Six years after 9/11, the federal government still lacks acomprehensive regime for planning and preparing for large-scaledisasters. Fixing the problem will require renewed vigor from theAdministration in setting clear policy guidelines, particularly inimplementing a National Exercise Program, emphasizing the priorityof interagency disaster preparedness for the National PlanningScenarios, and improving professional development.
The Department of Homeland Security has received disparate and, attimes, contradictory direction from Congress, which has resulted ina plethora of unrealistic mandates. Congress's firstobjective should be to address the lack of effective congressionalleadership, and consolidate congressional oversight.
New Secretary for Homeland Security Janet Napolitano issued a directive requiring her staff to report to her by the end of the month on five top issues facing the Department of HomelandSecurity. While the secretary needs to get these answers from herstaff, she will have to work with Congress to make substantivechanges a reality.