WP: Contracting Rush For Security Led To Waste, Abuse

Contracting Rush For Security Led To Waste, Abuse

By Scott Higham and Robert O'Harrow Jr.
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, May 22, 2005; Page A01

First of two articles

After the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, the U.S. government rushed to secure the nation. Billions of dollars were spent to protect Americans with improved passenger screening, bomb-detection machines at airports, radiation monitors at ports and computer networks to identify suspected terrorists at the borders.

Government leaders say the nation is safer than it was before Sept. 11, 2001. But the government's internal audits have repeatedly questioned the cost and effectiveness of the equipment and security systems bought from corporations that received a torrent of money under loosened regulations, limited oversight and tight congressional deadlines.

In February, the Office of Management and Budget found that only four of the 33 of the homeland security programs it examined were "effective." In March, the Homeland Security Department's inspector general noted "the lack of improvement" in the performance of passenger screeners. In April, the Government Accountability Office reported that "the implementation and transformation of DHS remains high-risk."

Scores of government reports, congressional testimony and interviews with dozens of government and business officials document rising costs and specific flaws in some of the major systems underway:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/21/AR2005052100778.html

Homeland Security has, in effect, become a money laundering system...a way of siphoning YOUR tax money into the hands of private corporations.


more....
http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/fortwayne/news/local/11716396.htm

I am posting this link rather than the Washinton Post link so you do not have to register to read it.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/21/AR2005052100778.html?sub=AR

Contracting Rush For Security Led To Waste, Abuse

By Scott Higham and Robert O'Harrow Jr.
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, May 22, 2005; A01

First of two articles

After the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, the U.S. government rushed to secure the nation. Billions of dollars were spent to protect Americans with improved passenger screening, bomb-detection machines at airports, radiation monitors at ports and computer networks to identify suspected terrorists at the borders. Government leaders say the nation is safer than it was before Sept. 11, 2001. But the government's internal audits have repeatedly questioned the cost and effectiveness of the equipment and security systems bought from corporations that received a torrent of money under loosened regulations, limited oversight and tight congressional deadlines.

In February, the Office of Management and Budget found that only four of the 33 homeland security programs it examined were "effective." In March, the Homeland Security Department's inspector general noted "the lack of improvement" in the performance of passenger screeners. In April, the Government Accountability Office reported that "the implementation and transformation of DHS remains high-risk." Scores of government reports, congressional testimony and interviews with dozens of government and business officials document rising costs and specific flaws in some of the major systems underway:

· The contract to hire airport passenger screeners grew to $741 million from $104 million in less than a year. The screeners are failing to detect weapons at roughly the same rate as shortly after the attacks.

· The contract for airport bomb-detection machines ballooned to at least $1.2 billion from $508 million over 18 months. The machines have been hampered by high false-alarm rates.

· A contract for a computer network called US-VISIT to screen foreign visitors could cost taxpayers $10 billion. It relies on outdated technology that puts the project at risk.

· Radiation-detection machines worth a total of a half-billion dollars deployed to screen trucks and cargo containers at ports and borders have trouble distinguishing between highly enriched uranium and common household products. The problem has prompted costly plans to replace the machines.

much, much more.........

Note: Special Report: Department of Homeland Security

Scott Higham and Robert O'Harrow Jr.
Washington Post Reporters
Monday, May 23, 2005; 11:00 AM

In a special report, Post reporters Scott Higham and Robert O'Harrow Jr. examine how homeland security contracting. After the terror attacks on New York and Washington, the U.S. government rushed to secure the nation. Billions of dollars were spent but the government's own internal audits have repeatedly questioned the cost and effectiveness of the equipment and security systems purchased from corporations that received a torrent of money under loosened regulations, limited oversight and tight congressional deadlines.

Post reporters Scott Higham and Robert O'Harrow Jr. will be online Monday, May 23, at 11 a.m. ET to answer your questions on the report.

Submit your questions and comments before or during the discussion - http://discuss.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/zforum/content/submit_nation25.htm

(Probably should have read the article first, but I'm finally sleepy.)

What percentage of the worthless security technology and equipment was bought from Republican controlled corporations? How many of those corporations were sizable donors to the Bush campaign or the Republican party?

government waste.

afternoon kick

:kick:

to deliver gobs of money into the hands of a select few. I would say they accomplished their objective very well! Right, Tom Ridge?