House Homeland Security Committee Democratic Leaders Question Delays of National Infrastructure Protection Plan

WASHINGTON, Oct. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- House Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), and Subcommittee Ranking Members Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), Kendrick B. Meek (D-FL), and Jim Langevin (D-RI), have questioned the Department of Homeland Security about the Department's delay in completing the National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP).

During an October 20, 2005 hearing, "The London Bombings: Protecting Civilians Targets from Terrorist Attacks, Part II," Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Protection, Robert Stephan told the Subcommittee on Economic Security, Infrastructure Protection, and Cybersecurity that he was unhappy with the interim NIPP issued this past February. The Department was tasked to submit the NIPP to Congress in December 2004.

In a letter to Mr. Stephan, Reps. Thompson, Sanchez, Lofgren, Pascrell, Meek and Langevin requested a detailed explanation for the delay. The Members specifically questioned if the continued delay is related to the Department's use of private contractors to complete the plan. Members also requested a complete detail of how many taxpayer dollars have been wasted to pay the contractors who have failed to complete the task.

"Since early this year, we have expressed our concerns and frustrations with the Department's failure to properly protect our nation's critical infrastructure. These failures tell us that our communities remain at risk while the federal government continues to develop plans to plan."

"Your comment, however, raises additional concerns for those of us in Congress with oversight over the Department's activities. It is our understanding that the Department used contractors to prepare and support the development of this plan. Specifically, we understand that ICF Consulting may have been retained to work on the NIPP. If the Department paid contractors to do some or all of the work on the NIPP and it was not satisfactory and required redrafting and a delay in its release, then the American taxpayers deserve an accounting of how their dollars were misspent."

President Bush issued Homeland Security Presidential Directive-7 (HSPD-7) on December 17, 2003. Pursuant to this HSPD, the deadline for the plan was December 2004. According to the Department, the final NIPP won't be finished until at least February 2006. The plans for each infrastructure sector, which are supposed to accompany the NIPP, won't be finished until late summer 2006.

A copy of the letter follows.

At the October 20th hearing on "the London Bombings: Protecting Civilians Targets from Terrorist Attacks, Part II," you told the Subcommittee on Economic Security, Infrastructure Protection, and Cybersecurity that you were unhappy with the interim National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP) issued in February 2005. Since early this year, we have expressed our concerns and frustrations with the Department's failure to properly protect our nation's critical infrastructure. These failures tell us that our communities remain at risk while the federal government continues to develop plans to plan.

Your comment, however, raises additional concerns for those of us in Congress with oversight over the Department's activities. It is our understanding that the Department used contractors to prepare and support the development of this plan. Specifically, we understand that ICF Consulting may have been retained to work on the NIPP. If the Department paid contractors to do some or all of the work on the NIPP and it was not satisfactory and required redrafting and a delay in its release, then the American taxpayers deserve an accounting of how their dollars were misspent.

President Bush issued Homeland Security Presidential Directive-7 (HSPD-7) on December 17, 2003. Pursuant to this HSPD, the Federal government was supposed to have developed the final NIPP by December 2004. Instead, the Administration issued the interim NIPP in February 2005. This past week, we were told that the final NIPP won't be finished until February 2006. The sector specific plans that are supposed to accompany this plan won't be finished until late summer 2006.

Why has it taken the Administration so long to produce a comprehensive plan? We are trying to understand why this delay has occurred. To that end, we ask that you provide the following documents:

copies of all contracts between December 2003 and present relating to the development, outreach, completion, and implementation of the National Infrastructure Protection Plan; copies of all financial records showing payments, reimbursement, and progress reports on contracts and consulting agreements relating to the development, outreach, completion, and implementation of the National Infrastructure Protection Plan; any correspondence between the Department of Homeland Security and contractors, including ICF Consulting, relating to work on or for the National Infrastructure Protection Plan; copies of the all weekly bulletins, starting on April 16,2004, that discuss the Sector-Specific Plan Development; copies of all documents that you have provided to the National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC) on NIPP activities, including copies of all reports produced by the NIAC, including those currently under development; timeline for completion of the National Preparedness Goal (NPG) and an explanation of the NPG's relationship the NIPP; timeline on the completion of the National Asset Database; the criteria used in developing that database and an explanation on how this criteria was developed; copies of the top 100 list of assets for each of the 17 critical infrastructure sectors and if these lists have not yet been completed, a timeline for their completion; and an explanation of the level of participation by state, local, and tribal governments in the development of this database; copies of all technical assistance session power-point presentations that were and are being provided to Sector-Specific Agencies this year; copies of all socialization plans for the NIPP and accompanying sector specific plans; copies of all the Government and Sector Coordinating Council Charters for the 17 sectors; the Department's plan for chemical plant security; and the Department's plan for cyber security.

In light of the pressing need for the information requested, please respond to my questions in writing by Tuesday, November 8, 2005. These documents should, when possible, also be sent electronically. If you have any questions about this matter, please contact Jessica Herrera-Flanigan, Democratic Staff Director, at (202) 226-2616. We look forward to your prompt reply to this request.

SOURCE House Committee on Homeland Security - Democratic Office

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