DPJ's editor in chief comments on several important homeland-defense and national-security issues now in the news, and asks some relevant questions not usually addressed by the national media - and either evaded or ignored by the members of Congress.
Sharon discusses current CBRN projects, his office's support for the WMD-CSTs, the JRO role in technology experimentation, TIC/TIM threats, and the Joint Biological-Agent Detection System.
The House Majority Leader contrasts the President's failure to focus on homeland security in his State of the Union speech with the swift passage of House Resolution One & the Democratic Party's plans for a full package of implementing legislation later.
Question: Is the United States prepared to deal with a biological-warfare attack? Answer: Not yet - but the nation's private-sector biotech labs are working closely with state, local, and federal governments to detect, prevent, and/or deal with an attack.
The early and well-publicized House approval of homeland-security "implementing" legislation is an encouraging sign that the new Democratic majority has its priorities right. Many political and financial obstacles must still be overcome, though.
Pandemic preparedness activities, the department's Katrina/Rita response efforts, the need for an "all-hazards" planning and operational mindset, and the planning assistance now available to local health planners are among the numerous topics covered.
His views on the need for improved rapid-response capabilities, the important roles played by "sentinel" and "reference" labs, and the technological breakthroughs projected in the APHL's Strategic Plan.
An overview of NACCHO's work in bioterrorism, the plans being developed for a pandemic flu outbreak, and the need for communications upgrades across the board.
Her views on the need to expand hospital surge capacity, improve U.S. health care preparedness in general, and carry out additional emergency exercises and drills in all health disciplines.
