Security

May 7, 2009 -- U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano unveiled the Department’s $55.1 billion FY 2010 budget request today, focused around five major priorities—counterterrorism; border security; enforcement of immigration laws; disaster preparedness, response and recovery; and Department unification—designed to create a leaner, smarter, more effective agency.    » read more »

Anti-Crime Bills Will Require Post-Release Supervision, and Improve Employment Opportunities

BOSTON– Thursday, May 07, 2009 – Continuing Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick’s efforts to strengthen public safety, improve delivery and reform operations of state government, Public Safety Secretary Kevin M. Burke today announced the Patrick-Murray Administration will be filingbills to require post-release supervision for offenders and enhance employment opportunities for rehabilitated individuals with criminal records.    » read more »

Legislation seeks to reduce supply of illegal guns, increase penalties and comply with federal requirements

BOSTON– Wednesday, May 6, 2009 – Continuing Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick’s efforts to reduce gun violence and strengthen public safety, Public Safety Secretary Kevin M. Burke today announced that the Patrick-Murray Administration has filed a bill to give police and prosecutors more tools to tackle illegal gun use and make the Commonwealth a safer place to live, work, and raise families.    » read more »

April 28, 2009 -- The United States should forge a strategic partnership with Mexico that emphasizes reform and long-term institution building as a way to battle the ongoing drug war and other security challenges that face Mexico, according to a new RAND Corporation report.

While much attention has focused on addressing Mexico's recent drug violence, the new RAND report goes beyond the narcotics-violence link and examines a broader set of issues that confront Mexico's security and the security interests of the United States.    » read more »

April 16, 2009 -- On April 16, President Obama made his first trip to Mexico and his first to Latin America to highlight and reinforce the United States’ commitment to work with Mexico on a broad range of issues, in particular on meeting our shared security challenges. The United States and Mexico are committed to a new approach in our bilateral relationship based on comprehensive engagement and shared responsibility. The President discussed with President Calderon a number of important steps the United States intends to take to deepen the cooperation we have with Mexico as our neighbor and partner.

Security    » read more »

Governor Urges Congress To Reinstate Assault Weapon Ban; Asks Legislature To Pass Sensible Measures To Limit Illegal Handguns

April 15, 2009 -- HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell, along with Pittsburgh Police Chief Nate Harper and other chief law enforcement officers from across Pennsylvania, today called on Congress and the General Assembly to stand with them and put an end to senseless murders stemming from the use of deadly assault weapons and illegal handguns.

The Governor wrote to Pennsylvania’s Congressional delegation and the leadership of the state legislature today asking them to support common sense measures that have been proven to protect law enforcement officers and keep communities safe.    » read more »

Financial Industry Accounts for 93 Percent of 285 Million Compromised Records; Most Breaches Avoidable if Proper Precautions Taken

April 15, 2009 -- BASKING RIDGE, N.J. - More electronic records were breached in 2008 than the previous four years combined, fueled by a targeting of the financial services industry and a strong involvement of organized crime, according to the "2009 Verizon Business Data Breach Investigations Report" (DBIR) released Wednesday (April 15).    » read more »

March 24, 2009 -- Today, Department of Homeland Secretary Janet Napolitano, Deputy Secretary of State Jim Steinberg and United States Deputy Attorney General David Ogden will lay out the Administration’s comprehensive response to the situation along the border with Mexico. President Obama and his Administration are focused on all aspects of the U.S. relationship with Mexico because it is vital to core U.S. national interests.    » read more »

March 24, 2009 -- U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano announced today several Southwest border initiatives designed to crack down on Mexican drug cartels through enhanced border security. The plan calls for additional personnel, increased intelligence capability and better coordination with state, local and Mexican law enforcement authorities.

“This issue requires immediate action,” said Secretary Napolitano. “We are guided by two very clear objectives. First, we are going to do everything we can to prevent the violence in Mexico from spilling over across the border. And second, we will do all in our power to help President Calderón crack down on these drug cartels in Mexico.”    » read more »

March 24, 2009 -- Mr. Gibbs: Good morning, guys. I want to discuss an issue that's very important to the President this morning -- the steps we are taking on both sides of the border, working with our Mexican partners to support the Mexican government's campaign against the violent cartels and to reduce contraband in both directions across the border.    » read more »

March 16, 2009 -- Berlin – U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano and German Minister of Education and Research Annette Schavan signed an agreement today that will facilitate science and technology research collaboration in homeland/civil security matters between the two nations.*

"A world where technology opens so many doors also brings us great risk," said Secretary Napolitano. "This agreement will allow us to share our innovations and collaborate on research in science and technology, to preserve freedoms while ensuring our mutual domestic security. I am thrilled to work with Dr. Schavan and the German government to make our nations—and our world—safer from all threats."*    » read more »

March 13, 2009 -- In a filing today with the federal District Court for the District of Columbia, the Department of Justice submitted a new standard for the government’s authority to hold detainees at the Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility.

The definition does not rely on the President’s authority as Commander-in-Chief independent of Congress’s specific authorization. It draws on the international laws of war to inform the statutory authority conferred by Congress. It provides that individuals who supported al Qaeda or the Taliban are detainable only if the support was substantial. And it does not employ the phrase "enemy combatant."    » read more »

March 11, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Attorney General Eric Holder today announced the appointment of two individuals to lead interagency task forces established under separate Executive Orders issued on Jan. 22 calling for a review of the government’s interrogation and transfer policies, as well as a review of detention policy.

"These appointments reflect our commitment to develop sound options for handling detainees in the future as well as policies on interrogation and transfer that uphold American values and national security interests," said Attorney General Holder. "Having served in critical legal and national security positions over their careers, J. Douglas Wilson and Brad Wiegmann have the experience and judgment necessary to help us carry out these important tasks."    » read more »

Bailout estimates for failed projects could range from hundreds of billions to more than a trillion

March 4, 2009 -- The nuclear power industry is pressuring Congress to dramatically expand federal loan guarantees for building new plants, which would put taxpayers and ratepayers at significant financial risk, according to a report released today by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).    » read more »

President Obama Should Reverse Bush Policy on European Deployment

March 4, 2009 -- President Obama is reconsidering the Bush administration's decision to deploy an untested missile defense system in Europe, indicating that he is taking a more realistic, technically grounded approach to missile defense. Given Russia's strong negative reaction to the planned deployment, experts at the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) say it makes sense to reconsider this policy on strategic as well as technical grounds. They say U.S. security would be undermined by deploying an ineffective missile defense system that impedes U.S.-Russian nuclear weapons reductions and collaboration on key security issues.    » read more »