Report: Real ID Act could generate major expenses for states

The Real ID Act could increase the cost of issuing a driver's license to $90, up from between $10 and $25 currently, according to a report issued today by Citizens Against Government Waste.

EU members to share justice information

European countries would exchange law enforcement information, such as DNA profiles and fingerprints, seamlessly across borders under a proposed framework decision released by the European Commission.

Group seeks disclosure waiver for IT protection meetings

A presidential advisory committee's working group wants industry representatives advising the Homeland Security Department on protecting the nation's IT resources to be exempt from a law requiring public disclosure and public meetings.

Deadline looms for Argonne Laboratory outsourcing

The Oct. 14 deadline is quickly approaching for Northrop Grumman Corp. and other firms interested in bidding on an Energy Department contract to operate and manage the Argonne National Laboratory.

GAO report cites lack of coordination on rail security

The federal government's efforts to protect mass transit systems from terrorists are disjointed and do not receive enough input from system owners, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office.

EU pushes for interoperable biometrics

To aid in reaching consensus on government policies for biometrics, the European Union has launched a new public information portal for information exchange and community-building activities.

'Drift into nothingness'

The federal government's effort to establish the national anti-terrorism Information-Sharing Environment is being slowed by complexity, limited resources and possibly a lack of clear goals.

Another side of aftermath

Hurricane Katrina has left in its wake a heightened awareness of the many IT-related gaps in emergency response systems in the Gulf Coast regions, and most likely in other communities throughout the nation.

Schism downs JRIES homeland security network

Efforts to create a unified federal, state and local anti-terrorism information-sharing system have fallen apart and appear to be moving in separate directions.

Development begins on standards for emergency resource tracking

A national coalition of public safety, medical and industry executives are working with Virginia hospitals to develop common standards for post-disaster patient tracking IT systems.

FEMA gets low marks for IT in new report

The Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster-related IT systems are not integrated, and its IT strategic plan may not comply with the Homeland Security Department's strategic goals, according to DHS Inspector General Richard L. Skinner.

DHS chief privacy officer stepping down

Nuala O'Connor Kelly is stepping down as chief privacy officer for the Homeland Security Department to accept a position as head of privacy issues for General Electric Co.

Purdy: DHS will ramp up cybersecurity

The Homeland Security Department has drafted a set of key scenarios for possible cyberattacks against the Internet and critical IT systems, and is seeking comments from the private sector on how to best prepare and respond to such attacks.

IG: Better security needed for key Coast Guard database

The Coast Guard does not have adequate database security controls for its Marine Information for Safety and Law Enforcement system, according to a report from Homeland Security Department's inspector general.

Report: DHS training problems traced to disparate systems

Developing strategic training programs at the Homeland Security Department is being hampered by incompatible IT systems among the department's 22 agencies, among other problems, according to government auditors.

Homeland watch

The Federal Emergency Management Agency went through major changes while Meryl Justin Chertoff was chief of the disaster response branch at its Office of Legislative Affairs from 2002 to September 2003, when she joined a lobbying firm.

Consortium seeks greater resources for data interoperability

A Senate bill authorizing $3.3 billion to assist public safety agencies in making their communications systems compatible should be focused not just on voice but on data as well, says the chairman of the Emergency Interoperability Consortium.

Feds to screen first responder radios for interoperability

First responders are getting help from the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Homeland Security Department's Safecom program to assess whether new two-way radio equipment and systems available on the market meet the industry's interoperability standards, known as Project 25 (P25).

National capital area first responders deploy new alert system

First responders in the nation's capital and surrounding jurisdictions are deploying a common text alerting system for emergency communications aimed at improving communications among jurisdictions and with citizens.

Gulf Coast region gets health monitoring system

Federal health officials and a Wisconsin medical IT company have set up a daily syndromic surveillance system for many of the hospitals and public health centers in the Gulf Coast disaster region to monitor for early warnings of disease outbreaks.