9/11 panel seeks billions more in federal spending

A handful of recommendations from the 9/11 commission--such as accelerating a biometric entry-exit system at the nation's borders and installing advanced explosives detection machines at airports--would cost the federal government billions more in spending if implemented.

Commissioners do not deny that they made several expensive recommendations, but say federal agencies have no other choice but to make investments in order to protect the public.

"What we have suggested calls for major change, and I must say is not inexpensive. It's going to cost a lot of money," said former Rep. Lee Hamilton, D-Ind., the commission's co-chairman.

Commission Chairman Thomas Kean, former Republican governor of New Jersey, told the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on Monday that the panel's recommended aviation security improvements could cost about $1 billion per year for the next five years.

"We're mindful that that is an enormous investment, but we have seen the devastating cost in human life and in economic destruction that result from a successful attack," he said. "We believe, therefore, it is a worthwhile investment and one necessary to fulfill the government's constitutional duty to provide for the common defense of its citizens."

For example, the commission recommends the installation of in-line explosive detection systems at the nation's airports. The Transportation Security Administration is currently helping airports fund and install such systems.

"The commission understands that at some airports, structural changes will be required to accommodate the effort," Kean said. "This will take time and money, but we should get about the business of making it happen."

Congress has held a rash of rare congressional hearings in August to consider the panel's recommendations. Proposals to create a new national intelligence director and a new national counterterrorism center have received the most attention, but deep within the commission's final 567-page report are a handful of recommendations with hefty price tags.

One of the most costly is for the Homeland Security Department to complete a biometric entry-exit screening system as quickly as possible. The commission said the system should be able to speed through qualified travelers and be integrated with as many other countries as possible.

"We think that's absolutely essential to getting control of the border, and to providing an integrated border immigration system. So number one is the adoption of a biometric entry-exit system," Hamilton told the House Homeland Security Committee Tuesday.

DHS is developing the U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology program. The US-VISIT contract is the largest DHS has awarded to date, valued at up to $10 billion over five years with five one-year options after that. Under the program, nonimmigrant visitors will have two fingerprint scans and a digital photo taken when they enter the country. The information will be entered into a database and compared to terrorist and criminal watch lists.

The commission also believes DHS should increase efforts to identify, track and screen suspect cargo coming into the country on planes and shipping vessels.

"Hard choices must be made in allocating limited resources," the commission concludes in its report. "The U.S. government should identify and evaluate the transportation assets that need to be protected, set risk-based priorities for defending them, select the most practical and cost-effective ways of doing so, and then develop a plan, budget and funding to implement the effort."

The commission notes, however, that about 85 percent of critical infrastructure is owned by the private sector, and recommends that private companies should bear some cost for making security improvements.