GAO believes that "future success is likely to principally depend upon focus, skilled leadership, clear roles and responsibilities, operational plans realistically exercised, and key resources appropriately and effectively deployed."
Emergency preparedness officials from the Mid-Atlantic region created an event that crossed organizational and institutional boundaries, bringing a broad-based group of stakeholders in hazards preparedness, response and recovery, and homeland security
"[The] ... Federal Government has begun strengthening our ability to safeguard the American people in the event of a devastating global pandemic and helping to prepare the Nation's public health and medical infrastructure." President George W. Bush
This report has four major sections: a narrative of what happened; findings; recommendations for changes;and appendices. The report recomends that FEMA be abolished and replaced with a new agency within the Department of Homeland Security.
GAO is recommending modifications to DOD's current weapon system acquisition policy to ensure that weapon system chemical and biological survivability is consistently addressed.
To establish an overall information-sharing road map under the director of national intelligence, will require the director's continued vigilance in monitoring progress toward meeting key milestones, identifying barriers, and recommending changes.
The MCAC's core responsibilities include providing tactical & strategic intelligence support to public safety agencies, & acting as a conduit of criminal & terrorism-related information between federal, state, & local law enforcement agencies.
This report assesses efforts undertaken by the Office of State and Local Government Coordination & Preparedness to develop, plan, coordinate, and conduct the TOPOFF 3 homeland security readiness & response exercise.
In prior reports, GAO has made numerous recommendations designed to strengthen aviation security, to include passenger and checked baggage screening operations. TSA generally agreed with our recommendations and is taking actions to implement them.
