Panel seeks stronger intelligence sharing, AI, cybersecurity, border security
Twenty-five years after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the United States House Committee on Homeland Security has called for sweeping security reforms to tackle emerging threats facing the country.
The committee made more than 20 recommendations in a report released on Thursday, covering intelligence sharing, terrorism prevention, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, border security and emergency preparedness.
The report, titled “25th Anniversary Report: National Security Improvements and the Domestic Threat Landscape 25 Years After 9/11/01,” assessed the progress made in strengthening US homeland security since the attacks and identified areas requiring further action.
The September 11 attacks killed nearly 3,000 people after four hijacked commercial aircraft were crashed into the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania.
Chairman of the committee, Andrew R. Garbarino, said the US had made significant progress in strengthening national security since the attacks but warned that security systems must continue to adapt to emerging threats.
He said the country’s security agencies must maintain constant vigilance and adjust their strategies to meet the changing threat environment.
Among the recommendations was improved information sharing among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, including through enhanced field presence.
The committee also called for uniform definitions of security threats and greater awareness of emerging terrorist organisations, tactics and threats.
On transportation security, the panel recommended restoring the passenger security fee to its intended purpose, extending the Transportation Security Administration’s One-Stop Pilot Programme and introducing measures to improve travel for low-risk passengers.
The committee also urged Congress to strengthen cybersecurity by modernising information-sharing authorities, improving coordination and equipping the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to respond to current threats.
It further recommended harmonising cyber regulations around security outcomes and developing risk-based artificial intelligence cybersecurity standards for critical infrastructure.
On border security, the panel called for full implementation of a biometric entry-exit system, greater use of emerging technologies and international partnerships, as well as additional resources for security along the northern border.
It also recommended expanded use of non-intrusive inspection technology, stable grant administration, adequate funding for major events and stronger emergency preparedness and incident-management capabilities.
The committee called for continued funding for the Emergency Management Performance Grant and the reauthorisation and training of the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium.
It further urged continued support for the Department of Homeland Security’s chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear security programmes, alongside improved biodetection capabilities and greater preparedness against agroterrorism.
The panel also recommended statutory authorisation for the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center and support for the reauthorisation of FirstNet, the US public-safety communications network.
The committee urged Congress and the executive branch to implement the recommendations quickly and on a bipartisan basis, saying this would provide long-term stability across the homeland security system.
Garbarino said the report was also designed to ensure that younger generations and future national security leaders understood the significance of the September 11 attacks and the continuing importance of homeland security.
He said the recommendations were based on hearings, briefings, roundtables and site visits conducted over the past year.
The exercises examined transportation security, counterterrorism, intelligence sharing, federal law enforcement coordination, critical infrastructure protection and the operations of agencies under the Department of Homeland Security.
The committee said continued vigilance and adaptation remained essential to preventing future terrorist attacks and protecting the United States from emerging domestic security threats.
