Access Control
& Security Systems

Scholars at the Brookings Institution predict little immediate impact by the new Department of Homeland Security.

The authors of a report point out that merging so many agencies under one federal umbrella is distracting policymakers from "more urgent security efforts."

The report proposes four immediate steps the Bush Administration and Congress should take:

• Establish a new domestic counterterrorism agency to collect and analyze information on terrorist threats in the U.S.
• Focus initial organizational efforts on border and transportation security, critical infrastructure protection, and establish a liaison between federal, state and local government and the private sector
• Increase spending for FY2003 by $7-$10 billion over the administration's request
• Upgrade protection of critical infrastructure in private hands and enhance the ability of the Coast Guard and border agencies to perform their missions.

This month in Access Control

• Targeting The Customer
• Electronic Pedigrees
• One Hero Among Many
• Who? What? When? Where? Why?
• More from September's issue