Walker, 54, Edmond
Michael D. Weaver, 54, Edmond
Frances “Fran” Ann Williams, 48, Oklahoma City
Clarence Eugene Wilson, Sr. 49, Oklahoma

SEVENTH FLOOR

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Diane E. (Hollingsworth) Althouse, 45, Edmond
Andrea Yvette Blanton, 33, Oklahoma City
Kim R. Cousins, 33, Midwest City
Diana Lynne Day, 38, Oklahoma City
Castine Brooks Hearn Deveroux, 49, Oklahoma City
Judy J. (Froh) Fisher, 45, Oklahoma City
Linda Louise Florence, 43, Oklahoma City
J. Colleen Guiles, 59, Oklahoma City
Thompson Eugene “Gene” Hodges, Jr., 54, Norman
Ann Kreymborg, 57, Oklahoma City
Teresa Lea Taylor Lauderdale, 41, Shawnee
Mary Leasure-Rentie, 39, Bethany
James A. McCarthy II, 53, Edmond
Betsy J. (Beebe) McGonnell, 47, Norman
Patricia Ann Nix, 47, Edmond
Terry Smith Rees, 41, Midwest City
John Thomas Stewart, 51, Oklahoma City
John Karl Van Ess III, 67, Chickasha
Jo Ann Whittenberg, 35, Oklahoma City

SIXTH FLOOR

U.S. Marine Corps Recruiting

Sgt. Benjamin LaRanzo Davis, USMC, 29, Edmond
Capt. Randolph A. Guzman, USMC, 28, Castro Valley, Calif.

FIFTH FLOOR

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Olen Burl Bloomer, 61, Moore
James E. Boles, 50, Oklahoma City
Dr. Margaret L. “Peggy” Clark, 42, Chickasha
Richard “Dick” Cummins, 55, Mustang
Doris “Adele” Higginbottom, 44, Oklahoma City
Carole Sue Khalil, 50, Oklahoma City
Rheta Bender Long, 60, Oklahoma City

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Paul Gregory Beatty Broxterman, 42, Edmond

U.S. Customs Office

Paul D. Ice, 42, Midwest City
Claude Authur Medearis, S.S.A., 41, Norman

FOURTH FLOOR

U.S. Department of Transportation/Federal Highway

Lucio Aleman, Jr., 33, Oklahoma City
Mark Allen Bolte, 28, Oklahoma City
Michael Carrillo, 44, Oklahoma City
Larry James Jones, 46. Yukon
James K. Martin, 34, Oklahoma City
Ronota Ann Newberry-Woodbridge, 31, Edmond
Jerry Lee Parker, 45, Norman
Michelle A. Reeder, 33, Oklahoma City
Rick L. Tomlin, 46, Piedmont
Johnny Allen Wade, 42, Edmond
John A. Youngblood, 52, Yukon

U.S. Army Recruiting Battalion

Sgt. 1st Class Lola Bolden, U.S. Army, 40, Birmingham, Ala.
Karen Gist Carr, 32, Midwest City
Peggy Louise Holland, 37, Oklahoma City
John C. Moss III., 50, Oklahoma City
Victoria (Vickey) L. Sohn, 36, Moore
Dolores (Dee) Stratton, 51, Moore
Kayla Marie Titsworth, 3 1/2, Lawton
Wanda Lee Watkins, 49, Oklahoma City

THIRD FLOOR

Defense Security Service

Harley Richard Cottingham, 46, Oklahoma City
Peter L. DeMaster, 44, Oklahoma City
Norma “Jean” Johnson, 62, Oklahoma City
Larry L. Turner, 42, Oklahoma City
Robert G. Westberry, 57, Oklahoma City

Federal Employees Credit Union

Woodrow Clifford “Woody” Brady, 41, Oklahoma City
Kimberly Ruth Burgess, 29, Oklahoma City
Kathy A. Finley, 44, Yukon
Jamie (Fialkowski) Genzer, 32, Wellston
Sheila R. Gigger-Driver, 28, Oklahoma City
Linda Coleen Housley, 53, Oklahoma City
Robbin Ann Huff, 37, Bethany
Christi Yolanda Jenkins, 32, Edmond
Alvin J. Justes, 54, Oklahoma City
Valerie Jo Koelsch, 33, Oklahoma City
Kathy Cagle Leinen, 47, Oklahoma City
Claudette (Duke) Meek, 43, Oklahoma City
Frankie Ann Merrell, 23, Oklahoma City
Jill Diane Randolph, 27, Oklahoma City
Claudine Ritter, 48, Oklahoma City
Christy Rosas, 22, Moore
Sonja Lynn Sanders, 27, Moore
Karan Howell Shepherd, 27, Moore
Victoria Jeanette Texter, 37, Oklahoma City
Virginia M. Thompson, 56, El Reno
Tresia Jo “Mathes” Worton, 28, Oklahoma City

SECOND FLOOR

America’s Kids Child Development Center

Baylee Almon, 1, Oklahoma City
Danielle Nicole Bell, 15 months, Oklahoma City
Zachary Taylor Chavez, 3, Oklahoma City
Dana LeAnne Cooper, 24, Moore
Anthony Christopher Cooper II, 2, Moore
Antonio Ansara Cooper Jr., 6 months, Midwest City
Aaron M. Coverdale, 5 1/2, Oklahoma City
Elijah S. Coverdale, 2 1/2, Oklahoma City
Jaci Rae Coyne, 14 months, Moore
Brenda Faye Daniels, 42, Oklahoma City
Taylor Santoi Eaves, 8 months, Midwest City
Tevin D’Aundrae Garrett, 16 months, Midwest City
Kevin “Lee” Gottshall II, 6 months, Norman
Wanda Lee Howell, 34, Spencer
Blake Ryan Kennedy, 1 1/2, Amber
Dominique Ravae (Johnson)-London, 2, Oklahoma City
Chase Dalton Smith, 3, Oklahoma City
Colton Wade Smith, 2, Oklahoma City

VISITOR

Scott D. Williams, 24, Tuttle

FIRST FLOOR

Social Security Administration

Teresa Antionette Alexander, 33, Oklahoma City
Richard A. Allen, 46, Oklahoma City
Pamela Cleveland Argo, 36, Oklahoma City
Saundra G. (Sandy) Avery, 34, Midwest City
Calvin Battle, 62, Oklahoma City
Peola Battle, 56, Oklahoma City
Oleta C. Biddy, 54, Tuttle
Casandra Kay Booker, 25, Oklahoma City
Carol Louise Bowers, 53, Yukon
Peachlyn Bradley, 3, Oklahoma City
Gabreon D.L. Bruce, 3 months, Oklahoma City
Katherine Louise Cregan, 60, Oklahoma City
Ashley Megan Eckles, 4, Guthrie
Don Fritzler, 64, Oklahoma City
Mary Anne Fritzler, 57, Oklahoma City
Laura Jane Garrison, 61, Oklahoma City
Margaret Betterton Goodson, 54, Oklahoma City
Ethel L. Griffin, 55, Edmond
Cheryl E. Hammon, 44, Oklahoma City
Ronald Vernon Harding, Sr., 55, Oklahoma City
Thomas Lynn Hawthorne, Sr., 52, Choctaw
Dr. Charles E. Hurlburt, 73, Oklahoma City
Jean Nutting Hurlburt, 67, Oklahoma City
Raymond “Lee” Johnson, 59, Oklahoma City
LaKesha Richardson Levy, 21, Midwest City
Aurelia Donna Luster, 43, Guthrie
Robert Lee Luster, Jr., 45, Guthrie
Rev. Gilbert X. Martinez, 35, Oklahoma City
Cartney J. McRaven, 19, Midwest City
Derwin W. Miller, 27, Oklahoma City
Eula Leigh Mitchell, 64, Oklahoma City
Emilio Tapia, 50, Oklahoma City
Charlotte Andrea Lewis Thomas, 43, Oklahoma City
Michael George Thompson, 47, Yukon
LaRue A. Treanor, 55, Guthrie
Luther H. Treanor, 61, Guthrie
Robert N. Walker, Jr., 52, Oklahoma City
Julie Marie Welch, 23, Oklahoma City
W. Stephen Williams, 42, Cashion
Sharon Louise Wood-Chesnut, 47, Oklahoma City

General Services Administration

Steven Douglas Curry, 44, Norman
Michael L. Loudenslager, 48, Harrah

KILLED IN THE SURROUNDING AREA

Rescue Worker

Rebecca Needham Anderson, 37, Midwest City

Athenian Building (Job Corps)

Anita Christine Hightower, 27, Oklahoma City
Kathryn Elizabeth Ridley, 24, Oklahoma City

Oklahoma Water Resources Board Building

Robert N. Chipman, 51, Edmond
Trudy Jean Rigney, 31, Midwest City

More about the 168

Following are a few homeland security related events scheduled for the week ahead.  Please use the comment function to add other homeland security events important to you.  If you attend any of these events, please use the comment function to report out to the rest of us.

Congress continues its spring recess through Monday, April 20.

Monday, April 13

Jury selection begins in trial of Oussama Abdullah Kassir

World Health Care Congress opens in Washington D.C.

Secretary Napolitano visits the Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach

Tuesday, April 14

Army War College Conference on Strategists Examine Technology’s Impact on National Security (continues through 16th)

Wednesday, April 15

Secretary Napolitano will make site visits to US ports of entry in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona

Thursday, April 16

President Obama leaves for Mexico.  He will then travel on to Trinidad and Tobago to attend the Summit of the Americas.

Friday, April 17

The Red River is expected to crest at between 38 to 40 feet at Fargo. (The record-setting March 28 crest was 40.6 feet.)

Following are a few Homeland Security events for this week.  Please access the links for more information on time, place, and purpose. Please use the comment function to add other events you would like to be covered in the days ahead.   If you are attending the hearings or otherwise directly involved, please consider contributing a report to HLSwatch.

Monday, March 23

Severe flooding is predicted for the Red River Valley and other Upper Midwest watersheds.  The NOAA forecast also calls for continued drought across the West setting the stage for an early wildfire season in some areas.

Tuesday, March 24

9:30 am (eastern) AEI Seminar on Trade vs. Security opens.

5:30 pm (eastern) Philip Bobbit speaks on Terror and Consent.   A review of Bobbit’s most recent book is available at Homeland Security Affairs Journal.

Various Times  Terry Gross will interview the publisher of Mexico’s largest newspaper chain, focusing on drug-related violence: Fresh Air from WHYY in Philadelphia and on many local NPR stations.  Available by listening to WHYY online at 12 noon (eastern).

Wednesday, March 25

9:30 am (eastern) Secretary Napolitano will testify before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs about violence along the Southwest border.

12 noon (eastern) Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley will speak on Homeland Security Best Practices at the Center for National Policy. (Thanks to a reader for the notice.)

Thursday, March 26

10:00 am (eastern) Senate HSGA hearing on nomination of Jane Holl Lute to be Deputy Secretary of DHS.

Friday, March 27

Anniversary of 1994 Palm Sunday Tornado Outbreak across the Southeastern United States. Involved 27 confirmed tornadoes and killed 42.  One of three especially intense so-called Palm Sunday tornado outbreaks.

Following are selected Homeland Security events for this week.  Please access the links for more information on time, place, and purpose. Please use the comment function to add other events you would like to be covered in the days ahead.  Professional commitments this week will limit my ability to follow these events closely.  If you are attending these hearings or other functions, please consider contributing a report to HLSwatch.

Monday, March 16

2:00 pm  Secretary Napolitano addresses the International Association of Fire Fighters legislative conference.

Tuesday, March 17

10:00 am House Homeland Security Committee, Subcommittee on Communications, Preparedness and Response: Hearing on Post Katrina Emergency Management Act implementation.

10:00 am House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Homeland Security: Hearing on Interoperable Communications.

10:30 Senate Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Crimes and Drugs: Hearing on Law Enforcement Response to Mexico-based Drug Cartels

Wednesday, March 18

10:00 am House Homeland Security Committee, Subcommittee on Intelligence, Information Sharing, and Terrorism Risk Assessment: Hearing on Homeland Security Intelligence and Its Relevance and Limitations

2:00 pm House Homeland Security Committee, Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection: Hearing on 100 Percent Air Cargo Screening, Can We Secure America’s Skies?

2:30 pm Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery: Hearing on a subcommittee report entitled: A New Way Home

Thursday, March 19

10:00 am House Homeland Security Committee, Subcommittee on Border Maritime and Global Counterterrorsim: Hearing on Human Trafficking: Recent Trends

10:00 am House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Homeland Security: Hearing on Biometric Identification

For the next two days I’ll be participating in a conference/workshop hosted by the Army War College’s Center for Strategic Leadership, entitled “DHS and DOD in Review: Ensuring We Ask the Right Questions.” We’ll join in a “strategic review of the foundational concepts of homeland security and homeland defense and validate their applicability to evolving domestic security requirements.” I sort of wish we had more than two days.

But we’ll be in good hands. Alan Cohn, DAS for Strategic Planning at DHS, and Bert Tussing, Director of Homeland Defense and Security Issues at Carlisle, will host the event. Paul McHale, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland, Defense, and Americas’ Security Affairs, will join Alan in kicking off the two-day gathering focused on the following key questions:

• What is the relationship and/or distinction between national security and homeland security, and more specifically homeland defense and homeland security?

• Are these concepts complementary, supplementary, and/or contradictory to achieving an optimal and seamless security posture?

• Have these definitions, in their current form, outlived their usefulness?

• How should DHS and DOD pursue joint capabilities?

• What is the best way to ensure coordination and synchronization, where appropriate, between and across the functional areas called out in the Homeland Security Enterprise Architecture and DOD’s Joint Capability Areas?

• How can DHS and DOD pursue interagency jointness at the operational level?

• What models of jointness could/should DHS adopt to ensure integration and coordination internally across its operating components?

• What models provide the best foundation for jointness between DHS and DOD, and with other federal, state, and local agencies?

This is an ambitious agenda for two days of work, but even scratching the surface will be productive. In fact, much of the dialogue may focus on validating or dismissing assumptions we’re all making about the ongoing effort to knit together the homeland security enterprise. Readers are encouraged to respond to these questions in comments below. Bert and Alan do read the blog.

The Cyberspace Information Operations Study Center hosts its first symposium “Air Force Symposium 2008 – Cyberspace” at Maxwell AFB, Montgomery, AL, this week. Co-hosted by Headquarters 8th Air Force, Barksdale AFB, LA and U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, NE, the symposium is intended to engage military, industry and academic participants on a broad spectrum of topics affecting the cyberspace mission.

Participants include service members, business leaders, researchers, and academics who wish to participate in advancing the U.S. Air Force mission to “fly and fight” in cyberspace. Workshops focus on Doctrine and Concepts of Operations, Policy and Law, and USAF Cyber Support to National Security.

Sessions will address, among other things, defining cyberspace and working toward establishing the domain, control and use of cyberspace. Participants will also participate in discussions of international and domestic law related to cyberspace and analyze national security and other issues from both military and civilian perspectives.

Scheduled speakers at the symposium include Gen. Kevin P. Chilton, commander, U.S. Strategic Command; Maj. Gen. Charlie Dunlap, Air Force deputy judge advocate general; and Maj. Gen. William T. Lord, commander, Air Force Cyberspace Command.

I’ll be attending as much as I can of the Policy and Law track and Track Three on nat’l security, which involves workshops focused on the question of how “U.S. capabilities and activities in the Cyber Domain can and, if developed, should contribute to national security,” according to materials.

I had to confirm my clearance to attend the conference so my ability to blog from it is going to be rather limited. I’ll do my best to post here about unclassified information and other open developments.

Last week, Chris Strohm at GovExec reported in a story that House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman, Rep. David Price, intends to give priority to cybersecurity in homeland spending bill.

DHS has requested nearly $300 million for its role in the Cyber Security Initiative. Price has said that his panel’s legislation is on pace to be the first spending bill to move through the House. He believes most spending bills will make it through the House before the August recess but then face “formidable” obstacles in the Senate and with the White House. More likely than not, he said, Congress will have to pass an omnibus appropriations bill before a new administration comes into office.

By last Wednesday, Price’s Committee had concluded its mark-up of the DHS appropriations bill. As chairman, Price described the thrust behind his Committee’s treatment of the President’s budget request as corrective.

“The first objective guiding the allocation of funding in the bill was to correct known funding deficiencies and shortfalls, which were substantial,” according to his statement

The Subcommittee mark reverses the President’s proposal to cut funding for first responder and port grant programs by $2 billion, or 49 percent. The mark also plusses up funding for border agents, explosive detection, and the following changes:

• $950 million for State Homeland Security grants, the same as last year, and $750 million above the President’s proposed funding level

• $850 million for Urban Area Security Initiative grants, $30 million above last year and $25 million more than the President requested

• $400 million for Transit Security Grants, the same as last year, and $225 million more than the President’s budget request

• $800 million for Fire Grants, $50 million more than last year, and $500 million more than what the President proposed

• $315 million for Emergency Management Performance Grants, $15 million more than last year, and a $115 million increase above the President’s budget

• $400 million for port security grants, the same as last year, and $190 million above the President’s budget

The President proposed no dedicated funding for other programs of interest to the Committee, which restored funding for the following

• $50 million for the Metropolitan Medical Response System

• $50 million for REAL ID grants

• $50 million for Interoperable Communications Grants

• $35 million for Emergency Operations Centers

• $60 million for Operation Stonegarden

The Subcommittee mark also reduces or funding in some areas. For example, funding for an air exit component of US-VISIT will wait until completion of at least two pilot tests, one involving the Department’s current proposal, which would rely on the airlines to collect biometric data at check-in counters, and a second pilot in which DHS would be responsible for capturing exit biometrics at departure gates.

The bill also withholds $1.4 billion for the Secure Border Initiative, the Deepwater program and the Cyber Security initiative until further planning for these programs is in place.

UPDATE:
Rep. David Price (D - NC), Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, will speak on June 23 at the Center for American Progress about the DHS appropriations bill. At the event, Price is also expected to comment on steps the next administration “should take to restructure and reform” DHS, according to the invitation. Please see details below about the event on the 23rd.

Chairman Price will be introduced by Scott Lilly, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress Action Fund.

When: Monday, June 23, 2008, 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM

Cost: Admission is free.

Where: Center for American Progress Action Fund
1333 H St. NW, 10th Floor
Washington, DC 20005

Map & Directions
Nearest Metro: Blue/Orange Line to McPherson Square or Red Line to Metro Center

RSVP for this Event here.

IBM’s Global Leadership Initiative and GWU’s Homeland Security Policy Institute are teaming up for an event next Monday, June 9th. The panel kicks off with Bradley Buswell, DHS Deputy Under Secretary for Science & Technology, followed by a unique panel of experts:

Parney Albright
Former DHS Assistant Secretary for Science and Technology
Currently Managing Director & Vice Chairman of Civitas, LLC

Christian Beckner
Professional Staff Member
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

Greg Nojeim
Director, Project on Freedom, Security and Technology, Center for Democracy and Technology

Langdon Greenhalgh
CEO
Global Emergency Group

The panel and discussion will examine the critical role of technology in homeland security, both as an opportunity and as a challenge. For many, technology holds forth the promise of solving a host of our greatest homeland security and counterterrorism challenges: providing the right information to the right people at the right time. For others, technology poses an abiding challenge: projects fall short of promises, privacy protections can become subjugated, and men and women on the front lines are often frustrated by new technologies that complicate their jobs before making them easier. The speakers will examine successes and failures from both the public and private sectors to draw lessons that guide the way for future investments and innovation.

I’ll moderate the discussion with Frank Cilluffo, Director of the Homeland Security Policy Institute. I hope to see some of our readers there.

RSVP to hspi1@gwumc.edu or at (202) 994-4787 by Friday, June 6th, 2008. Details below:

Monday, June 9, 2008
10:00 am – 1:15 pm
The George Washington University
Marvin Center, 800 21st Street, NW Washington, DC 20052
Third Floor
Continental Ballroom

This week I’ll be attending the DHS S&T Stakeholders Conference. Beginning this morning with a series of training sessions and running through Thursday, the conference is one of the largest DHS events, if not the longest. This is the annual opportunity for DHS to present the S&T Directorate’s organization, vision, and key initiatives, gain input from S&T stakeholders at all levels (Federal, State, and Local), industry, academia, and the news media, explain business opportunities in S&T, and describe new and emerging technologies.

Today includes the Pre-Conference Training Workshop. Sessions are led mostly by DHS, and some private sector, experts about such topics as Doing Business with the S&T Directorate, Science & Technology for First Responders, IEDs, and Crisis Communication.

I’ll blog about the sessions I can attend, which likely will be “Human Factors Division: Social-Behavioral Threat Analysis,” DHS S&T “Special Programs Division,” and “Next Generation Tech Commercialization: IP Portals, Tech Scouting, Alumni Funds, and Clusters.” The entire agenda is available here. Let me know if there is a specific panel you’re interested in.

Tomorrow the official kick-off includes Jay Cohen, Under Secretary for Science and Technology, and Homeland Security Secretary Michale Chertoff. Two panels I’ll cover tomorrow are:

S&T Partners: Capitol Hill
Mr. Brad Buswell, Deputy Under Secretary for Science & Technology, S&T Directorate, DHS
Panelists:
Mr. James McGee, Professional Staff Member, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate
Mr. Keyur Parikh, Professional Staff Member, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate
Ms. Ellen Carlin, Professional Staff Member, Committee on Homeland Security, U.S. House of Representatives
Ms. Rachel A. Jagoda Brunette, Professional Staff Member, Committee on Science & Technology, U.S. House of Representatives
Mr. Tind Shepper Ryen, Professional Staff Member, Committee on Science & Technology, U.S. House of Representatives
Dr. Christopher Beck, Professional Staff, Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, Science & Technology, House Committee on Homeland Security

S&T Partners: International Partners
Ms. Lil Ramirez, Director of International Relations, S&T Directorate, DHS
Professor Israel L. Barak, Chief Scientist & Director. Bureau of the Chief Scientist, Ministry of Public Security, Israel
Mrs. Marcela Celorio, Deputy Director for North American Affairs, Centro de Información de Seguridad Nacional, Mexico
Dr Richard Davis, Head National Security Science & Technology Unit, Prime Minister & Cabinet Department, Australia
Dr. Michel Israël, Counselor for Science and Technology, Embassy of the French Republic
Dr. Stefan Mengel, Deputy Director for Security Research, Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Federal Republic of Germany
Mr. Yongkyun Kim, National Emergency Management Agency, Republic of Korea

Full Committee hearing on:
“The Resilient Homeland - Broadening the Homeland Security Strategy.”

Tuesday, May 6, 2008 @ 10am
311 Cannon House Office Building

Witnesses (partial):
• Hon. Stewart A. Baker, Assistant Secretary for Policy, Department of Homeland Security;
• Susan R. Bailey, Ph.D., AT&T Operations, Inc., Vice President Global Network Operations Planning;
• Professor Yossi Sheffi, Massachusetts Institute of Technology;
• Mr. Erroll G. Southers, Assistant Chief, Los Angeles Airport Police, Homeland Security & Intelligence Division, Adjunct Professor of Terrorism and Public Policy, Associate Director for Educational Programs, Homeland Security Center for Risk & Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events (CREATE), University of Southern California

Subcommittee on Border, Maritime, and Global Counterterrorism
“Assessing the Resiliency of the Nation’s Supply Chain.”

Wednesday, May 7, 2008 @ 2pm
311 Cannon House Office Building

Witnesses (invited/partial):
• Admiral Thad Allen, Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security;
• Commissioner W. Ralph Basham, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security;
• Mr. Robert W. Kelly, Senior Advisor for Homeland and National Security, Reform Institute;
• Mr. Paul Zimmermann, Director of Operations, Port of New Orleans

I am at this year’s GovSec conference here in DC for the next couple days. IBM is a sponsor of the event and my two colleagues, Scott Gould and Dan Prieto, and I are moderating the panel discussions as part of the Counterterrorism and Technology and Tactics track. There are supposed to be several hundred people at the event so I’ll look forward to reporting back on HLSwatch.com about how the proceedings unfold.

They call economics the dismal science, but take a look at our agenda over the next two days:

I’m moderating the discussions on “Recognizing Fraudulent Passports & Visas” and on “Federal Resources to Prevent the Next Rad/Nuc Attack.” If you’ll be at the conference, send me an email and hope to see you at these panels.

Monday, April 14
1:00 PM EDT
Private Sector Office Assistant Secretary Al Martinez-Fonts will participate in a panel discussion on the state of travel and tourism at the American Hotel and Lodging Association Annual Legislative Action Summit
Willard InterContinental Hotel
1401 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC

Tuesday, April 15
10:40 AM EDT
Under Secretary for Science and Technology Jay M. Cohen will deliver remarks to the Annual Azalea Festival Symposium
Old Dominion University
Ted Constant Convocation Center
4320 Hampton Boulevard
Norfolk, VA

12:00 PM Local
Secretary Michael Chertoff will participate in a ceremony commemorating the 65th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising
Ghetto Heroes Monument
Walowa
Warsaw, Poland
OPEN PRESS

2:00 PM EDT
Transportation Security Administration Assistant Secretary Kip Hawley will testify before the House Homeland Security Committee Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection on how the transportation security administration will continue to enhance security for all modes of transportation
311 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC

7:30 PM EDT
Deputy Chief Privacy Officer John Kropf will deliver remarks at the 7th International Public Safety/Counterterrorism Conference
Marriott Seattle Waterfront
2100 Alaskan Way
Seattle, WA

Wednesday, April 16
2:00 PM EDT
Office of Policy Screening Coordination Office Director Kathleen Kraninger and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations Deputy Assistant Commissioner Bob Jacksta will testify before the House Homeland Security Committee, Subcommittee on Border, Maritime and Global Counter-terrorism on ensuring successful implementation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative
311 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC

Thursday, April 17
Events TBD

Friday, April 18
Events TBD

As described on this blog before, the U.S. can better engage multilateral entities, such as NATO, ASEAN, and the EU, to work with important countries in pursuit of the shared interest in combating terrorism and protecting civilian populations.

In researching further details of what NATO has to offer, I decided to highlight here the Alliance’s Partnership Action Plan against Terrorism (PAP-T). The Partnership Action Plan against Terrorism deserves attention by this year’s NATO Summit, taking place this week in Hungary. The PAP-T involves nearly forty countries through NATO’s Partnership for Peace program and NATO’s Mediterranean Dialogue. Participating countries agree on the level of their participation individually with NATO. PAP-T facilitates intelligence sharing and cooperation in areas such as border security, terrorism-related training and exercises, the development of capabilities for defense against terrorist attacks and for managing the consequences of attacks. The PAP-T takes a pragmatic approach and focuses on:

Consultations and information sharing

Operations and exercises

Assisting Partners’ efforts against terrorism

Targeting terrorist finances

Civil emergency planning

Cooperating with other international organizations

Science and environment

With the heads of State and Government from the 26 NATO nations, 24 Partners, and other representatives from international institutions meeting in Bucharest this week to discuss NATO enlargement and operations in Afghanistan and Kosovo as part of NATO’s biannual summit, the dearth of counterterrorism issues on the agenda is worth noting. Readers are encouraged to send in any comments with details about the Summit that actually do address this topic.

Yesterday Homeland Security Secretary Mike Chertoff sat down with a group of homeland security bloggers to discuss the upcoming 5-year anniversary of the Department, accomplishments under his watch, and other topics. In what became more of a rapid fire reverse panel discussion, Chertoff sat opposite the eight of us fielding exactly one question from each person. The topics ranged from immigration modernization to cyber security to warrantless wiretaps. As usual, the Secretary enthusiastically – if sometimes combatively – took on every question with the gusto of a real policy wonk.

Rather than rehash for you the details, you can access transcript of the roundtable from the DHS website. The transcript does not name questioners, but I asked the first question on USCIS Transformation, and others in the group were Ryan Singel of Wired, Townhall.com’s Amanda Carpente, Jeff Stein of CQ, J.P. Freire from American Spectator, Counterterrorism Blog’s Andrew Cochran, and Rich Cooper, former DHS official and contributor to Security Debrief. It was a great opportunity to meet these individuals in person

Because the meeting became more like a press interview than a discussion, I believe that we could have used the time better. Actually, we could’ve simply used more time, but that’s impractical. See the transcript for the details. It gets exciting when Jeff Stein digs in on the use of intel from warrantless wiretaps. See Ryan Singel’s distillation for highlights, too.

Readers recall the November 8 post that cited a White House move to secure $436 million for cybersecurity initiatives. There’s been little news about the development since, but I’m hoping to glean more details on the 24th.

The president sent his request to Speaker Pelosi on November 6th explaining the requested budget change. Its unclear if the new cyber initiative will reside wholly at the Department of Homeland Security, the intel community, or at DOD. Each has a stake, to be sure, but it depends on how cybersecurity is defined. Are we interested in securing the private sector-owned cyber infrastructure (DHS)? Will we emphasize the use of the internet as a source of secrets and detecting plots (IC)? Or are we protecting government assets and countering attacks on them (DOD)?

We may get some light shed on the subject when Jessica Herrera-Flanigan, Staff Director at the House Homeland Security Committee, and Andy Purdy, former Director of DHS’s National Cyber Security Division speak over breakfast on January 24th as part of the “Cyberspace and Homeland Security: Vulnerability and Opportunity” event at Crowell & Moring, 1001 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.

RSVP for the event with organizer Gordon Platt via gplatt@gothammediaventures.com

The event runs from 8-930 and is moderated by Scott Greiper, Managing Director of investment firm Legend Merchant Group, Inc. Gordon has two other panelists lined up: David Bodenheimer, a Partner at Crowell & Moring who focuses on government, and Jody Westby, the CEO of Global Cyber Risk.

I’ll be on travel, so I’ll rely on you all to tell me how it goes. Email me with input (jonah.hlswatch [at] gmail [dot] com).

DHS leadership flung across the country for a very high profile week of events:

Monday, November 12

8:00 AM PST
Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator David Paulison will deliver remarks to the International Association of Emergency Managers Annual Conference
Silver Legacy Hotel
Exposition Hall A
407 North Virginia Street
Reno, NV
OPEN PRESS

11:00 AM EST
U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thad W. Allen will participate in the annual Coast Guard Veterans’ Day Wreath-layering Ceremony on Coast Guard hill
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington, VA
OPEN PRESS

Tuesday, November 13

9:00 AM EST
U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thad W. Allen will deliver remarks and participate in a ground breaking ceremony for a new Landfill Gas Co-Generation Plant at the U.S. Coast Guard Yard
2401 Hawkins Point Road
Baltimore, MD
OPEN PRESS

9:30 AM MST
Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator David Paulison will deliver remarks to the National Congress of American Indians Annual Conference 64th Annual Convention
Hyatt Regency
650 15th Street
Denver, CO
OPEN PRESS

10:00 AM EST
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations Admissibility Requirements and Migration Control Executive Director Paul Morris will testify before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Subcommittee on Oversight, Government Management, the Federal Workforce and the District of Columbia on human capital needs of the CBP “One Face at the Border” initiative.
342 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC
OPEN PRESS

2:00 PM EST
Management Chief Human Capital Officer Marta Pérez will testify before the House Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Management, Investigations and Oversight on Department of Homeland Security efforts to recruit, hire and promote veterans.
311 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC
OPEN PRESS

Wednesday, November 14

8:00 AM HST
Under Secretary for Science and Technology Jay M. Cohen will address the 2007 International Test and Evaluation Association Symposium
The Kauai Marriott Resort
3610 Rice Street
Lihue, HI
OPEN PRESS

9:00 AM EST
Screening Coordination Office Director Kathleen Kraninger will provide an overview on the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative at the Changing Borders Conference
Washington County Community College
US Route 1 South
Calais, ME
OPEN PRESS

10:00 AM EST
Transportation Security Administration Assistant Secretary Kip Hawley will testify before the House Committee on Homeland Security on covert testing practices.
311 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC
OPEN PRESS

10:30 AM EST
US-VISIT Director Robert Mocny, U.S. Coast Guard Assistant Commandant for Response Operation RDML Wayne Justice and U.S. Coast Guard Seventh District Commander RADM Dave Kunkel will participate in a media event announcing the success of the US-VISIT/U.S. Coast Guard Biometrics at Sea Initiative.
100 MacArthur Causeway
Miami Beach, FL
OPEN PRESS

11:00 AM EST
Federal Emergency Management Agency Director of Management and Chief Acquisition Officer Deidre Lee will testify before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management on the use of contract workers.
2167 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC
OPEN PRESS

11:00 AM CST
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Office of Citizenship Chief Alfonso Aguilar will participate in a press conference to introduce the Polish version of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services publication, “Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New Immigrants”
Copernicus Center
5216 West Lawrence Avenue
Chicago, IL
OPEN PRESS

1:45 PM EST
Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity and Communications Greg Garcia will participate on the Securing Cyberspace Panel at the TechNet North 2007 Conference
John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center
900 Boylston Street
Room 302
Boston, MA
OPEN PRESS

Thursday, November 15

10:00 AM EST
Transportation Security Administration Assistant Secretary Kip Hawley will testify before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on GAO Investigation of Airport Security Checkpoints
2154 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC
OPEN PRESS

10:00 AM EST
Federal Emergency Management Agency Disaster Operations Directorate Assistant Administrator Glenn Cannon will testify before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia, and Subcommittee on State, Local, and Private Sector Preparedness on the status of U.S. response following a radiological dispersal devices attack
342 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC
OPEN PRESS

12:30 PM EST
Secretary Michael Chertoff will deliver remarks at the 8th Annual U.S. Customs and Border Protection 2007 Trade Symposium
Ronald Reagan Building
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Atrium Hall
Washington, DC
OPEN PRESS

2:00 PM EST
Federal Emergency Management Agency Policy and Program Analysis Director Marko Bourne will testify before the House Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response on leveraging mutual aid for effective emergency response
311 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC
OPEN PRESS

8:30 PM EST
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Emilio Gonzalez will provide the keynote address at the VISTA Magazine Awards Dinner
Biltmore Hotel
1200 Anastasia Avenue
Coral Gables, FL
OPEN PRESS

Friday, November 16

2:00 PM GMT
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Office of Policy and Strategy Chief Carlos Iturregui will deliver remarks on the “U.S. Immigration Landscape – 2007 and Beyond” at the International Bar Association 3rd Biennial Global Immigration Conference
Renaissance Chancery Court
London, England
OPEN PRESS

CBP announced the dates of its 2007 trade symposium. To be held on November, 14th and 15th of November, topics include the following:
• Cargo Security
• Trade Issues
• ACE / ITDS
• Post-Incident Business Resumption
• Global Issues

The Trade Symposium will be held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC. CBP set up a website dedicated to the event at which updates can be found.

I couldn’t find much more than this for the agenda:

Wednesday, November 14, 2007
• Registration/Exhibition – 10:30am
• Opening and Symposium Panels – 1:00pm – 5:30pm
• Review Exhibits 5:30pm – 6:00pm
• Open Forum with Senior Management – 6:00 pm – 8:00pm

Thursday, November 15, 2007
• Continental Breakfast – 7:30am
• Symposium Panels – 8:15am – 11:45am
• Luncheon – 11:45am – 1:15pm
• Symposium Panels – 1:30pm – 4:45pm
• Closing Remarks – 4:45pm – 5:00pm

Monday, October 08

Events TBD

Tuesday, October 09

6:30 PM EDT
Transportation Security Administration Administrator Kip Hawley will address the British-American Business Association
British Embassy Rotunda
3100 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC

Wednesday, October 10

9:30 AM EDT
Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity and Communications Greg Garcia will deliver a keynote address to the Detroit SecureWorld Expo on the development and implementation of the Information Technology Sector-Specific Plan, National Cyber Security Awareness Month activities, and the steps public and private sector organizations can take to protect cyberspace
Ford Motor Company Conference and Event Center
Keynote Theater
1151 Village Road
Dearborn, MI

10:00 AM EDT
Transportation Security Administration Administrator Kip Hawley will testify before the House Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection on aviation security
2167 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC

1:30 PM EDT
Chief Privacy Officer Hugo Teufel III will speak at the National Chamber Foundation’s “RFID Solutions: Securing the Commerce for Tomorrow” conference on the Department’s policy on Radio Frequency Identification
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC

2:00 PM EDT
Domestic Nuclear Detection Office Director Vayl Oxford will testify before the House Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology on the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office’s technical nuclear forensics program
311 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC

Thursday, October 11

9:00 AM PDT
Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator David Paulison will deliver the keynote address at the National Emergency Preparedness Conference
Capital Christian Center
MRC Room
9470 Micron Avenue
Sacramento, CA

2:00 PM EDT

Update: This hearing is postponed to Tuesday, Oct. 16, 10 a.m. Location: 342 Dirksen Bldg.

U.S. Coast Guard Admiral Craig Bone, Transportation Security Administration Director of Maritime and Surface Credentialing Stephen Sadler, Domestic Nuclear Detection Office Director Vayl Oxford, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations Assistant Commissioner Thomas Winkowski will testify before the House Homeland Security Committee Subcommittee on Border, Maritime and Global Counterterrorism on the SAFE Port Act
311 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC Friday, October 1210:15 AM EDT
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Emilio Gonzalez will address the National Foundation for Women Legislators
The Seelbach Hilton Louisville
500 Fourth Street
Louisville, KY

11:00 AM EDT
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman Prakash Khatri will address the conference of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys on International Adoption and Immigration
Marriott Hotel
300 South Charles Street
Baltimore, MD

Radio silence these last few days is due to a fishing trip off the coast of Key West with friends Max Angerholzer III, Kyle Downey, Sam Glass, and Jeffrey Lewis (you should know his blog, ArmsControlWonk.com).  Even Big Max (Jr.) joined us for the fun.

In Key West, they call it a grand slam if your boat catches at least one dolphinfish, a wahoo, and a sailfish.  The last one is the most difficult, but we caught our grand slam with the sailfish coming in at 7’10” and almost 50 pounds.  All of us caught a dolphin fish except Sam; he reeled in our wahoo.  Special thanks to Daniel Foster for lending us his home as our Key West base for those few days off.

Two new posts follow below:

This summer’s two CNN and YouTube presidential primary debates – one Republican and one Democratic – accepts questions submitted by all of us online via www.youtube.com/debates. 

• The Democratic debate takes place at the Citadel in Charleston, SC, tomorrow (7/23/07) from 7 to 9 p.m. EST. 
• The Republican debate takes place Monday, Sept 17, from 7 to 9 p.m. EST in Florida. 

For the Democratic debate, any 30 second question submitted at www.youtube.com/debates before the end of July 22^nd may be chosen.  Anderson Cooper will moderate and ask follow-up questions.   Homeland Security will be an unavoidable topic during both debates.  I encourage readers to log on to the site and submit questions. Consider posting them here, too, and we’ll have our own debate.

CNN.com Live will stream tomorrow’s debate live and re-feed portions of it by topic.  Site visitors will be invited to submit video critiques, and there will be opportunities for them to describe how they would have responded to the questions. 

(Updated 2/21/2007)
The week ahead according to DHS:

February 19 – 23, 2007 

Tuesday, February 20 
11:45 AM MST
Secretary Michael Chertoff will participate in a press availability at the Operation Jump Start border fence construction site.
Border Road
San Luis, AZ
OPEN PRESS
*Directions: From Juan Sanchez Blvd. Turn Right. Once you see Avenue E, turn Left (south).Continue south until the end of the paved road and stage there.

Wednesday, February 21
9:45 AM EST
Julie L. Myers, Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for ICE, and other ICE officials will participate in the Virtual Global Task Force (VGT) conference.
Mayflower Renaissance Hotel
1127 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, DC
OPEN PRESS 

Thursday, February 22
8:30 AM EST
Assistant Secretary for Cyber Security and Telecommunications Greg Garcia will deliver remarks at the Maryland Cyber Security Forum
3501 University Boulevard, East
Adelphi, MD

2:00 PM CST
Federal Emergency Management Agency Deputy Director for Gulf Coast Recovery Gil Jamieson will testify before the House Financial Services Committee Subcommittee on Housing and Community Development Field Hearing on Louisiana Post-Katrina Housing
Dillard University
1555 Poydras Street
New Orleans, LA
OPEN PRESS

2:00 PM EST
Secretary Michael Chertoff will deliver remarks at the Detroit Economic Club Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center
400 Renaissance Center
Detroit, MI
OPEN PRESS

3:55 PM EST
Secretary Chertoff will participate in a press availability following a tour of passenger operations at the Detroit Windsor Tunnel
Detroit Windsor Tunnel
E Jefferson Avenue at Randolph Street
Detroit, MI

4:00 PM EST
Assistant Secretary for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Julie L. Myers will participate in the Virtual Global Task Force Conference
Mayflower Renaissance Hotel
1127 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC
OPEN PRESS

Friday, February 23
10:45 AM EST
Under Secretary for Science and Technology Jay M. Cohen will deliver remarks on the ThinkTEC Homeland Security Innovation Conference
Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command
Charleston, SC
OPEN PRESS

12:00 PM EST
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Emilio Gonzalez will deliver the keynote address at the 28th Annual Immigration Law Update hosted by the American Immigration Lawyers Association
Hyatt Regency
400 SE 2nd Avenue
Miami, FL
OPEN PRESS

2:00 PM CST
Federal Emergency Management Agency Deputy Director for Gulf Coast
Recovery Gil Jamieson will testify before the House Financial Services Committee Subcommittee on Housing and Community Development Field Hearing on Mississippi Post Katrina Housing
Gulfport City Hall
2309 15th Street
Gulfport, MS
OPEN PRESS

2:10 PM GMT
Acting Chief Privacy Officer Kenneth Mortensen will deliver remarks at the Aviation Security Conference on frameworks to ensure privacy while permitting the exchange of appropriate biometric information
Copthorne Tara Hotel
Scarsdale Place Wrights Lane, Kensington, W8 5SL
London, England
OPEN PRESS

4:00 PM EST
Secretary Michael Chertoff will participate in the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America joint media availability with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez, and their Canadian and Mexican counterparts
Lester B. Pearson Building
Main Lobby
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, Ontario
OPEN PRESS

Below is a list of homeland security policy events in the DC area next week (as well as the occasional listing outside of DC). Please note that many events require prior invitations and/or RSVPs.

1/8: AEI event on “Illegal Migration from Mexico to the United States.” 1150 17th St NW, 1pm.
1/9-1/11: DHS Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization’s EAGLE Prime Contractor Vendor Outreach Session. Holiday Inn Capitol, 555 C St SW.
1/9: Center for American Progress event with Richard Clarke on “After Iraq: The Next Steps in the ‘War on Terror’.” 1333 H St NW, 10th Floor, 9am.
1/9: Senate HSGAC hearing on “Ensuring Full Implementation of the 9/11 Commission’s Recommendations.” Dirksen 342, 9:30am.
1/10-1/11: CES Government 2007. Las Vegas.
1/10: Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on “Balancing Privacy and Security: The Privacy Implications of Government Data Mining Programs.” Dirksen 226, 9:30am.
1/11-1/12: Hospitals on the Frontline conference. Leavey Conference Center, Georgetown U.
1/11: Homeland Security Advisory Council meeting. Hyatt Regency Washington, 400 New Jersey Ave NW, 11:15am.

(Please e-mail me if you have suggestions about additions to this list for this week, or future weeks).

Below is a list of homeland security policy events in the DC area next week (as well as the occasional listing outside of DC). This will be the last such events list in 2006. Please note that many events require prior invitations and/or RSVPs.

12/18: National Press Club event with White House Homeland Security Advisor Fran Townsend on “Preparing for a Pandemic: The National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza.” National Press club, 529 14th St NW, 10am.
12/18: CSIS event on “Avian and Pandemic Influenza: Bamako Conference Briefing.” 1800 K St NW, 2pm.
12/19: CSIS event with DHS Asst. Secretary Stewart Baker on “Terrorist Screening and Privacy Issues.” 1800 K St NW, 11am.
12/19: National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee meeting. 1615 H St, NW, 1pm.
12/20: Washington Foreign Press Center briefing with DHS Acting Asst. Sec. for International Affairs Paul Rosenzweig on “”Review of 2006 for the Department of Homeland Security and Priorities for 2007.” 14th and F St NW, 4pm.

(Please e-mail me if you have suggestions about additions to this list for this week, or future weeks).