Wasted Lessons of 9/11: How The Bush Administration Ignored the Law and Squandered Its Opportunities to Make Our Country Safer
September 9th, 2008 by KarinaToday, the Chairmen of the Committees on Homeland Security and Foreign Affairs issued a report entitled “Wasted Lessons of 9/11: How The Bush Administration Ignored the Law and Squandered Its Opportunities to Make Our Country Safer,” which examines the record of the Bush Administration over the last year in implementing some of the key provisions of this critical law:
As this report demonstrates, the Bush Administration has not delivered on myriad critical homeland security and national security mandates set forth in the ‘Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act of 2007.’ Democratic Members of the Committees are alarmed that the Bush Administration has not made more progress on implementing these key provisions. Without them, the Administration has failed to provide the American people the security they expect and deserve. This report is intended as a wake-up call to the Bush Administration. In the short time left in office, the President should redouble his efforts to make America more secure by acting expeditiously to make progress.
A status update on the Bush Administration’s performance on these key provisions:
PROVISION OF THE 9/11 COMMISSION |
STATUS UPDATE
|
Aviation Security: Advanced
Passenger Prescreening System (Sec. 1605) |
Plan transmitted but little progress
on the program |
Aviation Security: Screening
of Air Cargo Aboard Passenger Aircraft (Sec. 1602) |
Missed opportunities
|
Aviation Security: General
Aviation Security (Sec. 1617) |
Failure to take action
|
Rail & Public Transportation
Security: National Strategy for Public Transportation Security (Sec. 1404) and Security Assessments and Plans (Sec. 1405) |
Incomplete, putting public transportation
at risk |
Rail & Public Transportation
Security: Public Transportation Security Training Program (Sec. 1408), Railroad Security Training Program (Sec. 1517), and Over-the-Road Bus Security Training Program. (Sec. 1534) |
Missed opportunities
|
Rail & Public Transportation
Security: Railroad Transportation Security Risk Assessment and National Strategy (Sec. 1511) |
Incomplete; limited progress
|
Port Security: Maritime
Cargo Security (Sec. 1701) |
No progress
|
Border Security: Modernizing
the Visa Waiver Program (Sec. 711) |
Initial steps taken but significant
implementation challenges remain |
Information Sharing: Department
of Homeland Security State, Local, and Regional Fusion Center Program (Sec. 511) |
Failure to take action
|
Information Sharing: Homeland
Security Grants For Intelligence Analysts (Sec. 101) |
Acted in a manner inconsistent with
the intent of the provision |
Privacy and Civil Liberties:
Federal Agency Data Mining Reporting Act of 2007 (Sec. 804) |
Some progress but required reports
have not been submitted |
Emergency Response: Interoperable
Emergency Communications Grant Program (Sec. 301) |
Delivery of key plan late; risks
delays in grants |
Emergency Response: Credentialing
and Typing (Sec. 408) |
No progress
|
Biosurveillance: National
Biosurveillance Integration Center (Sec. 1101) |
Initial steps taken but little progress
|
Private Sector Preparedness:
Private Sector Preparedness (Sec. 901). |
Limited progress
|
Private Sector Preparedness:
National Asset Database (Sec. 1001) |
Some progress but little use of
the National Asset Database |
National Security: Interdicting
Weapons of Mass Destruction (Sec. 1821) |
Failure to take action
|
National Security: Coordinating
U.S. Nonproliferation Programs (Sec. 1841) |
Failure to take action
|
National Security: International
Muslim Youth Opportunity Fund (Sec. 2012) |
Failure to take action
|
National Security: Establishment
of a Middle East Foundation (Sec. 2021) |
Missed opportunities
|
National Security: United
States Policy Towards Detainees (Sec. 2033) |
Progress is slow and uncertain
|
National Security: Strategy
For the United States Relationship with Pakistan (Sec. 2042) |
Lack of comprehensive strategy yields
disastrous results |
National Security: Strategy
for the United States Relationship with Afghanistan (Sec. 2041) |
Still diverted from the crisis in
Afghanistan |
National Security: United
States Policy Towards Saudi Arabia (Sec. 2043) |
Progress is slow and uncertain
|
National Security: Advancing
Democracy Around The World (Title XXI) |
Key elements unmet
|