Security & Safety Briefs - Dec. 16 - Dec. 22
The Latest Headlines:
- Loy to Retire as Homeland's Deputy Secretary
- Acting Head of Federal Railroad Administration to Retire
- Homeland Says It's Still Working on Cargo Security Plan
- Canadian Report Calls for Boost in Security Funding
- Bush Signs Intelligence Overhaul Bill
- Acting Head of Federal Railroad Administration to Retire
Loy to Retire as Homeland's Deputy Secretary
James Loy, the Department of Homeland Security Deputy Secretary, said he would retire next year, news services reported.Loy was the former head of the Transportation Security Administration. He planned to remain on the job until March 1 or until a successor is confirmed by the Senate, the Associated Press reported.
He took the No. 2 position at Homeland on Dec. 4, 2003, two months after being nominated by President Bush. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge already has announced his resignation. Transport Topics
Acting Head of Federal Railroad Administration to Retire
Betty Monro, the acting head of the Federal Railroad Administration, said Friday she would leave her post at the end of the month, the New York Times reported.The Federal Railroad Administration said on its Web site it is in charge of overseeing rail safety and setting national rail transportation policy.
Monro has led the agency for six months and was appointed by President Bush as deputy administrator in 2001. Transport Topics
Homeland Says It's Still Working on Cargo Security Plan
The Homeland Security Department has not yet finalized a plan to keep freight transportation safe from terrorism, but a priority would be faster deployment of radiation detectors at airports, seaports and border crossings, the Associated Press reported.Homeland officials released a draft strategy on Thursday that stated its most important objective was to intercept any weapon of mass destruction at the U.S. border.
Other top objectives included identifying high-risk cargo by analyzing data about shipments and requiring mechanical seals on all containers coming into the United States to prevent tampering, AP reported.
"We need to set standards, we need to identify best practices, and we need to call upon the companies and the individuals responsible for cargo security to help us develop that strategy," Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge said at a conference to discuss the draft strategy. Transport Topics
Canadian Report Calls for Boost in Security Funding
A report released by Canada's Senate Standing Committee on National Security and Defense found that most of Canada's 160 land and maritime border crossings are being guarded by a lone staffer, news services reported.In addition, it said airport security was so lax that missing security badges and uniforms recently turned up for sale on eBay.
The report called for a boost in defense spending and improved cooperation with the United States. U.S. State Department officials had no immediate comment on the report, the Associated Press reported.
Some government officials in Canada called the report ineffectual because it comes from the politically appointed upper house of parliament, AP said. Transport Topics
Bush Signs Intelligence Overhaul Bill
President Bush on Friday legislation authorizing the biggest overhaul of U.S. intelligence agencies in more than 50 years and creating a new director of national intelligence.The law also aimed to tighten border and aviation security, Reuters reported. It creates a federal counterterrorism center and a new intelligence director, but Bush had not announced a candidate for that post.
It increases the number of full-time border patrol agents by 2,000 per year for five years and imposes new federal standards on information that driver's licenses must contain.
Government agencies would also be required to prepare plans to secure bridges and tunnels. Transport Topics
