We promised yesterday that we'd post video of the Secretary's preparedness and resiliency speech. Check it out below.

The full transcript is also available.

From HS Today, on Secretary Napolitano’s speech marking the end of National Preparedness Month:

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano urged government, communities and citizens to become more ready and resilient to face disasters ranging from terrorism to natural disasters to diseases in a major policy speech at the American Red Cross in Washington, DC, Tuesday.

Napolitano emphasized measures undertaken by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as well as Citizen Corps in boosting readiness and resilience over the first nine months of the Obama administration. Among those accomplishments has been the introduction of no-notice training drills, Napolitano announced. To date, FEMA has held one such drill, where senior leaders must respond to an unfolding disaster scenario presented to them much like a student would face a pop quiz in class.

"Under the leadership of FEMA Administrator Fugate, we are holding no-notice disaster exercises to ensure that our senior leadership is ready to respond swiftly and effectively to a range of disasters at a moment's notice," Napolitano stated. "That's very different from the past, where all exercises were scripted out well in advance so it felt like we were planning out a Shakespearean drama rather than an actual disaster."

From WIBW-TV Topeka, KS, on Cybersecurity Awareness Month:

Events are planned in Washington, D.C. Thursday to launch October as Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano will join Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn III and White House National Security Staff Acting Senior Director for Cybersecurity Chris Painter to kick off the awareness campaign.

Homeland Security says the month is designed to educate all citizens and key public and private sector partners on how to guard against cyber threats at home, work and school.

National Protection and Programs Directorate Under Secretary Rand Beers and National Cyber Security Alliance Director Michael Kaiser will also deliver remarks at the event in Washington, D.C.

Leadership Events
10 AM EDT
Secretary Napolitano will testify about evaluating threats of terrorism in the United States after 9/11 before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
342 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C.

Public Events
10 AM EDT
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Transportation Sector Network Management Assistant Administrator John Sammon will testify about the future of the Registered Traveler program before the House Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection
311 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C.

10 AM EDT
U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Sally Brice-O’Hara will testify about the Coast Guard’s search and rescue mission before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
2167 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.

10:30 AM EDT
NPPD Assistant Secretary for Cyber Security & Communications Greg Schaffer will participate in a panel discussion about the effect of broadband on cybersecurity at the Broadband Cyber Security Workshop
Federal Communications Commission Headquarters
Commission Meeting Room
445 12th St. SW

2 PM EDT
FEMA Assistant Administrator of the National Continuity Programs Directorate Damon Penn will testify about the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management
2167 Rayburn House Office BuildingWashington, D.C.

1:30 PM MDT
ICE Office of Investigations Director Kumar Kibble will participate in a media availability with Deputy Attorney General David Ogden to announce the launch of the Arizona Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force strike force
3010 North 2nd St
Phoenix, Ariz.

Over the past few months I have been laying out the five main areas of responsibility of the Department.

In July, I outlined our approach to our first priority – countering the threat of a terrorist attack. In August, I spoke about the new approach we’re taking to border security.

Today, in remarks at the American Red Cross, I’m speaking about another important mission: readiness and resilience.

Our nation may be better prepared than we were before 9/11. But there is much more we can – and should – do. And to get there, we must treat our nation’s preparedness as a shared responsibility, one where everyone has a role to play.

Civilians are usually the first to arrive in a crisis, and history shows that they are critical in those important first minutes. And these citizen responders can be an even more potent force by:

• Taking CPR training from the Red Cross
• Training with a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
• Knowing when to take shelter or evacuate
• Pre-planning evacuation routes and where to meet after a disaster strikes

If a disaster struck your hometown, that training, those skills, and those plans would free up first responders and emergency personnel to focus on those most in need.

So today, I’m calling on all Americans, across the country, to do two things.

First, take these basic steps:

1. get an emergency kit;
2. make a family reunification plan; and
3. become informed about the types of emergencies your community is most likely to encounter.

Second, I’m asking all of us who are in book clubs, prayer groups, school boards, alumni associations, or other community organizations, simply to raise your hand and ask, “What’s our plan?”

Together, we can build a culture of readiness and resilience, and together we can build a more secure future.

Janet Napolitano

We’ve harped on it for 29 days - September is National Preparedness Month. We’ve directed you to ready.gov, provided tips on how to be prepared and stay informed, and asked you more than once to cough into your sleeve.

No one likes to spend that much time thinking about what could happen – be it a natural disaster or otherwise – but the steps you take to prepare for the unthinkable can make the difference for your place of business, your school, and especially your home. And, it’s the American way: being ready and resilient has helped our nation surmount its biggest challenges for two centuries.

So as National Preparedness Month comes to a close, the Secretary has one more request of you: ask a question. Stand up at school, or at work, or at home, and ask, “What’s our plan?”

The Secretary will deliver a speech at The American Red Cross National Headquarters this afternoon at 2:15 PM EDT on preparedness, and wants to make one final pitch to the American public during the month of September. Bring it up the next time you attend a meeting at your child’s high school, or at church, or around the dinner table. This is a shared responsibility, and we all have a role to play in building a culture where these questions, and this dialogue, are commonplace.

Watch the speech LIVE at http://www.dhs.gov/ starting at 2:15 PM EDT.

Then visit ready.gov to learn more.

The pictures tell the story: Thousands upon thousands of U.S. $20 and $50 bills, crisply stacked and banded into neat packets and carefully tucked away into shipping containers filled with bags of ammonium and sodium sulfate bound for Colombia.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), working with our law enforcement partners in Colombia, made the initial seizure on September 10 of $11.2 million from a shipment at the port of Buenaventura, Colombia. Subsequent investigation by ICE, Colombian authorities and Mexican authorities revealed additional shipments in Buenaventura and Manzanillo, Mexico, with large amounts of cash hidden inside.

The total is jaw-dropping -- at least $40.5 million and counting, as of this writing -- and it constitutes the largest container bulk cash smuggling seizure in ICE, U.S. and Colombian history. It's an investigative success we might not have achieved without closely collaborating with our counterparts in Mexico and Colombia, and it is a testament to what can be accomplished through this collaboration.

At this point, the investigation has not yet identified the organizations or individuals behind these shipments. However, it is well-established that the two ports in question are key points of a route used for smuggling cocaine northward to Mexico and the United States, and for sending cash back into Colombia. The scheme is believed to have been perpetrated by or on behalf of a major trafficking organization, or organizations, operating in Colombia.

Perhaps most important is what these seized dollars represent. Every illicit dollar we can stop from flowing across the border is one less dollar going to fuel the cartels' operations. It's one less dollar they can use to buy guns, or to pay a corrupt official to look the other way. By targeting the flow of money, we hit the traffickers where it hurts most.

John Morton is the Assistant Secretary for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

From the Los Angeles Times, on an ICE gang sweep:

Nine members and associates of a Bell Gardens street gang, including a suspected hit man for a Mexican drug cartel, have been arrested on drug trafficking and weapons charges, federal officials said Friday.

The suspects -- six U.S. citizens and three illegal Mexican immigrants -- were arrested Thursday as agents served search warrants in Bell Gardens and Los Angeles, officials with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said. Their arrests culminated a nine-month investigation by the agency of the Barrio Evil 13 street gang.

Several assault weapons, including an AK-47 assault rifle, a Tec-9 submachine gun, a MAC-11 submachine gun and a sawed-off shotgun, along with thousands of rounds of ammunition also were recovered.

"This is a relatively small and newer gang that has been operating with impunity for the last several years," said Kevin Kozak, deputy special agent in charge of ICE's Los Angeles office of investigations. "They have access to significant weapons . . . and claims they can have access to military-grade weapons through a 'friend' in the military."

From IDG News, on the department's privacy report:

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's annual privacy report card revealed more details on the agency's controversial policy involving searches of electronic devices at U.S. borders.

The 99-page report, which was released Thursday, also offered details on the agency's efforts to address privacy risks in social media and the use of imaging technologies that produce whole-body scans at airport security checkpoints.

The report is the first DHS privacy assessment released to Congress since the new administration took office. It covers the activities of the DHS Privacy Office between July 2008 and June 2009.

For the most part, the report is a compilation of privacy-related activities across the DHS during this period. However, it also offered lesser-known details about some DHS programs. For instance, numbers released in the report indicate that warrantless searches of electronic devices at U.S. borders are occurring less frequently than some privacy and civil rights advocates might have feared.

Public Events
11:30 AM EDT
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Assistant Secretary John Morton will participate in a media availability with representatives from the Colombian and Mexican governments to announce the seizure of more than $41 million in U.S. currency discovered during a joint investigation.
ICE Headquarters Potomac Center North500 12th Street SW
Washington, D.C.

12 PM EDT
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate will deliver remarks about preparedness at the Temple University Annual Preparedness Fair
Temple University1101 West Montgomery AvenuePhiladelphia, Penn.

12 PM EDT
U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thad Allen will deliver remarks about current Coast Guard activities at the National Cargo Bureau luncheon
Georgetown Club
1530 Wisconsin Ave NW
Washington, D.C.

Throughout September, National Preparedness Month, the department has called on the American people to play a role in our nation’s preparedness. To further that goal, DHS is carrying this message specifically to parents and families.

Take some time today to visit our family preparedness website. Here you can learn about resources designed specifically to help families learn how to prepare their homes and families for emergencies.

www.dhs.gov/families

You can also sign up for a weekly e-mail to stay informed about pressing issues and new tools to keep you prepared. Sign up today.

From the Associated Press, on President Obama’s pick for Customs and Border Protection Commissioner:

President Barack Obama announced Tuesday he intends to nominate his
Southwest border czar to be commissioner of Customs and Border Protection.

As commissioner, Alan Bersin would lead a Homeland Security Department
security agency that helps keep terrorists and their weapons out of the country
while securing and facilitating travel and trade as it enforces hundreds of
regulations, including export and import controls, immigration and drug
laws.

The appointment requires Senate confirmation.

Since April, Bersin has been serving in a position created by the Obama
administration to handle illegal immigration and border issues. During this
time, Bersin has worked closely with the Mexican government to combat drug
cartels.

From Federal Computer Week, on the new U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ website:

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has launched a
revamped Web portal that agency officials say is more user-friendly, interactive
and informative than its predecessor.

The upgraded site allows applicants for citizenship and related
benefits to follow the progress of their cases. They can choose to receive
notifications through e-mail messages or text messages when the status of an
application changes, the agency said.

The redesigned USCIS.gov has, for the first time, a Spanish language
version. It also provides access to national trend data and raw data that can be
used in additional applications. USCIS petitions and applications will be
accessible through the case status feature, and include applications for
naturalization and certificate of citizenship, as well as petitions related to
the status of non-immigrant workers and relatives and fiancées from other
nations.

"It's part of a broader effort in this agency and it is in keeping with
[Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano's] emphasis as well as the
administration's emphasis on transparency," Alejandro Mayorkas, USCIS' director,
said in an interview Sept. 21. USCIS is an agency under the Homeland Security
Department.

Leadership Events
9:10 AM EDT
Secretary Napolitano will deliver remarks at the News and Terrorism: Communicating in a Crisis workshop
Radisson Plaza Lord Baltimore
Calvert Ballroom
20 West Baltimore Street
Baltimore, Md.

9:45 AM EDT
Secretary Napolitano and Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley will announce Recovery Act-funded port, transit and fire station grants and participate in a media Inner Harbor
Pier 1, Constellation Dock
301 East Pratt Street
Baltimore, Md.

Public Events
12 PM EDT
NPPD Director of Software Assurance Joe Jarzombek will deliver remarks about the role of software assurance in the workplace at the Quality Assurance Institute and Quality Assurance Association of Maryland Regional Conference
The Conference Center at the Maritime Institute
692 Maritime Blvd.
Linthicum Heights, Md.

11:30 AM CDT
NPPD Under Secretary Rand Beers will deliver keynote remarks at the Chicago Regional Emergency Management Conference
McCormick Place
2302 S. Lake Shore Drive, Room E353
Chicago, Ill.

11 AM PDT
NPPD Critical Infrastructure Protection Director Patrick Beggs will deliver remarks about critical infrastructure protection at the ASIS 2009 Conference
Anaheim Convention Center
800 West Katella Avenue
Anaheim, Calif.

11 AM PDT
NPPD Infrastructure Information Collection Division Deputy Director Steven King will deliver remarks about DHS Critical Infrastructure Protection Tools and Resources at the ASIS 2009 Conference
Anaheim Convention Center
800 West Katella Avenue
Anaheim, Calif.

2 PM EDT
Federal Protective Service Director Gary Schenkel will testify about risk-based security before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management
2167 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.

2:30 PM EDT
NPPD Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity and Communications Rear Admiral Michael Brown will participate in a panel discussion at the Network Centric Operations Industry Consortium Plenary
Fair Lakes Hyatt
12777 Fair Lakes Circle
Fairfax, Va.

11:45 AM PDT
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Alejandro Mayorkas will participate in a media availability about his vision for the agency and current initiatives USCIS District Office
300 North Los Angeles Street
Los Angeles, Calif.

As the new Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, I’d like to take a moment to introduce myself to readers of the Leadership Journal and to share a few thoughts with you about my vision for our agency, some of the principles that will guide our efforts, and some exciting changes underway that will help us better serve the public.

I came to the United States in 1960, having fled Cuba with my parents and my sister. I was later granted citizenship through the beneficence of the United States government. I understand deeply the gravity as well as the nobility of our mission at USCIS: to administer our country’s immigration laws efficiently and with fairness, honesty, and integrity.

I believe there are four principles that should help us define how we work. First, we must be a customer-focused agency, always mindful of the needs and views of those who seek our services. To this end, we must actively solicit input and feedback from stakeholders and the public so that a variety of views inform our decisions. Second, we must be good and careful stewards of taxpayer resources, cutting costs and improving efficiency wherever possible. Third, we must be transparent in our efforts; the public deserves and is entitled to know how we operate and what our successes and our challenges are. And finally, we must strive for consistency in our operations so that the services we provide meet the same high standards regardless of where they are sought.

Today our agency took a major step forward to put these ideas into action. After much hard work, including substantial feedback from the public, we launched a new and vastly improved USCIS.gov website. This new one-stop-shop will provide a range of tools and features for those looking for information, including case status updates. For example:

• The site features a My Case Status tool that allows users to type in a receipt number and find out what processing step their case is in, how that fits into the overall process, and what the local case processing times are.
• A National Dashboard that allows the public to compare national processing volumes and trends and download raw data.
• A better search engine so it is easier to find what a user is looking for.
• New options to receive status updates via email or text alerts.

This new website reflects our commitment at USCIS to continually improve how we do business. It is one of many changes in the works that will help us be a more effective, transparent, and responsive agency. Stay tuned for more to come. In the meantime, I hope you find the new site useful.

Alejandro Mayorkas
Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

The new “My Case Status” function above allows customers to sign in with a receipt number, and check the status of their application. They will also be able to sign up for email and text alerts for the first time, to let them know what step of the process their application is in.

For example, the new USCIS.gov website includes a “Where to Start” tool that helps customers easily navigate the new site, a “My Case Status” tool that allows customers to check the status of their application via email and text message alerts, and a “National Dashboard” that provides national data on volumes and trends in the immigration system. We are also proud to introduce a Spanish language version of our website, which is available at: www.uscis.gov/espanol.

Take a minute to check out the new site today and spread the word!

From the Associated Press, on the First Family's preparation for H1N1:

President Barack Obama says the first family will follow the rules like every one else on the swine flu vaccine.

Obama says he's probably "fairly far down" the pecking order for being vaccinated.

He tells CNN's "State of the Union" that even though he's president, "We will stand in line like everybody else. And when folks say it's our turn, that's when we'll get it."

Federal guidelines call for the new vaccine to be given first to pregnant women; people who live with or care for kids 6 months or younger; health care workers; people age 6 months through 24; and people with chronic health problems or compromised immune systems.

Only after shots are offered to those groups will the vaccine be available to healthy adults 64 and younger -- that's where the president and first lady come in. Eleven-year-old Malia and 8-year-old Sasha are in one those earlier groups.

Obama says he'll call up his health secretary and the director of the Centers for Disease Control and "whatever they tell me to do, I will do."

From the Sierra Vista Herald, on the Coast Guard's role in combating the flow of illegal drugs into the United States:

When it comes to the country's border security issues, Arizona faces tough challenges. Arizona's porous border with Mexico has created a security crisis for our state, U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords said.

On Friday, Giffords hosted a multi-agency briefing that featured Adm. Thad Allen, the commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard and head of the Drug Interdiction Committee, before they visited Bowie schoolkids on a more social note.

The briefing was held at the University of Arizona National Center for Border Security and Immigration in Tucson and included representatives from all levels of law enforcement.

Organized as a follow-up to a border violence summit Giffords convened in April, the meeting was intended to promote collaboration and communication across federal, state and county agencies.

Adm. Thad Allen, commandant of the Coast Guard, visits with Bowie Superintendent Patrick O'Donnell on Friday. With deep family ties to Cochise County, Allen stopped by the school after a border security briefing in Tucson hosted by Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. (Carol Broeder, Arizona Range News)

"At that summit, more than 60 participants came together to discuss how we could improve coordination and the effectiveness of our work to combat the drug cartels," Giffords said during an opening address, according to her press secretary. "We all know that we have challenges here in Southern Arizona unlike any other part of the country."

From the San Antonio Business Journal, on ARRA funding for a new baggage handling system at San Antonio's airport:

The City of San Antonio Aviation Department has received a federal stimulus grant totaling just under $14.4 million from the Transportation Security Administration.

The grant is part of the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 and is for eligible costs associated with the design, engineering and construction of the Terminal 1/B Consolidated Baggage Handling System (BHS) project at San Antonio International Airport.

The BHS is currently part of the City's airport expansion program, which includes a new passenger terminal building, a new parking facility and a new bi-level roadway system.

City officials say the BHS project will free up lobby space and improve passenger circulation in Terminal 1 and accommodate the baggage screening process at multiple terminals.

Public Events
4PM CDT
ICE Assistant Secretary John Morton and the Colombian Ambassador to the United States will participate in a press event with the Colombian National Police (CNP), announcing the CNP participation in ICE led BEST in four US ports.
Policia Nacional de Colombia
Carreera 59 N 26-21, CAN, Bogota DC

From the Reno Gazette-Journal, on one of yesterday's naturalization ceremonies:

Diane Gray was beaming and full of pride Thursday morning as she waived a miniature American flag.

"I got it!," she said to a crowded room in a University of Nevada, Reno auditorium. "I got it!"

Gray, along with 32 others from 13 nations, was presented a certificate of naturalization, marking years of work to gain U.S. citizenship.

"I'm going to be here the rest of my life and I want to vote," the 53-year-old Canadian-born grandmother said. "I like the United States and I want to be a part of the processes and vote. I want to make a difference.

"I'm just like y'all now," she said and raised her arms in triumph. "This is really something that no words can describe. It's awesome."

Now, Gray said she is going to register to vote and apply for her passport.

The day was special for another reason. It was Citizenship Day, marked for the remembrance of the signing of the Constitution in 1787. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Reno Field Office Director Monica Toro said naturalization ceremonies on Citizenship Day has become a new tradition across the nation, 2009 being the second year.

From the Associated Press, on yesterday's citizenship grants announcement:

Federal Immigration officials on Thursday awarded a Dallas group and 12 other organizations around the country $1.2 million in grants to help legal residents become U.S. citizens.

Citizenship and Immigration Services awarded $100,000 to Catholic Charities Immigration and Legal Services. It wasn't immediately clear how much money was awarded to the other groups, but the agency said they could apply for up to $100,000.

The announcement coincided with Constitution Day and Citizenship Day.

The agency said the money goes to increase the number of people served by programs that help green card holders improve their English skills, learn about U.S. history and government, and prepare for the naturalization process.

The funds can only be used to provide direct services to immigrants with legal status in the country.

From the Associated Press, on a new CBP commander in Grand Forks:

The Border Patrol sector in Grand Forks has a new commander.Rosa Nelly
Hernandez will supervise 180 people who help protect the U.S.-Canadian border.

Border Patrol officials say Hernandez is the first woman to command the Grand Forks sector and third woman chief in the history of the Border Patrol.

Hernandez, who's a San Antonio native, was installed at a Wednesday airport ceremony that included members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and a bagpipe and drum corps.

She asked for help from border agents and the community, saying, "Whether you are a farmer or in law enforcement, help us secure our homeland."

Hernandez said the Border Patrol will become more intelligence-based. She said officials plant to put three agents in each of five communities in North Dakota, six communities in Minnesota and one in Ashland, Wis.

No public events today

We won’t fault you for a lack of awareness on this one, but today is actually a federal holiday. It’s Constitution and Citizenship Day, created in 2004, and intended to honor the signing of the Constitution at the U.S. Constitutional Convention on September 17, 1787. The day also celebrates citizenship in all its forms, recognizing all who, by birth or by naturalization, have become US citizens.

USCIS is conducting naturalization ceremonies around the world today, administering the Oath of Allegiance to over 8,400 individuals during 72 ceremonies.

The Secretary participated in a similar naturalization ceremony at the Pentagon last week and administered the Oath of Allegiance to 31 members of the U.S. armed forces. We’re happy to bring you some video from that event. Check it out in the player below or on our Youtube channel.



USCIS also announced a total of $1.2 million in new Citizenship Grants, designed to help organizations prepare Legal Permanent Residents for citizenship. The grants were awarded to 13 organizations:

• Association House of Chicago;
• Catholic Charities of Dallas Inc.;
• Central American Resource Center, Los Angeles;
• Federation Employment and Guidance Service Inc., New York, N.Y.;
• International Institute of St. Louis;
• International Rescue Committee Inc., San Diego;
• Jewish Family and Children’s Services, San Francisco;
• Jewish Vocational Service of MetroWest Inc., East Orange, N.J.;
• Lutheran Family Services in the Carolinas, Raleigh, N.C.;
• OneAmerica, Seattle;
• Progreso Latino, Central Falls, R.I.;
• Saint Mark Roman Catholic Parish, Dorchester, Mass.;
• and Young Women’s Christian Association of Tulsa, Okla.

“We are proud to support our new grantees,” said Mayorkas. “In the spirit of Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, I am pleased to announce that we will be working with these organizations to help immigrants pursue citizenship and become fully vested members of their communities.”

Check out the full release from USCIS.

It also seems an appropriate day to brush up on our nation’s guiding document, don’t you think? Benjamin Franklin delivered a speech at the convention following the signing, arguing the case for unanimity among the states on the issue of ratification:

“I doubt too whether any other Convention we can obtain, may be able to make a better Constitution. For when you assemble a number of men to have the advantage of their joint wisdom, you inevitably assemble with those men, all their prejudices, their passions, their errors of opinion, their local interests, and their selfish views. From such an assembly can a perfect production be expected? It therefore astonishes me, Sir, to find this system approaching so near to perfection as it does; and I think it will astonish our enemies, who are waiting with confidence to hear that our councils are confounded like those of the Builders of Babel; and that our States are on the point of separation, only to meet hereafter for the purpose of cutting one another's throats. Thus I consent, Sir, to this Constitution because I expect no better, and because I am not sure, that it is not the best. The opinions I have had of its errors, I sacrifice to the public good.”

For the record, the nine states required for ratification did so by June 21st of the following year.

From the Associated Press, on the Secretary's speech at the Domenici Public Policy Conference in Las Cruces yesterday:

The U.S. and Mexico are making headway in the ongoing struggle to curb the flow of illegal drugs, cash and weapons across the border, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Wednesday.

Napolitano, who spoke at a public policy conference at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, said "historic" agreements with Mexican President Felipe Calderon's government and increases in enforcement are helping with security issues in the U.S., and curbing the flow of drugs into the U.S. and weapons and cash into Mexico.

"We stand at a historic moment," she said. "We have the opportunity to work with the government of Mexico to make significant advancements in the safety and security of the border area and the safety and security of Mexico in the very courageous battle President Calderon is fighting there."

Calderon launched a nationwide offensive against violent and powerful drug cartels shortly after taking office in 2006. Since then, more than 13,000 people have been killed. In Ciudad Juarez, just across the Rio Grande from El Paso, federal police and Mexican troops have been deployed to curb the near-daily killings.
Napolitano said successes are coming slowly but steadily, and can't fully be measured by the number of arrests made or the amount of cash and weapons seized. "It will be a marathon, but progress is being made, again because of the historic relationship we have," she said.

From the Kentucky Post, on a US-VISIT success:

Customs and Border Protection's use of advanced technology, US-VISIT recently resulted in the detection, apprehension and incarceration of an arriving international passenger at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG).

US-VISIT (United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indication Technology) records biographic and biometric information to conduct security checks and verify the identities of international travelers applying for admission into the United States. By linking a person's biometric information to his or her travel documents reduces the risk that a traveler's identity or documents could be intentionally misused by someone attempting to gain entry into the United States.

A case in point occurred on March 6, when Moussa Doucoure, 29, and a citizen of the country of Mali, arrived via an international flight from Paris, France at CVG. He presented himself for admission to CBP as a returning Asylee using a U.S. Department of Homeland Security Travel Document.

Upon his primary inspection by a CBP (Customs and Border Protection) officer and enrollment into US-VISIT, his fingerprints came up as a mismatch which resulted in a secondary inspection. It was during this secondary inspection that Doucoure was found to be an imposter to the travel document he presented. His fingerprint and photograph did not match the fingerprint and photograph that was on file for the genuine recipient of the travel document.

"US-VISIT biometric screening continues to prevent fraudulent document use and has enabled DHS to stop wanted criminals and immigration violators from entering this country. It is because of this state of the art technology and the fine work of our CBP officers and the U.S. Attorney's Office that this person was brought to justice."

From the Washington Post, on a D.C. school's preparation for H1N1:

Should the swine flu appear at Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary School in Germantown, a veritable arsenal of weaponry awaits.

There's a double-barreled blast of Germ-X hand sanitizer at the front desk in the main office. The antibacterial soap dispensers in the bathrooms. And in the Room 103, better known as Kristy Halvorsen's first-grade class, the virus faces a triple threat from more Germ-X, Purell soap and Kleenex tissues.

In their quest to fortify themselves against the H1N1 virus, known as swine flu, Matsunaga and other schools across the Washington region are building up chemical stockpiles and barraging students with lessons on how to wash their hands and cough into their elbows. There haven't been any cases of H1N1 at Matsunaga, the largest elementary school in Montgomery County, and Judy K. Brubaker, its principal, would like to keep it that way.

"When I buy it, I buy it at 400 bucks a pop," Brubaker said recently while giving a tour of her school's defenses. At least twice now, she has purchased 70 40-ounce bottles of hand sanitizer.

Each classroom has multiple defenses. In Philip D'Agnese's second-grade class in a temporary trailer, there were no fewer than six bottles of soap, one at each of the classroom's hotspots -- the computers, the pencil sharpener, the homework baskets -- and that wasn't counting the box of "antiviral" tissues.

Public Events
10 AM EDT
CBP Border Patrol Chief David Aguilar and CBP Secure Border Initiative Executive Director Mark Borkowski will testify before the House Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Border, Maritime, and Global Counterterrorism about progress on the Secure Border Initiative
311 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C.

11:30 AM EDT
ICE Assistant Secretary John Morton will participate in a media availability announcing the indictment of a well known New Haven-area philanthropist for child sex tourism.
Financial Center, 11th Floor conference room
157 Church Street
New Haven, Conn.

1:30 PM EDT
USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas will administer the Oath of Allegiance and deliver remarks during a special “Citizenship Day” naturalization ceremony
Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History (Flag Hall)
14th St. and Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, D.C.

2:30 PM PDT
USCG Admiral Sally Brice-O’Hara will participate in a public meeting for the President’s Ocean Policy Task Force
Hyatt Regency San Francisco Embarcadero Center Ballroom A 5
San Francisco, Calif.

We promised video last week of the groundbreaking ceremony for the department's new headquarters at the St. Elizabeths Hospital campus.

The work of consolidating so many of our D.C offices will save money, improve communication and coordination, and, most importantly, foster unity and cohesion as the department matures. Check out the video below from that rainy morning.

From the Washington Post, on the Homeland Security Advisory System Task Force report:

A bipartisan task force recommended Tuesday that the Obama administration
simplify and reset the U.S. government's iconic color-coded terrorism warning
system to the lowest of three new levels, if it keeps using levels at all.

The findings, which Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said
she will share with the White House and national security officials, could lead
to substantial changes to a widely panned but politically sensitive tool created
after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to alert the nation to
threats.

Since its inception, critics inside government and out have ridiculed
the Homeland Security Advisory System -- keyed to five colors running from
green, or "low risk," to red, or "severe risk" -- for being vague and
unhelpful.

In raising and lowering alert levels 17 times from 2002 to 2006, the
Bush administration opened itself to charges that it was manipulating the system
for political effect. Tom Ridge, President George W. Bush's first homeland
security secretary, acknowledged in a recent memoir that his personal concerns
about that possibility contributed to his decision to step down after Bush's
reelection in 2004.

In practice, the nation has never been below the third, or
middle-threat, tier -- yellow, or "elevated risk." Analysts say it is unlikely
any politician would risk lowering the level, regardless of threat intelligence,
because any unexpected attack could hand opponents a political club.
Frances
Fragos Townsend, co-chairman of the Napolitano task force and Bush's former
homeland security adviser, said the system has lost the confidence of the
public.

From the Wall Street Journal, on the H1N1 vaccine:

The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved vaccines designed to
protect against the H1N1 influenza virus, a key step before starting a
vaccination campaign.

The approval was announced by Health and Human Services Secretary
Kathleen Sebelius at a hearing that was held by the House Energy and Commerce
Committee.

An FDA spokeswoman said the agency approved vaccines made by a unit of
Sanofi-Aventis SA, Novartis AG, CSL Ltd. and AstraZeneca PLC's MedImmune
unit.

MedImmune makes a vaccine in the form of mist delivered through the
nose rather than a shot.
Ms. Sebelius said a large-scale vaccination program
will begin in mid-October.

The U.S. has spent more than $1 billion to purchase and administer a
total of 195 million H1N1 vaccine doses being made by five companies, including
GlaxoSmithKline PLC. Ms. Sebelius said that the agency's officials are still
working on that application.

About 40 million to 50 million vaccine doses will be available by the
middle of next month and will be distributed to each state's health department
officials.

From the Los Angeles Times, on the new path to citizenship for members of the military:

Looking more like a student than a soldier, the young Indian in jeans and a
T-shirt snapped his heels together and stood at attention in front of an
American flag. He raised his right hand and pledged to defend the United States
against all enemies.

The enlistment ceremony earlier this month at a military center near
Los Angeles International Airport took less than five minutes. With that, he
became the 101st person in Los Angeles to join the Army under a program that
significantly increases the number of immigrants eligible to serve.

"I think I'm in seventh heaven," he said, grinning.

Until recently, the 25-year-old with a master's degree from Purdue
University in Indiana would not have been permitted to sign up. He had come to
the U.S. on a student visa, and only citizens or permanent residents who carry
green cards were eligible to join the armed forces. That changed in February
when the Army started taking applications from foreigners with specific language
and medical skills who are here on temporary visas or as refugees or asylum
seekers.

Although all military branches are meeting or exceeding their recruitment
goals, they have struggled to find individuals with critical skills needed in
Iraq, Afghanistan and beyond, officials said. In exchange for their service, the
foreign recruits -- who offer skills it would take years to teach -- get an
expedited path to citizenship.

Leadership Events
6:30 PM MDT
Secretary Napolitano will deliver remarks at the Domenici Legacy Conference on Public Policy
New Mexico State University
Corbett Center Ballrooms
Las Cruces, N.M.

Public Events
9:30 AM LOCAL
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Preparedness Directorate Deputy Administrator Tim Manning will participate in a panel discussion about disaster management at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Third Emergency CEO’s Forum
Sofitel Plaza Hotel, 1 Thanh nien Street
Hanoi, Vietnam

10:30 AM EDT
Transportation Security Administration Public Affairs Manager Sari Koshetz will participate in a media availability to announce funding for Explosive Detection System (EDS) equipment for an in-line system
Panama City – Bay County International Airport
4424 County Road 388
Southport, Fla.

2 PM EDT
Richard Serino will participate in the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee confirmation hearing for his nomination as FEMA Deputy Administrator
342 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C.

From the Associated Press, on yesterday's H1N1 small business guidance:

Federal officials said Monday small business owners should be prepared to operate with fewer employees this fall as swine flu spreads across the country.

The Department of Homeland Security is issuing guidelines on combating swine flu to small businesses, which employ about half the workers in the U.S. private sector.

"They play a key role in protecting the health and safety of the country but also their own employees and also helping us limit impact of an H1N1 pandemic on our economy and our country," Homeland Security chief Janet Napolitano told reporters.

A guidebook released by the Department of Homeland Security recommends small businesses identify their essential operations and have plans for operating with reduced staffing. The government also says businesses should consider letting employees work from home if they get sick.

Napolitano said small businesses could be particularly vulnerable to a pandemic because they often "have fewer resources, they work with leaner staffs and absenteeism can be a particular issue."

From the Federal Computer Week, on yesterday's "pen and pad" session with USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas:

The new director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said today he wants to emphasize public engagement, transparency and information technology modernization of the immigration agency during his term.
To meet those goals, Alejandro Mayorkas said he has created a new Office of Public Engagement and is debuting a new, interactive Web site Sept. 22 that will allow for public feedback on agency policy and proposals. The updated Web site also will allow for greater ease of use and more access to information about pending requests and applications.

USCIS’ involvement with community stakeholders “should be more of a collaborative effort, engaged and interactive,” Mayorkas said. “We want to have the community involved at a level where we can understand what we are doing well -- and what we are doing wrong.”

Another high priority is moving forward on implementing the next stages of the USCIS’ information technology transformation project, which will digitize the agency’s paper-based records systems, Mayorkas said. The project was started in 2005 and is expected to cost more than $500 million.

“We are currently a paper-based agency, and we have to move into the electronic age,” Mayorkas said. “The modernization is already under way. It is of critical importance to the future of this agency, and critically important to me.”

From Xinhua News Agency, on a long overdue return home:

The U.S. government Monday returned some priceless pre-historic fossils to China as a result of two countries' cooperation on fight against transnational crimes.

At a ceremony at the Chinese Embassy, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) returned the fossils seized during routine inspections of goods coming into the country.

Deputy Chief of Mission Xie Feng of the Chinese Embassy expressed the heartfelt gratitude to the U.S. government for its efforts to return the fossils to China.

"In recent years, China and the U.S. have developed close cooperation in law enforcement and made steady progress and prominent achievements, particularly in the fields as counter-terrorism, drug enforcement as well as combating other transnational crimes," said Xie.

"Such law enforcement cooperation will benefit the safety of our countries and the protection of our people's lives and property," he said, adding that the fossils would be well placed and preserved in the Geological Museum of China for scientific research.

Public Events
8:30 AM CDT
NPPD Cyber Exercises Program Director Brett Lambo will deliver remarks about current cyber threats at the Minnesota Federal Executive Board (FEB) Cyber Security Exercise
Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building
1 Federal Drive, Suite 510
Saint Paul, Minn.

9:30 AM EDT
Under Secretary for Management Elaine Duke will testify before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Subcommittee on Government Management, Organization, and Procurement about investment management and acquisition challenges at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
2154 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.

Secretary Napolitano was joined this afternoon by Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Karen Mills and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Influenza Division Deputy Director Daniel Jernigan on a conference call where they rolled out a new H1N1 preparedness guide for small businesses.

“Small businesses play an essential role in our national effort to prepare for all disasters and emergencies—including the H1N1 flu,” said Secretary Napolitano. “This guide will help America’s small businesses maintain continuity of operations and ensure resiliency as the fall flu season approaches.”

The guide encourages small business owners to write a plan, and to be prepared for H1N1 as we enter flu season. The guide also offers some basic "Keeping Healthy" tips for businesses and individuals.

The "How to Write Your Plan" section focuses on seven basic steps:

1. Identify a Workplace Coordinator...
2. Examine policies for leave, telework, and employee compensation...
3. Determine who will be responsible for assisting ill individuals in the workplace...
4. Identify essential employees, essential businessfunctions, and other critical inputs (e.g. rawmaterials, suppliers, subcontractor services/products,and logistics) required to maintain business operations...
5. Share your pandemic plans with employees andclearly communicate expectations.
6. Prepare business continuity plans...
7. Establish an emergency communications plan.

“Small Business owners should take the time to create a plan, talk with their employees and make sure they are prepared for flu season,” added Administrator Mills. “For countless small businesses, having even one or two employees out for a few days has the potential to negatively impact operations and their bottom line. A thoughtful plan will help keep employees and their families healthy, as well as protect small businesses and local economies.”

You can check out the preparedness guide at flu.gov.

From the Wall Street Journal, on testing that could help TSA more efficiently screen for harmful liquids and powders:

The Transportation Security Administration has been testing technology that will allow X-ray machines to detect whether a liquid is a threat or not, and once deployed, restrictions on liquids in carry-on baggage could be dropped.

Last October, Kip Hawley, the TSA administrator in the previous administration, had said he thought that would happen in 2009. But now TSA says you'll likely have to keep putting 3.4 ounce bottles in quart-sized bags at least for another year.

"Aggressive testing continues with industry and at the national labs in working towards a solution," TSA spokeswoman Sterling Payne says. One issue: TSA says it anticipates having contracts in place by the end of fiscal year 2010 to purchase enough upgraded machines to cover every federalized airport in the U.S.

That means Sept. 30, 2010.

One new technology that is being rolled out is a test for powders to determine if a particular powder could be used in an explosive. TSA X-ray machines can now, apparently, flag powders for secondary screening while distinguishing common powders, which are all permitted.

"Officers will use X-ray technology to determine which substances may require additional screening'' with a powder test kit, Ms. Payne says. For security reasons, she declined to say how that happens.

From the Associated Press, on a year after Hurricane Ike:

Anne Willis, a lifelong resident of Bolivar Peninsula, moved back to her hometown of Crystal Beach nearly three months after Hurricane Ike.

The storm had shattered homes, leaving only concrete slabs and splintered wooden beams. Electricity had just returned, but at night it was so dark that paper bags floating in the sea breezes resembled ghosts. Services at one church were held for six months under a white tent along a highway.

"There were only 100 people here. Our grocery store had been reopened in an RV," said Willis, a real estate agent. "I thought it was terrible. How are we going to get through this?"

But a year after the devastation, Willis and other southeast Texas residents are surprised and grateful for the progress they've made in coming back from Ike, the costliest natural disaster in Texas history. Ike's powerful storm surge, as high as 20 feet, and its 110 mph winds caused more than $29 billion in damage, destroying thousands of homes and fouling farmland and ranches with saltwater from the Gulf Coast through Houston, 50 miles inland.

Ike made landfall near the island city of Galveston in the early morning hours of Sept. 13, 2008. While power outages temporarily crippled Houston, the nation's fourth-largest city and the center of the U.S. energy industry, it wreaked havoc on the Gulf Coast.

From the San Diego Union Tribune, on increased inspections at the southwest border:

Stepped-up inspections of vehicles heading to Mexico from the United States have yielded more than $40 million in seizures of bulk cash since April, Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Alan Bersin told reporters yesterday.

The searches were ordered border-wide by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to cut down on weapons and large sums of cash smuggled from the United States to Mexico to support activities of drug cartels.

Bersin met with reporters before addressing the Institute of the Americas at UC San Diego. During his talk, Bersin touched on a broad range of subjects relevant to the U.S.-Mexico relationship, including immigration reform, drug cartels and travel safety in Mexico.

Leadership Events
1:15 PM EDT
Secretary Napolitano, Small Business Administration Administrator Karen Mills and Centers for Disease Control & Prevention Influenza Division Deputy Director Dr. Daniel Jernigan will participate in a conference call to discuss a new flu guide issued to small businesses on decreasing exposure to regular seasonal flu and 2009 H1N1 flu

Public Events
9:30 AM EDT
National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD) Office of Infrastructure Protection Sector-Specific Agency Executive Management Office Director Craig Conklin will testify at a field hearing before the House Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology about federal and local efforts to secure radiological sourcesThe State University of New York (SUNY)
Downstate Alumni Auditorium
395 Lenox Road
Brooklyn, N.Y.

10 AM EDT
NPPD Deputy Under Secretary Phil Reitinger and U.S. Secret Service Office of Investigations Assistant Director Mike Merritt will testify before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs about protecting industry against the growing threat of cyber attacks
324 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C.

1 PM CDT
NPPD Infrastructure Visualization Branch Chief Mike Clements, will deliver remarks at the GIS for Oil and Gas Conference 2009
Marriott Westchase Hotel
2900 Briarpark Drive
Houston, Texas

3 PM CDT
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Assistant Secretary John Morton and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Assistant Commissioner of International Affairs Allen Gina will participate in a signing ceremony with Chinese Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Xie Feng to repatriate pre-historic fossils back to China.
Chinese Embassy
3505 International Place NW
Washington D.C.

The title of this post is taken from the Oath of Allegiance, administered to each candidate for citizenship as he/she is sworn in as citizen of the United States.
The Secretary was joined in the courtyard at the Pentagon for the ceremony by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Alejandro Mayorkas.

We'll have video soon.

From the Washington Post, on an interview with the Secretary:

On the eve of the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, here's what keeps the secretary of homeland security up at night:

"Complacency," Janet Napolitano says without missing a beat. "The fact that it has been eight years since 9/11, and people just assume the government is going to take care of that. . . . Safety, security is a shared responsibility. It doesn't take much for everybody just to take a deep breath and say, 'Okay, what would I need to do to be prepared?' "

Emergency preparedness is just a sliver of Napolitano's vast portfolio, which covers issues from counterterrorism to swine flu to cybersecurity. The former Arizona governor oversees a relatively new agency that is still ironing out some kinks, and she must also face more than 100 congressional committees that oversee various parts of her operation.

From CNN, on yesterday's groundbreaking at St. Elizabeths:

Washington notables broke ground on the future home of the Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday, symbolically starting construction on the biggest federal building project in the Washington area since the Pentagon 68 years ago.

The project will bring together more than 15,000 employees now scattered in 35 offices in the region, placing them on a 176-acre campus strewn with historic buildings in a long-neglected corner of Washington, five miles from the Capitol building.

Department leaders hope the $3.4 billion consolidation will help the department fulfill its core mission -- protecting the homeland -- in ways big and small.

"It will help us hold meetings," Secretary Janet Napolitano said. "It will help us build that culture of 'One DHS.'"

At the groundbreaking, political leaders shoveled dirt with care, but pitched historical references and metaphors with abandon.

From the Jacksonville Daily News, on today's naturalization service at the Pentagon:

Two Camp Lejeune Marines will be participating in a naturalization ceremony Thursday at the Pentagon.

Sgt. Tikonblah Dargbeh, with Headquarters Company, 2nd Marine Regiment and 2nd Marine Division, and Cpl. Elizabeth Covarrubias-Ruiz, with Headquarters Support Battalion, Installation Personnel Administration Center, will become citizens during the ceremony.

Both Marines have deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Dargbeh received a Purple Heart for injuries sustained while in Iraq.

The all-service naturalization ceremony is scheduled for 2 p.m. and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano will preside over the ceremony, according to a press release from Camp Lejeune.

Leadership Events
2 PM EDT
Secretary Napolitano, Department of Defense Secretary Robert Gates and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Alejandro Mayorkas will participate in a naturalization ceremony for 31 military service members
The Pentagon
Washington, D.C.

Public Events
8:30 AM EDT
Chief Privacy Officer Mary Ellen Callahan will deliver remarks about the Privacy Office’s accomplishments to the Federal Advisory Committee Act Data Privacy Committee at its quarterly public meeting
Marriott Detroit at the Renaissance Center
Renaissance Center
Detroit, Mich.

9 AM EDT
ICE Special Advisor on Detention & Removal Dr. Dora Schriro will be participating in a panel discussion at the Migration Policy Institute on the MPI report being released tomorrow critiquing ICE’s detention database and case tracking system.
1400 16th Street, NW., Suite 300
Washington, DC 20036

9:10 AM EDT
Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity and Communications Gregory Schaffer will participate in a panel discussion about securing systems and networks at the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) 2009 Homeland Security Symposium and Exhibition
Arlington Crystal Gateway Marriott
1700 Jefferson Davis Hwy
Arlington, Va.

10:30 AM EDT
U.S. Coast Guard Assistant Commandant for Acquisition Admiral Ronald Rabago will participate in a roundtable discussion about current and upcoming Acquisition Directorate projects
U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters
2100 2nd Street SW
Washington, D.C.

1 PM EDT
U.S. Coast Guard Captain Frederick Sommer, Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard icebreaker Healy, will participate in a satellite press teleconference of the U.S. Extended Continental Shelf Task Force to discuss findings from a 41-day mission in the Arctic Ocean. Scientists on board Healy have been collaborating with Canadian counterparts aboard the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Louis S. St-Laurent since August 7 as part of a joint effort to delineate the outer edge of the North American continental shelf in the Arctic Ocean.

1:10 PM EDT
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Acting Administrator Gale Rossides will deliver opening remarks at the Aviation Security Advisory Council (ASAC) Meeting.
Doubletree Hotel, Crystal City
300 Army Navy Drive
Arlington, Va.

1:30 PM EDT
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Protection Maj. Gen. James L. Snyder will participate in a panel discussion about stimulus investments and critical infrastructure resiliency at the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) 2009 Homeland Security Symposium and Exhibition
Arlington Crystal Gateway Marriott
1700 Jefferson Davis Hwy
Arlington, Va.

3:10 PM EDT
Bruce McConnell, Counselor to NPPD Deputy Under Secretary Phil Reitinger, will moderate a cyber security panel discussion at the Gov. 2.0 Conference
Grand Hyatt Hotel
1000 H Street NorthwestWashington, D.C.

The move to St. Elizabeths will mark a new chapter for the department, as we begin the process of consolidating many of our offices around the city into the new headquarters. The Secretary spoke at the event, emphasizing the importance of departmental unity and the economic benefit to the area that will result from the new headquarters:

“The Department of Homeland Security continues to unify our many components into one cohesive agency with a shared central mission,” said Secretary Napolitano. “The construction of our new headquarters at St. Elizabeths using Recovery Act funding will help consolidate more than 35 offices in the Washington area while creating thousands of local jobs.”

Senator Lieberman spoke as well, noting that the new headquarters is the largest building project in the Washington metro area since the Pentagon. That groundbreaking was held 68 years ago this week, on September 11th, 1941, and 60 years to the day before the 9/11 attacks. It was that same day in 1941 that President Roosevelt spoke to the American people during one of his fireside chats, saying, "When you see a rattlesnake poised to strike you, do not wait until he has struck." Senator Lieberman talked about the creation of the deparment after the 9/11 attacks, and how our foundation, and our continuing mission, fall in line with President Roosevelt's message to the American people that evening.

From Atlanta Journal-Constitution on TSA Screening for Powder Explosives:

TSA said it will begin using powder explosives detection kits at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and other airports around the country this week, following a pilot test of the kits in late 2008 at airports in Los Angeles, New York, Detroit and Washington, D.C. At about $145 each, the 1,250 kits distributed nationwide cost close to $185,000.

Typical security checkpoint procedures will not change, the agency said. Security screeners will use X-rays to determine which substances need additional screening.

When substances are selected for additional screening, security officers will use a powder test kit to collect a sample and apply a solution to test for potential explosives. Powders that are "determined to be a potential threat" will not be permitted past checkpoints or in checked baggage, according to TSA.

Common powders are not prohibited and the vast majority of commonly carried powders, like most medication, infant formula and makeup, are unlikely to need further screening, TSA said.

From Associated Press, on the new Girl Scout Preparedness Patch:

It's not just the Boy Scouts who need to "Be Prepared."

To reinforce a motto shared with the Girl Scouts, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Girls Scouts CEO Kathy Cloninger announced a new emergency preparedness patch to encourage girls to prepare for emergencies.

"We've been talking the past eight months now that I've been in the department about the need to get more individuals involved and also to get young people used to the idea of emergency preparedness," Napolitano, a former scout, said at Scotchtown Hills Elementary School in Laurel.

The event in suburban Washington coincided with President Barack Obama's speech to students at an Arlington, Va., high school about taking responsibility to be good students.

To earn the patch, girls will have to create an emergency preparedness plan for their families. They also will learn about local alerts and warning systems and get involved in community service. Planning for natural disasters like hurricanes and tornadoes
will be part of the exercise, as well as other emergencies.

"It covers the full scope of emergency preparedness," said Brigid Howe, program services manager for the Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital.

The program was developed with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The Girl Scouts also announced a new affiliation with DHS Citizen Corps, a part of FEMA that brings government and community leaders together to get residents involved
in emergency planning.

Leadership Events
10 AM EDT
Secretary Napolitano, General Services Administration (GSA) Acting Administrator Paul Prouty, U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman, U.S. Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton, Washington, D.C., Mayor Adrian Fenty and Councilman Marion Barry will participate in a ceremonial groundbreaking to commence consolidation of a new unified DHS headquarters
St. Elizabeths Campus
2700 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave SE
Washington, D.C.

Public Events
9:30 AM EDT
National Programs and Protection Directorate (NPPD) Under Secretary Rand Beers will deliver remarks at the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security & Preparedness Conference
Hyatt Regency Jersey City on the Hudson, Manhattan Room
2 Exchange Place
Jersey City, N.J.

11 AM EDT
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative Director Colleen Manaher will participate in a panel discussion about U.S. land border management at the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) 2009 Homeland Security Symposium and Exhibition
Crystal Gateway Marriott
1700 Jefferson Davis Hwy
Arlington, Va.

1 PM EDT
Private Sector Office Acting Assistant Secretary Bridger McGaw will testify before the House Committee on Small Business about the fall 2009 H1N1 flu season and its potential impact on small businesses
2360 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.

From the Wall Street Journal, on E-Verify:

Agencies across the federal government on Tuesday will start ordering contractors to use an electronic system to verify whether their employees are eligible to work in the U.S.

The sweeping new mandate, crafted by the Bush White House but being implemented by the Obama administration, represents a significant expansion for the so-called E-Verify system, which government officials and independent experts expect to eventually become mandatory for private employers. Already, some states require companies operating within their borders to use it, regardless of whether the companies have government contracts.

About 169,000 federal contractors and subcontractors, who employ roughly 3.8 million workers, will eventually be covered by the program taking effect Tuesday.

U.S. District Court Judge Alexander Williams Jr. rejected an 11th-hour-effort late Friday by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business groups to delay the mandate while a federal appeal is pending. Upset about the liability the mandate puts on employers, the groups suing argue it is illegal for the government to extend E-Verify to contractors through an executive order.

The Chamber argues that given the state of the economy, this isn't the time to add more costs to U.S. businesses.

From the Dayton Daily News, on a new baggage screening system for the Dayton International Airport:

A $10 million federal grant from economic stimulus funds will allow Dayton International Airport to install a new baggage screening system and move the current machines out of the terminal lobby to make more room for travelers, airport officials said Friday, Sept. 4.

The city is soliciting bids from contractors to build an expansion of the airport's terminal building and install the new system there. It will use conveyors to transport baggage from airline ticket counters to another part of the building for screening.

Airport officials expect the contractor to start work in early January and have the system ready to operate in late December .

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security will provide the funding. The government additionally is to provide screening equipment with an estimated value of $5 million, said Iftikhar Ahmad, Dayton's director of aviation.

From the Clayton News Daily, on the Beagle Brigade:

The wet nose of a beagle named Button recently led a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialist canine enforcement officer to a suitcase at the world's busiest airport.

Button sat down next to the suitcase and indicated to her handler that the luggage contained prohibited agricultural items.

"Show it to me," the handler commanded.

Button obeyed the command by placing her furry paw on the suitcase and barked and wagged her tail while waiting to be rewarded with a treat. The demonstration was part of a recent training exercise at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Button is part of the Customs and Border Protection Agriculture Canine Program and the Plant Protection and Quarantine program of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She belongs to one of numerous teams that work on concourse E, also known as the international terminal, at Hartsfield-Jackson.

"The CBP (Customs and Border Protection) Agriculture Canine Program utilizes detector dogs to locate fruits, vegetables, meats or other prohibited items that may carry pests or diseases that could harm U.S. agricultural resources," said Scott Sams, a spokesperson for Customs and Border Protection at Hartsfield-Jackson. "The CBP Agricultural Specialist Canine teams seize thousands of types of prohibited plant material and animal products every year. Agriculture specialists in the canine program are an integral part in the fulfillment of the CBP mission to protect American agriculture."

Leadership Events
12:30 PM EDT
Secretary Napolitano, Laurel, Md., Mayor Craig Moe and Girl Scouts of the USA CEO Kathy Cloninger will launch a Girl Scout preparedness patch, announce a new partnership and participate in a media availability
Scotchtown Hills Elementary
15950 Dorset Rd.
Laurel, Md.

Public Events
9 AM CDT
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Tribal Liaison Steve Golubic will participate in the Tribal Assistance Coordination Group presentation and tabletop exercise
at the National Native American Law Enforcement Association 17th Annual Conference
Tulsa Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
777 West Cherokee Street
Catoosa, Okla.

The Quadrennial Homeland Security Review is in the midst of its second National Dialogue. For those of you who haven’t been following too closely, the review is a congressionally mandated, top-to-bottom review of homeland security. There are six study groups, focusing on:

• Counterterrorism and Domestic Security Management
• Securing Our Borders
• Smart and Tough Enforcement of Immigration Laws
• Preparing for, Responding to, and Recovering from Disasters
• Homeland Security National Risk Assessment
• Homeland Security Planning and Capabilities

We are using online dialogues to allow stakeholders the opportunity to inform the work of our study groups.

During the first dialogue, more than 8,000 stakeholders rated and commented on proposed visions and goals from the study groups. We reviewed all rating data and comments submitted and forwarded to study groups – overall, we were very impressed with the quality and thoughtfulness of what we heard from you during the first dialogue.

For example, we received many recommendations on how to improve content, like simpler and more direct language. Stakeholders pointed out the critical interdependencies and emerging overlaps between study groups, and reinforced the need to stress mitigation as having a complementary role with preparedness, response, and recovery. Participants also stressed the need for ‘resiliency’ in the entire QHSR strategy, and the use of standard terminology.

We heard you – we relied on your feedback to modify our proposals and to enhance the user experience for the second national dialogue, which began on August 31st. During the second dialogue, we are asking stakeholders to rank proposed objectives and offer suggestions on how to achieve them.

Due to the upcoming Labor Day Weekend Holiday, we have extended the Second National Dialogue to Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009. We’re eager to hear your input.

Join the conversation at http://www.homelandsecuritydialogue.org/


Alan

Alan D. Cohn is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy (Strategic Plans)

From Homeland Security Today, on a new agreement between the U.S. and Mexico on a new cross-border communications network:

The governments of the United States and Mexico signed an agreement Wednesday to build a new cross-border communications network to enable international communication between law enforcement agencies dealing with border security issues.

Officials of the United States-Mexico High-Level Consultative Commission on Telecommunications (HLCC) signed an agreement that set up an international working group to oversee the creation and operation of the communications network, managed by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Mexican Secretariat of Public Safety (SSP). The network, when completed, would provide law enforcement agencies with the means to transmit voice, data and video to enable collaborative responses to border incidents.

The HLCC agreement essentially establishes a framework for interoperable communications between federal, state, local, and tribal agencies that use the network.

The nations also would provide protection to the network, called the Cross Border Public Security Communications Network, from radio interference.

From the Bellingham Herald, on a Border Patrol seizure:

US Border Patrol agents seized about $3 million worth of Ecstasy and cocaine near Sumas Wednesday night, Sept. 2.

The agents were patrolling along the border when they spotted two people's footprints and the tracks of a heavy object being dragged along a row in a raspberry patch that went south from the U.S.-Canadian border, Agent Mike Bermudez said.

The footprints, which were eventually traced back to Canada, stopped in a residential area and the agents began searching the immediate area, Bermudez said.

While searching in some farm equipment, they located a large hockey bag that contained three backpacks, Bermudez said.

Public Events
9:30 AM Local
U.S. Coast Guard Vice Commandant Admiral Dave Pekoske will preside at a memorial service on the anniversary of the deaths of the four man crew of Coast Guard helicopter CG6505 when it crashed off Honolulu during training Sept. 4, 2008. During the ceremony the Air Station Barbers Point Aircrew Memorial will be dedicated to the crew of CG6505 as well as to the crew of Coast Guard helicopter CG1420, which crashed Jan. 7, 1982, resulting in the deaths of three.
Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point
1 Coral Sea Rd
Kapolei , HI

Secretary Napolitano was in New York today to introduce a series of new public service advertisement (PSAs) produced for the Ready Campaign. The Ready Campaign's mission is to inform and educate the public on how to best prepare for a major disaster, emphasizing three basic steps every American can take:

1. Put together an emergency supply kit.
2. Make a family emergency plan.
3. Get informed about the types of emergencies that could take place in their communities and appropriate responses.

The Secretary delivered remarks during the press conference:

“Preparedness is a shared responsibility that begins with the American people,” said Secretary Napolitano. “These public service advertisements highlight the simple steps everyone can take to prepare for disasters, enhancing the safety and security of our country.”

Secretary Napolitano unveiled the new PSAs at an event in New York City’s Times Square, joined by New York City Deputy Mayor Ed Skyler, New York City Office of Emergency Management Commissioner Joseph Bruno, American Red Cross President and CEO Gail McGovern, American Red Cross of Greater New York CEO Theresa Bischoff and Ad Council President and CEO Peggy Conlon.

You can watch the new PSAs by clicking the picture below:

In August, Secretary Napolitano announced the launch of a new DHS social networking site, Our Border. The site was created to encourage and facilitate discussion about the southwest border. Our Border enables community leaders, activists and concerned citizens to discuss issues relevant to the border with each other and with the department.

This week, we opened a new forum focused on commerce and the southwest border, and specifically narrowed to four topics:

· Tourism
· Bi-National Business
· Commercial Traffic / FAST
· Passenger Traffic / SENTRI

We encourage you to visit the site and join the discussion.

There’s also a section where members are encouraged to introduce themselves to the network. We wanted to share the introduction of “Ramona,” one of our members:

“I'm not a DHS employee or a community leader. I'm not even sure I can be called an activist. I firmly believe that the United States of America is the greatest country in the world and it became that way by embracing immigrants from every other countries in the world. We need to find a way to secure our borders, prevent drug, weapon and human smuggling and still allow Mexico and the United States to grow stronger as supportive neighbors.”

Ramona is one of over 300 members on Our Border, and, like others, she has already joined many of the groups and has participated in a number of the discussion forums. We encourage you to visit the site and get involved in the discussion. We want to hear from you.

Join today

From the Associated Press, on the President's remarks yesterday regarding H1N1: