The Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) would add information-sharing capabilities to improve national emergency response and terrorist activity prevention under FY 2007 budget plans, said DHS Secy. Michael Chertoff Thurs. during a hearing of the House Committee on Homeland Security. DHS would received an increase of $45.7 million, up 18.1% from FY 2006, under the proposed budget for analysis and operations of the agency’s information-sharing capabilities. The budget also proposes an increase of $36.3 million for technology infrastructure building, Chertoff said. “This increase will provide a highly reliable, secure and survivable network infrastructure and data center environment to improve information sharing, more effectively securing the homeland while reducing redundant investments,” Chertoff said in a prepared statement. Chertoff said the plan would create a single, secure network for the dept., and reliable e-mail communication. It would also restructure help desks and related services, modernize desktop workstations and site services and improve voice, video and wireless capabilities. Additionally, the proposed budget includes an increase of $9 million for Data Center Development. Chertoff also touted DHS’s successes this year, including establishing a secure data sharing network. DHS began the first phase of a 56-site network, enabling the sharing and protection of secret-level data between federal partners, he said.
The Justice Dept. (DoJ) has been told by a federal judge to process and release documents on the Bush Administration’s warrantless surveillance program by March 8, the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) said Thurs. The opinion in the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) case is the first on the spying scheme. President Bush “invited meaningful debate” on the National Security Agency (NSA) program that can occur only if DOJ processes EPIC requests in timely fashion and releases the material sought, U.S. Dist. Judge Henry Kennedy, D.C., wrote. Given media and political attention, “the public interest is particularly well-served by the timely release of the requested documents,” Kennedy said. The opinion came 6 days after Kennedy heard oral arguments on EPIC’s request for an emergency order requiring prompt DoJ document disclosure, the group said. “The court’s opinion vindicates the public’s right to know about an extremely invasive and potentially illegal government program,” EPIC Gen. Counsel David Sobel said: “The Administration has attempted to spin this story by controlling the flow of information, but the court has now rejected that strategy.” EPIC sent FOIA requests to 4 DoJ entities within hours of a N.Y. Times report on the program’s existence being reported. DoJ agreed the requests warrant priority treatment, but failed to meet FOIA’s usual 20 working day time limit, EPIC said. The ACLU saluted Kennedy’s move, with Exec. Dir. Anthony Romero calling it a “blow to the Bush administration’s illegal surveillance program.” The Senate Intelligence Committee should make a formal request for documents from the White House and DoJ on the NSA effort, the ACLU said Thurs., citing a pair of resolutions brought before the House Judiciary Committee on Wed. calling for information. ACLU Washington Legislative Office Dir. Caroline Fredrickson said the Senate “must demand accountability” of the Administration. Bush and his senior officials repeatedly have denied wrongdoing, insisting the NSA program is legal.
A House universal service bill revealed in draft form in Nov. may see formal introduction by the end of Feb., sponsors said Wed. at a Congressional Rural Caucus forum. The timing may depend on negotiations with rural telcos on capping the Universal Service Fund’s size, Reps. Terry (R-Neb.) and Boucher (D-Va.) told rural House members at the forum.
Interoperable communications needs national focus, plus an outlay of billions, safety personnel can communicate in emergencies, officials first responder told a Wed. hearing by the House Committee on Homeland Security’s Emergency Preparedness, Science & Technology Subcommittee.
Manufacturers and retailers appear certain that “youth electronics” is emerging as an important CE category, but defining it and dedicating shelf space to it have remained elusive tasks, according to industry executives we polled at the American International Toy Fair this week in N.Y.
Internet propaganda figured heavily in $1.6 billion the Bush Administration spent on PR and media contracts over 2- 1/2 years, the GAO said. The biggest outlays were for military and health Web projects, said GAO, which surveyed 7 federal departments. on contracts during 2003, 2004 and the first half of 2005. Ad agencies got $1.4 billion, PR firms $197 million and media individuals and entities got $15 million, said a document released Mon. House Democrats slammed the spending, calling it an inappropriate use of taxpayer dollars in an economy burdened by the Iraq war and rising energy, education and healthcare costs.
The proposed Homeland Security Dept. 2007 budget includes $5 million for a satellite upgrade of FEMA’s Emergency Alert System (EAS). The funds would go for national 2-way satellite capacity linking federal, state and U.S. Territory emergency operations centers, DHS said. A satellite link would improve EAS coverage and reliability “when other national communications resources have been damaged or compromised,” DHS said.
Europe’s telecom market analysis process is spurring competition but “much remains to be done,” the European Commission (EC) said Tues. Since an EU e-communications regulatory framework (NRF) linking sector-specific oversight with competition law debuted in 2006, oversight is more open and consistent, and internal markets more competitive, the EC said. But monopolistic bottlenecks remain, especially in wholesale markets, it said in a communique to the Council of Ministers, European Parliament, European Economic & Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.
The shift in leadership at the Marta and PRO buying groups after years of relative stability comes as those organizations are confronted with changing vendor relationships and continued pressures from national retailers. While a buying group’s primary focus was once solely on securing the best possible deal for product purchases, the role is evolving to providing marketing and other services, said industry executives we polled.
Leaders of the world’s biggest fixed satellite services (FSS) firms scratched their heads Tues., wondering aloud how the FSS industry is going to compete amid telecom convergence and mobility. Speaking at Satellite 2006, CEOs from Intelsat, PanAmSat, SES Global, New Skies, Eutelsat and Loral -- citing video to mobile phones, broadband in automobiles and other uses -- agreed FSS must compete in new mobile data and video markets. But none said they know exactly how they'll do it.