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Contact: Margaret Moree
Homeland Security Council Congressional Exchange: June 10-11, Washington DC
Whether business development or public policy piques your interest, plan on joining Homeland Security Council members at the Congressional Exchange in Washington, DC, June 10-11. The agenda includes business development presentations from the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Energy; and for those interested in public policy, an opportunity to participate in the U.S. Chamber’s National Security Task Force meeting. Congressman Eric J.J. Massa (NY-29), who sits on two different Homeland Security subcommittees, will be our breakfast speaker on June 11th. If that isn’t enough, and the Defense Department holds interest to you, the House Armed Services Committee has scheduled its markup of the Department of Defense’s Authorization bill for the morning of June 11th. Plan on joining us in June to get up-to-date on the new Administration’s investment and policy priorities in the homeland security arena.
Goings on in Albany
Senator Eric Adams, chairman of the State Senate Veterans & Homeland Security Committee, will be hosting a roundtable dialog on May 12, 2009 about public-private partnerships in the homeland security arena, with a particular emphasis on disaster preparedness. The New York State Office of Cybersecurity & Critical Infrastructure Coordination hosts its 12th annual Cybersecurity Conference in early June.
Goings On In DC
Lawmakers will examine U.S. border security efforts during a series of hearings this week, including whether the Homeland Security Department is doing enough to help fight drug cartels in Mexico. Department officials will be called before the House Judiciary Crime Subcommittee Wednesday to explain if their strategy for stemming violence along the southwestern border is working. The department has sent additional agents to the border and is using scanning machines to try to determine if vehicles heading into Mexico are smuggling cash and guns. Appropriators were still waiting late last week for the department to
submit details on the new efforts and a reprogramming request of funds to pay for them.
The House Homeland Security Committee's Subcommittee on Transportation Security & Infrastructure Protection will markup HR 2200, The Transportation Security Administration Authorization Act on Wednesday, May 6 at 10am.
There will be a webcast of this markup - Use this link for viewing during the markup
The House Homeland Security Border Subcommittee 10 am Thursday will focus on whether the State and Homeland Security departments are ready to enforce new border crossing rules on June 1. From that date onward, U.S. citizens will be required to show a passport or other government-approved identification to enter the country when traveling from other countries in the Western Hemisphere. The purpose of this hearing is to receive testimony from the Departments of Homeland Security and State regarding the preparations for implementation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative at land and sea ports on June 1, 2009. There will be a webcast of this hearing - Use this link for viewing during the hearing
Finally, last week, President Obama nominated Alejandro Mayorkas for the position of director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Cybersecurity & the Electric Grid
Congressman Thompson & Senator Lieberman introduced last week to expand the authority of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to protect the country's electricity grid from cyber threats . The legislation would also require the Homeland Security Department to conduct ongoing assessments of cyber threats to the nation's critical electricity infrastructure and recommends corrective measures.
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