Secretary Napolitano Tours Storm Damage in St. Louis

Secretary Janet Napolitano
Secretary Janet Napolitano
April 29, 2011
01:51 PM EDT

Editor's Note: This was originally posted on The Department of Homeland Security blog.

The devastating storms and tornadoes that have swept across Missouri, Alabama and other parts of our nation this week are a vivid reminder that disasters of all kinds can strike at any time, and it is vital that all of us, including members of our nation's emergency management team and the American public, are prepared to act.

Yesterday, I traveled to St. Louis to tour the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, which suffered severe damage when tornadoes struck the region last weekend. During my visit, I had the opportunity to meet with some of the heroic TSA workers who were on duty during the tornadoes and played a key role in helping the airport re-open quickly. Additionally, FEMA teams were already on-site to assess the damage and assist with the process of getting the airport fully functional again.  At my direction, FEMA also has deployed personnel to the state’s emergency operation center to help coordinate assistance and work side-by-side with its state and local partners.

While in St. Louis, I also joined Secretary Arne Duncan and Missouri Governor Jay Nixon at Carnahan High School of the Future to participate in the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut--the largest-ever, multi-state earthquake drill to be held in the United States, and the first major drill to take place along the New Madrid Seismic Zone, which was the site of one of the worst earthquakes in U.S. history nearly 200 years ago.  In total, 2,644 K-12 schools and 117 colleges participated in the ShakeOut, along with businesses, local, state and federal government agencies, child care centers, and many other organizations.  The exercise will go a long way in helping us be prepared in the event of a major earthquake.

Related Topics: Homeland Security, Alabama, Missouri

The President on Devastation in Alabama

Jesse Lee
Jesse Lee
April 28, 2011
09:31 AM EDT

The President released the statement below last night:

Michelle and I extend our deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives because of the tornadoes that have swept through Alabama and the southeastern United States. Our hearts go out to all those who have been affected by this devastation, and we commend the heroic efforts of those who have been working tirelessly to respond to this disaster. I just spoke to Governor Bentley and told him that I have ordered the Federal Government to move quickly in our response and informed him that I approved his request for emergency Federal assistance, including search and rescue assets. While we may not know the extent of the damage for days, we will continue to monitor these severe storms across the country and stand ready to continue to help the people of Alabama and all citizens affected by these storms.

Related Topics: Homeland Security, Alabama

The National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace and Your Privacy

Howard A. Schmidt
Howard A. Schmidt
April 26, 2011
09:35 AM EDT

As promised in my previous post, I’m going to tell you about how the National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC) (pdf) envisions an Identity Ecosystem that is more protective of your personal privacy. Today, a vast amount of information about you is collected as you surf the Internet and conduct transactions. How organizations handle that information can vary greatly, and more often than not, it’s difficult to understand how your privacy will (or won’t) be protected.

To bring clarity and transparency to these practices, NSTIC seeks to establish clear privacy rules based upon the Fair Information Practice Principles (FIPPs) (pdf) that address the responsibilities of all participants in the Identity Ecosystem.  The privacy rules must cover not only the circumstances under which participants may share information, but also the kinds of information they may collect and how it is managed and used. In particular, the rules must ensure that websites do not ask for more identification than they need. Of course, if you want to disclose more of your information to a website in return for services that you value, you will still be able to do so—but these protections will set the baseline behavior of Identity Ecosystem participants.

Related Topics: Homeland Security

Rewarding Excellence and Sharing Knowledge

Howard A. Schmidt
Howard A. Schmidt
April 25, 2011
04:54 PM EDT

The activities conducted by law enforcement agencies, such as AFOSI, FBI, Army CID, NCIS and Secret Service, alter the cost-benefit calculation of cyber criminals and create a deterrence mechanism.  Each successful investigation, prosecution, and conviction demonstrates the real-world costs for conducting seemingly anonymous cyber crimes.  Naturally, the global nature of the Internet introduces challenges to this process, but we’ve been remarkably successful in cooperating with international partners to identify and detain suspects in other countries.  By increasing the cost and reducing the benefits for malicious actors, we can eliminate, delay, or shift their activity.

While I was attending the 32nd Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) Annual Awards Banquet in early March I was reflecting on the outstanding capabilities we’ve developed for combating cyber threats.  For those that don’t know, AFOSI provides investigative service to commanders, primarily criminal investigations and counterintelligence services.  They are a tremendous resource that investigates cyber crimes that affect the Department of Defense, as well as offering defensive support against cyber threats to our military networks.

Related Topics: Homeland Security

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
April 22, 2011

President Obama Signs Oklahoma Disaster Declaration

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Oklahoma and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms, tornadoes, and straight-line winds on April 14, 2011.

The President's action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in Atoka County.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named William J. Doran III as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area.

FEMA said that damage surveys are continuing in other areas, and additional counties may be designated for assistance after the assessments are fully completed.

FEMA said that residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance tomorrow by registering online at http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA(3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired.  The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  FEMA (202) 646-3272.

The New National Terrorism Advisory System

Secretary Janet Napolitano
Secretary Janet Napolitano
April 20, 2011
11:00 AM EDT

Ed. note: This was originally posted on the Department of Homeland Security blog.

In today’s threat environment – more than ever – we know that our security is a shared responsibility and the best security strategy is one that gets the public involved. That’s why the Department of Homeland Security is focused on strengthening our country’s defenses by getting all stakeholders – including the public – the information and resources they need in order to play their part in helping to secure the country.

We’ve begun a great deal of this work by building the capabilities of fusion centers, launching the Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative, and expanding the “If You See Something, Say Something,” campaign. Now, we are taking another major step forward through the new National Terrorism Advisory – or NTAS – system. This new system –which will be fully implemented on April 26 – counts on the American public as a key partner in securing our country.

NTAS is built on a clear and simple premise: When a threat develops that could impact you – the public – we will tell you. We will provide whatever information we can so you know how to protect yourselves, your families, and your communities.

Related Topics: Homeland Security, Technology

Working Together to Create a 21st Century Immigration System

Melody Barnes
Melody Barnes
April 20, 2011
09:37 AM EDT

President Obama remains deeply committed to reforming our immigration laws to meet our 21st Century economic and security needs.  In his State of the Union address, the President asked Republicans and Democrats to work with him to take on this issue.  While we all know the debate will be tough, the American people expect their leaders in Washington to tackle difficult issues. The President cannot fix our broken system on his own.

Yesterday, I joined the President at an important meeting with a broad group of business, law enforcement, faith, and elected leaders from across the country.  The President was joined by several members of his Cabinet, including Secretaries Janet Napolitano, Hilda Solis, Ken Salazar, and Attorney General Eric Holder, all of whom have been actively engaged in the Administration’s efforts to advance legislation to improve our system in the key areas that they oversee.

Related Topics: Civil Rights, Homeland Security, Immigration

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
April 19, 2011

President Obama Signs North Carolina Disaster Declaration

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of North Carolina and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding on April 16, 2011.

The President's action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of Bertie, Bladen, Cumberland, Halifax, Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Onslow, Wake, and Wilson.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding also is available to State and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis in the counties of Bertie, Bladen, Craven, Cumberland, Currituck, Greene, Halifax, Harnett, Hertford, Hoke, Johnston, Lee, Onslow, Pitt, Robeson, Sampson, Wake, and Wilson for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Michael Bolch as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area.

FEMA said that damage surveys are continuing in other areas, and more counties and additional forms of assistance may be designated after the assessments are fully completed in the affected areas.

FEMA said that those who sustained losses in the counties designated for aid to affected individuals and business owners can begin applying for assistance tomorrow by registering online at http://www.fema.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA(3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired.  The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  FEMA (202) 646-3272.

The President at Easter Breakfast: "Our Thoughts and Prayers are With All the Families" in North Carolina

Jesse Lee
Jesse Lee
April 19, 2011
10:07 AM EDT
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Watch the President's full remarks here.

At his Easter Prayer Breakfast this morning in the East Room with Christian leaders from across the country, the President kept his remarks brief but still made a point to note the tough times in one area of the country right now: "as some of you know, obviously, North Carolina was ravaged by storms this past weekend, and our thoughts and prayers are with all the families who have been affected down there."

Yesterday the President also spoke to two North Carolinians on the devastation.  One was Michael Hollowell, manager of a Lowes home improvement store hit by a tornado in Sanford, North Carolina, whose swift action saved lives and made him a hero across the country.  The second was David Crabtree, of WRAL in Raleigh, where the first questions in the interview were naturally about the storms:

Related Topics: Faith Based, Homeland Security, North Carolina

President Obama Releases the National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace

Howard A. Schmidt
Howard A. Schmidt
April 15, 2011
03:19 PM EDT

Today, President Obama released the National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC) (PDF).This Strategy seeks to improve security in cyberspace and e-commerce. We can see how this plays out in at least two areas. First, passwords alone are not secure enough, which contributes to online fraud and identity theft. It is also inconvenient to have to remember dozens of passwords to access different online services. Second, it is difficult for individuals to prove their true identity when they want to perform a sensitive transaction online, like banking or accessing health records.  These problems are limiting the full economic potential of the Internet, because certain services cannot easily be moved online.  NSTIC envisions a private sector led effort to create a new infrastructure for the Internet, built on interoperable, privacy-enhancing, and secure identity credentials.  This new infrastructure is centered around choice. First, you don't have to use it at all. If you do, you can choose when or how to use it.

For example, you might get a "digital credential" bundled with your cell phone plan that resides as an application on your smart phone. It would remain inactive when you are just browsing the web. But with a single, short PIN or password, you could use your credential on the phone to do a range of transactions from logging in to your favorite online game as “anon01” where you do not want to reveal your real name to accessing your tax information where you do. To see an animated example of this system, visit the NSTIC program office's home page.

But not everybody wants a smart phone. Under this strategy, you will be able to choose from many different identity providers: perhaps your bank, your health care provider, your email provider, or any other preferred organization. We seek to create an ecosystem of many different providers, so that there is an option that suits every individual who wants to participate. Individuals can also choose between different credentials, or ways of logging in: cell phones, keychain “fobs,” smart cards, and many others – in fact, there will undoubtedly be ways that have not yet even been invented.

Related Topics: Homeland Security