Yesterday at 1:51 p.m. Eastern Time, a 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck near a small town outside Washington, D.C., the strongest such tremor in 67 years. The geological event, which affected the eastern third of the United States, sent thousands of workers in our nation’s capital (and in New York City) scurrying into the streets waiting for news of what to do next. Fortunately, the quake resulted in only some minor injuries and minor damage to buildings, a shortened workday, and gridlock on the streets of Washington, but it is a reminder of … More

Please join us today at 3 PM ET for a live chat on Homeland Security 4.0. We will be joined by Dr. James J. Carafano and he will be taking your questions about the current state of the military, where it needs to be, and the future. If you would like t…

A recent report by the National Urban Area Initiative Association attempts to demonstrate that the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grant program, created in 2003, is an effective homeland security program. Administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the UASI program allocates grant funding to help high-risk, high-density urban areas develop the capacity “to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism.” While the National UASI Association report attempts to demonstrate the effectiveness of UASI grants, the report’s findings must be interpreted with caution. First, the … More

Forget the economic news, the fighting in Libya, and the American Idol summer tour and pay attention to the weather report. Hurricane Irene is wending its way across the Caribbean and heading for the East Coast of the United States, where it may make landfall along the Carolinas. When the storm reaches the U.S., it may reach Category 4—that’s a serious storm. The definition of Category 4 is: “Catastrophic damage will occur.” Before the storm hits, it is worth revisiting the danger Americans may face. A hurricane is a particularly … More

Most of the doomsday budget-cutting talk has focused on the Pentagon—and rightly so, as cuts being bandied about will unquestioningly turn the United States into a second-class military power. The worst news, however, is that the cuts could have an even more disastrous impact on homeland security, in particular the U.S. Coast Guard. The service is coming under great pressure to curtail replacing its fleet of large cutters, the most capable and critical asset in the Coast Guard fleet. Cutting this force—in conjunction with the reductions in the Navy—will mean … More

The House Committee on Education and the Workforce holds a hearing today in response to the National Labor Relations Board’s recent proposal to dramatically alter union election procedures. “Rushing Union Elections: Protecting the Interests of Big Labor at the Expense of Workers’ Free Choice” begins at 10 a.m. Expect the hearing to reveal the potential impact the proposed rule will have on employers and workers. Lachlan Markay will be on hand to report from Capitol Hill. Heritage Senior Policy Analyst Jena Baker-McNeill will also be on the Hill today to testify … More

It is heartbreaking to see the destroyed homes, scattered possessions, and lives shattered by recent tornadoes in Alabama, Missouri and elsewhere. Many have lost loved ones and businesses while large parts of communities have been tragically leveled. Yet creating a new federal program would not be a worthy response to the plight of those affected by the twisters. However, the Obama Administration—known for, in the words of former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, not letting “a good crisis go to waste”—wants to use the recent disaster to grow … More

It’s 1776 all over again, as former Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Stewart Baker quips. This time, however, we are not talking about unjust taxes or the right to a trial by jury, and no one is dumping tea into Boston Harbor. Instead, the issue is U.S. ability to preserve its own security. Earlier this month, the…

Today, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano announced a replacement for the Homeland Security Advisory System, which was scrapped by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in January and won’t likely be missed by anyone. The new system—dubbed the National Terrorism Advisory System—takes the right steps toward adequately communicating with the public about the risks…

In one of the most poignant moments of the Homeland Security hearings chaired by Congressman Peter King (R–NY), Congressman Keith Ellison (D–MN) broke down during his remarks. As reported by The Washington Post, “Ellison was talking about Mohammad Salman Hamdani, the American Muslim firefighter who died on 9/11. Because Hamdani, Ellison said, was a Muslim, he…