9/11 commissioners decry inaction on proposals

The chairmen of the commission that investigated the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks criticized the federal government on Monday for not moving faster to implement programs and technologies that would make the country safer.

Former New Jersey Republican Gov. Thomas Kean and former Democratic Rep. Lee Hamilton, who co-chaired the 9/11 Commission, criticized both the Bush administration and Congress during a speech in Washington.

"The basic point is, to me, that five years later … there is still so much left undone that ought to be done," Kean said.

"I just want to see a sense of urgency brought to all of this," Hamilton added. "We've got a lot of big debates in this city and in this town and the country, but homeland security [is] at the top of the list."

Kean said what he worries about most is a terrorist with a nuclear device, adding that "there are about a hundred sites that have enriched uranium around the world" but are not yet fully secured.

"If you ask me what I think the president and the Congress and everybody else ought to be concentrating on, it's not solving this problem … in 14 years; it's solving it in the next two or three years and getting these sites secured and making that a real priority, because I think that is probably the greatest danger this country faces."

Kean said recommendations from the commission that seemed the "most elementary" still have not been implemented by Congress, such as distributing homeland security grants based on risk.

Kean and Hamilton also said first responders still do not have access to enough spectrum for emergency communications to talk across jurisdictions around the country.

"Where in the world have we been for five years?" Hamilton asked.

The government is expected to give emergency responders access to more spectrum in 2009. Kean, however, said it is likely that the country will face another disaster and lives will be lost before that time.

The two also discussed the need for more advanced technology to detect explosives at airports or coming through cargo containers at U.S. seaports. Kean noted that Homeland Security is deploying new radiation detectors at U.S. seaports.

Hamilton added, however, that it takes too long to move technology from government labs to airports. He noted that one of the latest threats is from liquid explosives, but said the government has known about that threat for years.

"I'm frustrated here because we've not been nearly quick enough in getting these detection devices of all kinds and descriptions in place," Hamilton said. "An enormous amount of research is being done, a lot of money being spent, a lot of private businesses competing for contracts now."

Both also agreed that commercial airplanes should be equipped with technology to counter shoulder-fired missiles. "We surely should have that," Hamilton said. Homeland Security is currently exploring technology for the effort.

Kean said he has not heard any candidate for Congress this year say they oppose any of the commission's recommendations.

"If everybody in Congress is for [all the] recommendations, what happened? How come they're not passed?" he asked.