25 years after 9/11 attack, US panel demands fresh security reforms

The twin towers of the World Trade Center burn behind the Empire State Building in New York, Sept. 11, 2001. In a horrific sequence of destruction, terrorists crashed two planes into the World Trade Center causing the twin 110-story towers to collapse. (AP Photo/Marty Lederhandler)

Twenty-five years after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the United States House Committee on Homeland Security has called for a fresh round of security reforms, issuing more than 20 recommendations covering intelligence-sharing, terrorism prevention, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, border security and emergency preparedness.

The committee made the recommendations in a report released Thursday as the United States prepares to mark the 25th anniversary of the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people after four airline slammed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York.

The report, titled “25th Anniversary Report: National Security Improvements and the Domestic Threat Landscape 25 Years After 9/11/01,” assesses the progress made in strengthening US homeland security since the attacks and examines the threats facing the country today.

It also identifies areas where the committee says further action is required and proposes measures for Congress and the executive branch.

Committee Chairman Andrew R. Garbarino said the US had made significant progress since 9/11 but would need to continue adapting its security systems to changing threats.

“Twenty-five years later, significant progress has been made towards strengthening our national security and ensuring we never again allow such an attack to be perpetrated against the United States.

“This no-fail mission requires persistent vigilance and adaptation to keep pace with the contemporary threat environment,” Garbarino said in the report’s preface.

Among the committee’s recommendations is improved information sharing between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies through enhanced field presence.

It also called for uniform definitions of security threats and greater awareness of emerging terrorist threats, tactics and organisations, alongside increased support for the Department of Homeland Security’s research enterprise.

The committee recommended restoring the passenger security fee to its intended purpose, extending the Transportation Security Administration’s One-Stop Pilot Program and implementing programmes designed to improve the travel experience for low-risk travellers.

On cybersecurity, the committee called for modernised information-sharing authorities, stronger coordination and measures to equip the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency for the current threat environment.

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It also recommended harmonising cyber regulations around security outcomes and establishing risk-based artificial intelligence cybersecurity standards for critical infrastructure.

The committee further called for the full implementation of a biometric entry-exit system, expanded use of emerging technologies and international partnerships, and additional resources for northern border security.

It recommended expanding the use of non-intrusive inspection technology, stabilising grant administration, ensuring adequate funding for special events and strengthening core preparedness and incident-management capabilities.

Other recommendations include continued funding for the Emergency Management Performance Grant, reauthorisation and training for the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium, and continued support for the Department of Homeland Security’s chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear functions.

The committee also called for improved biodetection capabilities, statutory authorisation for the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center and greater preparedness against agroterrorism.

It recommended support for the reauthorization of FirstNet, the US public-safety communications network, as well as increased funding for the Office of SAFETY Act Implementation.

The committee urged Congress and the executive branch to implement the proposals quickly and on a bipartisan basis to provide what it described as long-term certainty and stability across the homeland security enterprise.

Garbarino said the report was also intended to ensure that younger generations and future national security leaders understood the significance of 9/11 and the continuing importance of homeland security.

“In keeping with the mandate to prevent and deter future domestic terror attacks, this report provides a comprehensive assessment of the United States’ domestic threat landscape and assesses improvements made to the country’s national security posture over the last twenty-five years.

“It also provides several recommendations and policy proposals aimed at remedying identified deficiencies and keeping pace with emerging threats,” Garbarino said.

The committee said the recommendations followed hearings, briefings, roundtables and site visits conducted over the past year to examine transportation security, counterterrorism, information sharing, federal law enforcement coordination, critical infrastructure protection and the operations of agencies under the Department of Homeland Security.