Report: State and Local Homeland Security: Unresolved Issues for the 109th Congress

On June 9, 2005, The Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service, released a report for Congress entitled State and Local Homeland Security: Unresolved Issues for the 109th Congress.

The report identified as important three laws passed since September 11, 2001. They are

• PL-107-56, "Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act (USA PATRIOT Act)
• PL-107-296, "Homeland Security Act of 2002"
• PL-108-458, "Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004"

But the report doesn't spend much time discussing these laws. Rather, it proceeds to identify and discuss other important state and local homeland security issues for the 109th Congress to discuss. Those issues include

• Emergency first responder needs identified but as yet unmet
• Proposed reductions in appropriations for federal homeland security assistance
• Determination of state and local homeland security risk assessment factors
• Absence of emergency responder equipment standards
• Development of state and local homeland security strategies
• The limited number of state and local officials with security clearances

Like most Congressional Research Service reports, this is rather dry but nevertheless informative reading.