Posted by Secretary Napolitano
Today, President Obama signed an Executive Order entitled “Promoting Efficient Spending” as part of the administration-wide “Campaign to Cut Waste”. I am proud that one of our DHS colleagues, Celeste Steele, from the Management Directorate, was able to join the President as he highlighted the Administration’s efforts to more effectively and efficiently use taxpayer dollars, including through the DHS Efficiency Review, which Vice President Biden recently highlighted as a model effort for other agencies.
Celeste, a DHS employee since 2004, with more than 30 years of federal experience, is committed to cutting costs and finding efficiencies in her day-to-day work. “I try to find better ways of doing things every day. I am always looking for innovative value added solutions that will save taxpayer money. Efficiency and cutting costs is what drives me,” says Celeste.
In response to the ThinkEfficiency Campaign, in which DHS employees provide suggestions on ways the Department can avoid costs, streamline processes, and improve customer service, Celeste proposed that rather than using multiple smaller contracts, DHS leverage the purchasing power of the entire Department for commonly used items such as intelligence services, fleet management, and aviation parts, which will save the Department tens of millions of dollars. Building on this idea, as part of the DHS-wide Efficiency Review, we now look to leverage the Department’s buying power on many other commonly-used items, such as office equipment and uniforms which will save the department more than $370 million over the next five years.
Through the Efficiency Review, other Department-wide efforts, and component initiatives, DHS has identified more than $1 billion in cost avoidances and implemented 36 efficiency initiatives across the agency. Behind each of these initiatives are the employees like Celeste from across DHS who propose efficiency ideas, implement them, and fundamentally change the way the federal government operates.
Get more information about the Department’s Efficiency Review
Showing posts with label President Obama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label President Obama. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
The Department of Homeland Security's Commitment to Military Families
Today, President Obama was joined by Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Jane Holl Lute and other senior administration officials to announce the results of the final report of Presidential Study Directive-9, Strengthening our Military Families Meeting America’s Commitment.
At DHS, we are proud to support these efforts to strengthen support for military families - efforts that will bolster our ongoing initiatives to support the family members of the U.S Coast Guard.
The men and women of the Coast Guard often spend months away from home—engaged in missions that range from port operations and environmental clean-up, to responding to hurricanes and oil spills, to icebreaking in the Arctic and supporting Department of Defense operations around the world.
While members of the Coast Guard are away on assignments, their loved ones often stay behind. The Department is committed to supporting these families.
As part of this effort, the Coast Guard is committed to improving military housing for families and increasing access to child care services—a concern for many young families and particularly important to single parent military households.
For more information on how members of the Coast Guard can apply for housing or child care benefits, visit the Coast Guard Office of Military Personnel website.
We will continue to support our Coast Guard families so that the men and women serving around the world can continue to fulfill our mission, confident that loved ones at home are receiving the care and support they need.
--Military Advisor to the Secretary, U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Charles Michel
At DHS, we are proud to support these efforts to strengthen support for military families - efforts that will bolster our ongoing initiatives to support the family members of the U.S Coast Guard.
The men and women of the Coast Guard often spend months away from home—engaged in missions that range from port operations and environmental clean-up, to responding to hurricanes and oil spills, to icebreaking in the Arctic and supporting Department of Defense operations around the world.
While members of the Coast Guard are away on assignments, their loved ones often stay behind. The Department is committed to supporting these families.
As part of this effort, the Coast Guard is committed to improving military housing for families and increasing access to child care services—a concern for many young families and particularly important to single parent military households.
For more information on how members of the Coast Guard can apply for housing or child care benefits, visit the Coast Guard Office of Military Personnel website.
We will continue to support our Coast Guard families so that the men and women serving around the world can continue to fulfill our mission, confident that loved ones at home are receiving the care and support they need.
--Military Advisor to the Secretary, U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Charles Michel
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Vote for DHS Employee’s Innovative Idea for the 2010 President’s SAVE Award
Paul Behe, a CBP Paralegal Specialist in Cleveland, devised an innovative idea for how his office could cut costs and streamline operations. And with your help, this bright idea just might win the President’s 2010 SAVE Award.
The SAVE Award contest offered every federal employee the chance to submit their ideas for how to make the federal government leaner, smarter and more effective – goals that are very familiar to DHS employees through Secretary Napolitano’s DHS-wide Efficiency Review initiative.
Paul was inspired to participate in this challenge after noticing a backlog of over 900 seized items in CBP’s Cleveland office. Because of limited funding available for print advertising, CBP faced a hefty price-tag to store seized items until they could be advertised.
Paul proposed that instead of using print advertisements, CBP should consider advertising online to reduce the cost of ads and storage for items awaiting adjudication.
Paul’s idea was hand-picked to be one of four finalists from the more than 18,000 ideas submitted government-wide. If Paul wins, he will get the chance to visit the White House, meet President Obama, and have his Efficiency Review initiative incorporated into the FY 2012 Budget.
From today until Friday, Nov. 12, you can help us make this innovative idea the winning SAVE idea by visiting http://www.save.gov/ and voting for Paul.
The SAVE Award contest offered every federal employee the chance to submit their ideas for how to make the federal government leaner, smarter and more effective – goals that are very familiar to DHS employees through Secretary Napolitano’s DHS-wide Efficiency Review initiative.
Paul was inspired to participate in this challenge after noticing a backlog of over 900 seized items in CBP’s Cleveland office. Because of limited funding available for print advertising, CBP faced a hefty price-tag to store seized items until they could be advertised.
Paul proposed that instead of using print advertisements, CBP should consider advertising online to reduce the cost of ads and storage for items awaiting adjudication.
Paul’s idea was hand-picked to be one of four finalists from the more than 18,000 ideas submitted government-wide. If Paul wins, he will get the chance to visit the White House, meet President Obama, and have his Efficiency Review initiative incorporated into the FY 2012 Budget.
From today until Friday, Nov. 12, you can help us make this innovative idea the winning SAVE idea by visiting http://www.save.gov/ and voting for Paul.
Monday, June 28, 2010
National Space Policy
Most Americans are aware of the many technologies and resources DHS uses to keep our country secure, from advanced imaging technology at airports, to unmanned aerial systems at the border, to whatever projects the Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency is managing. There’s one frontier, however, we haven’t talked much about: space. Now we aren’t scanning cargo containers from the International Space Station or anything, but we do use satellites to track hurricanes, map floods, track vessels, and to communicate in emergencies. In short, national space policy is critical for DHS to continue to keep Americans safe.
Today, President Obama announced the Presidential Policy Directive on Space. Space policy has been a part of national security since President Eisenhower issued the National Aeronautics and Space Act into law in 1958. Every President since has used national space policy to address the unique challenges and priorities of the time.
President Obama’s Directive includes several measures to ensure that space policy promotes homeland security. It emphasizes partnerships with the private sector and international governments and recognizes the crucial relationship between space-based assets and critical infrastructure, such as electric power and cell phones.
These initiatives will enable DHS and others to use the best space technology available to address the concerns of today as well as the challenges of tomorrow. Check out the President's statement.
Today, President Obama announced the Presidential Policy Directive on Space. Space policy has been a part of national security since President Eisenhower issued the National Aeronautics and Space Act into law in 1958. Every President since has used national space policy to address the unique challenges and priorities of the time.
President Obama’s Directive includes several measures to ensure that space policy promotes homeland security. It emphasizes partnerships with the private sector and international governments and recognizes the crucial relationship between space-based assets and critical infrastructure, such as electric power and cell phones.
These initiatives will enable DHS and others to use the best space technology available to address the concerns of today as well as the challenges of tomorrow. Check out the President's statement.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
President's Report and Directive on Attempted 12/25/09 Attack and Subsequent Briefing by Secretary Napolitano
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, left, with White House Counterterrorism adviser John Brennan, speaks about the attempted Christmas Day airline bombing during a briefing at the White House, Jan. 7, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)
The President spoke to the American public this afternoon, outlining the details in the White House's report on the failed Christmas Day terrorist attack. The report itself focuses on the shortcomings related to intelligence collection, sharing and integration within the intelligence community. You can download a pdf copy of the report here:
Read the summary of the security review
The President simultaneously issued a directive for multiple federal departments and agencies, ordering corrective actions with respect to intelligence, screening, and watchlisting systems and programs. Relevant to this blog, the President ordered DHS to undertake the following:
- Aggressively pursue enhanced screening technology, protocols, and procedures, especially in regard to aviation and other transportation sectors, consistent with privacy rights and civil liberties; strengthen international partnerships and coordination on aviation security issues.
- Develop recommendations on long-term law enforcement requirements for aviation security in coordination with the Department of Justice.
Read the President's Directive on corrective actions (pdf).
Secretary Napolitano, Deputy National Security Advisor John Brennan, and Robert Gibbs briefed the press shortly after the President's statement, delving further into the report and detailing the recommendations and findings within.
The Secretary discussed the immediate steps DHS took after the attempted attack, noting that DHS strengthened screening requirements for passengers entering the United States and deployed additional law enforcement officers, behavior detection officers, and explosive detection K-9 units to airports across the country. It's worth mentioning that while these additional measures are both seen and unseen, that they add to the "layers of security" already in place at airports and on airplanes traveling to and from the United States.
The Secretary also outlined five long-term steps the department is taking to correct the shortcomings that led to the attempted attack:
- Re-evaluate and modify the process for creation and modification of terror "watchlists" - including adjusting the process by which names are added to the “No-Fly” and “Selectee” lists.
- Establish a partnership on aviation security between DHS and the Department of Energy and its National Laboratories in order to develop new and more effective technologies to deter and disrupt known threats and proactively anticipate and protect against new ways by which terrorists could seek to board an aircraft.
- Accelerate deployment of advanced imaging technology to provide greater explosives detection capabilities—and encourage foreign aviation security authorities to do the same—in order to identify materials such as those used in the attempted Dec. 25 attack. The Transportation Security Administration currently has 40 machines deployed throughout the United States, and plans to deploy at least 300 additional units in 2010.
- Strengthen the presence and capacity of aviation law enforcement—by deploying law enforcement officers from across DHS to serve as Federal Air Marshals to increase security aboard U.S.-bound flights.
- Work with the Department of State to strengthen international cooperation on aviation security measures, ensuring that we have a consistent system to screen passengers flying to the United States from countries around the world. As I write this, senior department officials - led by Deputy Secretary Jane Holl Lute - are on a multi-country, multi-continent mission to begin this process, and Secretary Napolitano will travel to Spain later this month to meet with her international counterparts in the first of a series of global meetings intended to bring about broad consensus on new international aviation security standards and procedures.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
H1N1 Summit Update
The H1N1 Flu Prepardness Summit wrapped up about an hour ago. Hopefully some of you had the opportunity to watch part of the live-stream. If not, you can check out highlights from the summit, the Twitter feed, and other information on how today's discussion will move things forward on this public health issue at the newly re-launched flu.gov. The bottom line is that we all need to be prepared for flu season. The federal government, in coordination with all our partners, used today as an opportunity to discuss the best options for preparing the public.
President Obama joined the summit via telephone from Italy, underscoring the importance of the discussion and noting the point is to prepare, not to panic:
"And so I won't go through the details of this," the President said. "I'm sure that Kathleen and Janet and others have laid out what the potential consequences are of a renewed outbreak of H1N1. We want to make sure that we are not promoting panic, but we are promoting vigilance and preparation. And the most important thing for us to do in this process is to make sure that state and local officials prepare now to implement a vaccination program in the fall, but also that they are working on an overall public communications campaign with the White House and the possibilities that we may need to be dealing with schools that are seeing significant outbreaks of H1N1."
Check out the President's full remarks at whitehouse.gov.
For those more creatively inclined, there's a new contest for you. Record a public service announcement, in the form of a video response on Youtube to Secretary Sebelius' call for contest entries. If you win, you could be eligible for a $2,500 cash prize.
So, check out the new site to get and stay informed as we get ready for the fall.
For those more creatively inclined, there's a new contest for you. Record a public service announcement, in the form of a video response on Youtube to Secretary Sebelius' call for contest entries. If you win, you could be eligible for a $2,500 cash prize.
So, check out the new site to get and stay informed as we get ready for the fall.
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