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November 2004                                                                            Volume 7 - Number 2

Business Update...

US Chamber of Commerce’s Homeland Security Policy Task Force
By Betty Kim

In 1912, over 700 persons met from various business organizations to form the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Their mission statement is: “to advance human progress through an economic, political and social system based on individual freedom, incentive, initiative, opportunity, and responsibility.” With the terrorist attacks of September 11^th, 2001, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce established a Homeland Security Policy Task Force. The chamber recognized the need for a task force to devote its efforts to inform how homeland security issues affect the business communities and the U.S. economy.

The task force is made up of Chamber board members and senior corporate leaders from the Chamber board companies. They meet three times per year, with ad hoc meetings on a case by case basis. Their main focus is to provide homeland security policy-related recommendations in alignment with the chamber’s economic policy objectives. The task force also has three goals in pursuit of a balanced economic and robust homeland security. First, the task force will develop a partnership/relationship with the Department on Homeland Security (DHS). Second, the task force will “promote a strong national defense, which is essential to American businesses in the U.S.” And third, the task force will “increase the role of industry in civil military affairs through strong advocacy in manpower and quality of life issues.

Specifically, the task force focuses on the following four areas:

· Ensuring and monitoring new rules and regulations effecting customs, transportation, and border security.

· Providing appropriate guidance on critical infrastructure and cyber security protection to businesses, because the private sector owns approximately “85% of the nation’s critical infrastructure.”

· Encouraging science and technology (S&T) development to help businesses protect products with anti-terrorism technologies.

· Working closely with Department of Defense to help men and women who serve in the National Guard and Reserves and work in the private sector, so that they can continue to be employed at his/her job and serve the U.S. military.

Recently, the task force has informed the chamber about homeland security legislation that affects private businesses, particularly H.R. 4380, “The Private Sector Preparedness Act of 2004.” The proposed bill will encourage private companies to establish an emergency/hazard mitigation program. Although not mandatory, the chamber does not support the bill. The task force has also published information on critical infrastructure program interim rules, which informs the business community about various issues affecting the community. Although in its infancy, the task force will provide homeland security policy guidance that affects the business community in the long-term.

For more information on the US Chamber of Commerce’s Homeland Security Policy Task Force:

· http://www.uschamber.com/ccc/econsecurity/homeland.htm

· http://www.uschamber.com/government/issues/defense/homelandsecurity.htm

· http://www.uschamber.com/NR/rdonlyres/ezpxinswtzszkswqio6c4dh3kucmjgivy65nqvxk3wevp72stak7grtw4ahc5rmlgfr6zi2zpnowia/homelandsecuritydepartmentoverviewfinal.pdf

· Homeland Security Policy Task Force. http://www.uschamber.com/NR/rdonlyres/ev36wytl5wdkgkf5vgixvldt5cgjs5nqlekccehsy2byt5cxaxr4v4ewr4ximjusj2ehoj4fm2wrif/homelandsecuritypolicyissues1.pdf