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HOMELAND SECURITY
The White House's just-released National Strategy for Homeland Security outlines three major objectives: prevent terrorist attacks in the U.S., reduce U.S. vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do occur. It includes a chapter authored by the Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP). The exact role of science and technology in countering terrorism has been a subject of disagreement, and that disagreement has not disappeared with the release of the strategy document. The document is available on the White House website, http://www.whitehouse.gov.
Branscomb was cochair of a National Research Council study on R&D and counterterrorism (C&EN, July 1, page 5). He says the Administration's strategy contains many solid ideas, and he is happy to see that it supports the NRC idea of a nonprofit institute to provide advice on R&D issues. Presidential science adviser and OSTP Director John H. Marburger III likewise praises the NRC study, which he says contains "lots of specifics." But he points out that a study is very different from high-level White House policy such as the homeland security strategy document. The strategy document "is meant to be more of a road map than a prescription," Marburger points out. Indeed, the strategy document includes 11 "major initiatives" in science and technology. These include developing chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear countermeasures; developing systems for detecting hostile intent; applying biometric technology to identification devices; improving the technical capabilities of first responders (police, firefighters, paramedics); and soliciting independent and private analysis for science and technology research. "I am very glad [the Administration] has identified science and technology as a foundation of homeland security," says Rep. Heather A. Wilson (R-N.M.). But she and other legislators do not like an initiative in the new strategy that seems to call for a single national laboratory dedicated to the proposed new Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Rather, "we want to draw on the science and technology base of tens of thousands of people," Wilson says. Marburger stands by the strategy document, however. He notes that "more than one national lab" will be involved, but he also emphasizes that some R&D issues can only be dealt with within the context of DHS. "We don't want the R&D function of [DHS] to replace the judgment of the scientific community," Marburger says. "But we want a component [of the nation's R&D enterprise] that is responsible to homeland security." |
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