Gary Schenkel, Director of the Federal Protective Service (FPS), discusses how since taking over as director he has seen his department succeed in protecting Washington, D.C. despite a lack of sufficient government funding. (0:32)
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Subcommittee on Oversight Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia held a hearing regarding management challenges facing the Federal Protective Service (FPS).
Senators at the hearing questioned Director of the FPS (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement section) Gary Schenkel and Mark Goldstein, Director of Physical Infrastructure Issues at the Government Accountability Office (GAO) about the progress the FPS has had in protecting Washington from terrorist attacks, as well as enforcing the law.
Schenkel argued that his agency has been successful in protecting the city and people of Washington in recent years despite a lack of sufficient funding from the government. With more money, Schenkel said the FPS could increase the protection of the over 9,000 buildings they oversee the protection of yearly. Goldstein noted that despite a lack of proper equipment the GAO has improved training for police officers in recent years and is looking to continue to do so.
The House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies interrogated FBI Director Robert Mueller on a number of issues pertaining to the progress of his department. Issues covered during the hearing were the FBI’s fiscal year 2009 budget request, the progress the FBI has made in counterintelligence, counterterrorism, and cyber security, and the methods the department uses to carry out their wide-spanning activities. (more…)
Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) explains the need for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services director Dale Hall to abide by US law when making decisions in a timely manner that affect the lives of polar bears at the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing examining the threats and protections for the polar bear this morning.
Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) offers his opinion on the importance the Bush Administration places on the oil industry in a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Hearing Examining the Threats and Protections for the Polar Bear
Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) chaired an investigation this morning questioning the “timing and reasoning” behind the United States Fish and Wildlife Service’s delay in their decision on whether or not to include polar bears under the Endangered Species Act.
The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works devoted significant attention to delay in the decision to include polar bears under the ESA because such a decision on the bears’ inclusion will now not be made until after the Minerals Management Service has issued leases for risky oil and gas development set to occur in “almost 30 million acres of polar bear habitat.” Such leases could further threaten polar bear life.
Boxer and the Committee questioned Dale Hall, director of the USFWS, and each party agreed that due to factors such as climate change, the development and transportation of oil and gas, pollution, and even human interaction, polar bear habitat, prey, reproduction, and chances for survival has diminished. As Margaret Williams, Managing Director of the Kamchtka/Bering Sea Ecoregion Program of World Wildlife Fund noted, “We need to closely scrutinize and prevent all actions that may add further stress to the polar bear, including conducting oil and gas leasing in prime polar bear habitat.”
