Bush official urges agencies to upgrade homeland security systems now

Federal agencies should not wait for the creation of a new Homeland Security Department to upgrade their information technology systems to better protect the nation, a Bush administration official said Tuesday.

"We think we cannot only improve security but improve performance" in airports, at the nation's borders and ports, and elsewhere, Jim Flyzik, White House Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge's senior adviser, told the E-Gov 2002 conference. Flyzik said it is imperative that agencies build from each other's modernization efforts.

Flyzik is a member of the President's Critical Infrastructure Protection Board and sits on the Federal CIO Council. He previously served as the Treasury Department's chief information officer. Now he advises Ridge on information-security issues, among other things.

While the nation waits to see what Congress does with an administration bill to create a Homeland Security Department, however, Flyzik said agencies and states need to continue implementing their plans. "We're all confident there will be a Department of Homeland Security," but the details must be worked out, Flyzik said.

Ridge's office is crafting a national homeland security strategy that is due to President Bush in July. The administration is writing the information-sharing and systems-integration chapters. Flyzik said other pieces will address strategies for drug control, money laundering and cyber security. The cybersecurity strategy is separate from the strategy being crafted by Richard Clarke, Bush's cyber-security adviser, Flyzik said.

"I have a gut feeling it will be before Sept. 11, 2002," when the national strategy will be made public, Flyzik said.

The new department would focus on four areas: border and transportation security; emergency preparedness and response; chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear counter measures; and information analysis and infrastructure. Legislation to create the department includes the new job of undersecretary for information analysis and infrastructure protection.

Flyzik said CIOs from various agencies that may be included in the department are meeting with Homeland Security CIO Steve Cooper, and they are being grouped together based on the four areas of focus.

But the federal government needs to coordinate with state and local law enforcers and other officials "like it's never been done before," Flyzik stressed. He added that the administration is working with what is known as "the Big Seven"--the major state and local organizations, such as the National Governors Association, National Conference of State Legislatures, National Association of State Chief Information Officers and U.S. Conference of Mayors.

"In many cases, the locals are already ahead of us" in homeland security efforts, Flyzik said, noting that 23 states already have statewide wireless networks in place while the federal government is still working on its own.

Flyzik also said that an Office of Homeland Security portal soon will be offered as a gateway to other efforts and that the administration wants to increase the use of information-sharing systems.