Making America More Resilient

Capitol Hill Forum Highlights Release of New Report with Findings and Recommendations for a New Direction in U.S. Homeland Security Policy

WASHINGTON, DC – A new report released today by the non-partisan Reform Institute calls for a new direction in American security policy. “Building a Resilient Nation: Enhancing Security, Ensuring a Strong Economy” presents the case for making resilience a national priority. The report was released at a Capitol Hill forum that featured representatives of the presidential candidates, congressional homeland security committees and the private sector.

Resilience involves the ability of the United States to withstand a catastrophic event, such as a natural disaster or terrorist attack, and to quickly return to a state of near normalcy. The report identifies the four critical elements of resilience: preparedness, protection, response and recovery.

“Resilience is the right concept for these uncertain times; it recognizes that not all catastrophes can be prevented,” according to Reform Institute Senior Advisor Robert Kelly. “With resilience quickly gaining traction among opinion leaders and policy makers the challenge now is to define it and develop a comprehensive resiliency strategy that brings coherence and focus to U.S. homeland security policy, particularly the mission of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.”

The Reform Institute is committed to facilitating a national dialogue on resilience and hosted a symposium as part of the McCormick Foundation’s Conference Series in late March 2008 that brought together over 100 corporate leaders and industry experts to share best practices and discuss what more needs to be done. The presentations and discussions at the symposium informed the new report.

The report highlights the pioneering efforts that many companies are undertaking to ensure that their firms can continue operating in the face of crisis. Communities and government authorities must learn from these initiatives and cooperate with the private sector to optimize their effectiveness. Collaboration among all levels of government, as well as between the public and private sectors, will be crucial to employing the innovative programs and concepts developed by companies and communities on a broader scale. The fact that 85% of our critical infrastructure is in the hands of the private sector dictates closer public-private coordination. Effective leadership will also be required to develop a cogent national strategy and to engage the general public in embracing resilience.

“Making resilience a reality will require fundamental reform not only to our security policy, but also to the way that Washington thinks about protecting the U.S. and interacts with the private sector and the populace,” stated Reform Institute Executive Director Cecilia Martinez. “Resilience is a non-partisan concept that can achieve consensus in Washington and unleash the resolve and ingenuity of the American people in strengthening our ability to confront the challenges we face and emerge a stronger nation.”

Recommendations of the report include:

The next Administration and Congress must refocus the Nation’s homeland security policy with resilience at its core.
Public-private cooperation is vital to enhancing America’s resilience.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) needs to be a national resource – a clearinghouse – facilitating the widespread adoption and deployment of workable, realistic, business continuity plans charged with:

- Conducting an extensive public awareness campaign targeting U.S. industry and emphasizing the criticality of developing workable and practical business continuity plans;

- Assisting U.S. industry in developing business continuity plans by providing templates, advice, best practices and general “help desk” like services;

- Taking a leadership role in the development and implementation of national, regional and local exercises with private sector interests focused on the testing of business continuity plans.
Recognizing that our critical infrastructure is the backbone of the Nation and the supply chain its lifeblood:

- Congress and the Administration need to refocus the efforts of DHS and its Customs and Border Protection on working with major shippers, importers, terminal operators and ocean carriers to identify better ways of identifying potential threats to the global supply chain.
- Specifically, DHS needs to do more to work with the private sector in the adoption of more effective container screening technologies and the widespread deployment of “smart containers.”
- Strengthening and modernizing our aging infrastructure must be a national priority.
A commitment to public outreach and education will also be required to effectively engage the public in the resilience effort.

The report and more information on resilience and homeland security are available on the Reform Institute’s website at http://www.reforminstitute.org/uploads/publications/Building_Resilience_SEPT25.pdf. To arrange to speak with Reform Institute experts, please contact Chris Dreibelbis at 703-535-6897 x 12 or via email at chris@reforminstitute.org .

The Reform Institute is a non-partisan, not-for-profit educational organization working to strengthen the foundations of our democracy and build a resilient society. The Institute formulates and advocates valuable, solutions-based reform in vital areas of public policy, including homeland and national security, energy and environmental progress, economic opportunity and competitiveness, immigration policy, and governance and election reform. Visit our website at www.reforminstitute.org.

For more information contact:

Chris Dreibelbis
Phone: 703-535-6897 x12