Wasted Lessons of 9/11: How The Bush Administration Ignored the Law and Squandered Its Opportunities to Make Our Country Safer

September 9, 2008

Today, the Chairmen of the Committees on Homeland Security and Foreign Affairs issued a report entitled "Wasted Lessons of 9/11: How The Bush Administration Ignored the Law and Squandered Its Opportunities to Make Our Country Safer," which examines the record of the Bush Administration over the last year in implementing some of the key provisions of this critical law:

As this report demonstrates, the Bush Administration has not delivered on myriad critical homeland security and national security mandates set forth in the 'Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act of 2007.' Democratic Members of the Committees are alarmed that the Bush Administration has not made more progress on implementing these key provisions. Without them, the Administration has failed to provide the American people the security they expect and deserve. This report is intended as a wake-up call to the Bush Administration. In the short time left in office, the President should redouble his efforts to make America more secure by acting expeditiously to make progress.

Read the full report>>

A status update on the Bush Administration's performance on these key provisions:

PROVISION OF THE 9/11 COMMISSION

RECOMMENDATIONS ACT (P.L. 110-53)

STATUS UPDATE

Aviation Security: Advanced

Passenger Prescreening System (Sec. 1605)

Plan transmitted but little progress

on the program

Aviation Security: Screening

of Air Cargo Aboard Passenger Aircraft (Sec. 1602)

Missed opportunities

Aviation Security: General

Aviation Security (Sec. 1617)

Failure to take action

Rail & Public Transportation
Security:
National Strategy for Public Transportation Security (Sec.

1404) and Security Assessments and Plans (Sec. 1405)

Incomplete, putting public transportation

at risk

Rail & Public Transportation
Security:
Public Transportation Security Training Program (Sec. 1408),

Railroad Security Training Program (Sec. 1517), and Over-the-Road Bus

Security Training Program. (Sec. 1534)

Missed opportunities

Rail & Public Transportation
Security:
Railroad Transportation Security Risk Assessment and National

Strategy (Sec. 1511)

Incomplete; limited progress

Port Security: Maritime

Cargo Security (Sec. 1701)

No progress

Border Security: Modernizing

the Visa Waiver Program (Sec. 711)

Initial steps taken but significant

implementation challenges remain

Information Sharing: Department

of Homeland Security State, Local, and Regional Fusion Center Program

(Sec. 511)

Failure to take action

Information Sharing: Homeland

Security Grants For Intelligence Analysts (Sec. 101)

Acted in a manner inconsistent with

the intent of the provision

Privacy and Civil Liberties:

Federal Agency Data Mining Reporting Act of 2007 (Sec. 804)

Some progress but required reports

have not been submitted

Emergency Response: Interoperable

Emergency Communications Grant Program (Sec. 301)

Delivery of key plan late; risks

delays in grants

Emergency Response: Credentialing

and Typing (Sec. 408)

No progress

Biosurveillance: National

Biosurveillance Integration Center (Sec. 1101)

Initial steps taken but little progress

Private Sector Preparedness:

Private Sector Preparedness (Sec. 901).

Limited progress

Private Sector Preparedness:

National Asset Database (Sec. 1001)

Some progress but little use of

the National Asset Database

National Security: Interdicting

Weapons of Mass Destruction (Sec. 1821)

Failure to take action

National Security: Coordinating

U.S. Nonproliferation Programs (Sec. 1841)

Failure to take action

National Security: International

Muslim Youth Opportunity Fund (Sec. 2012)

Failure to take action

National Security: Establishment

of a Middle East Foundation (Sec. 2021)

Missed opportunities

National Security: United

States Policy Towards Detainees (Sec. 2033)

Progress is slow and uncertain

National Security: Strategy

For the United States Relationship with Pakistan (Sec. 2042)

Lack of comprehensive strategy yields

disastrous results

National Security: Strategy

for the United States Relationship with Afghanistan (Sec. 2041)

Still diverted from the crisis in

Afghanistan

National Security: United

States Policy Towards Saudi Arabia (Sec. 2043)

Progress is slow and uncertain

National Security: Advancing

Democracy Around The World (Title XXI)

Key elements unmet