An IT National Guard?

Proposed legislation would enlist private sector to aid government response to terrorism and other disasters. Supporters of the legislation includes America Online.

by Roy Mark of dc.internet.com [March 21, 2002]

U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and George Allen (R-VA) introduced legislation Wednesday to create an organization the technological equivalence of the U.S. National Guard. The Wyden-Allen Science and Technology Emergency Mobilization Act would offer science and technology experts a government portal to offer their expertise, equipment and new technology ideas to prevent and respond to terror attacks and other disasters that could cripple technology and communications systems.

Wyden first broached the idea of marshaling the nation's science and technology experts to fight terror last fall, one month after the Sept. 11 attacks. In consultation with technology experts, and through testimony before their Subcommittee, Wyden and Allen found that private-sector companies eager to offer assistance were often thwarted by the government's inability to accept and implement their help.

"The Subcommittee has found a private sector ready and willing to contribute, but facing too many obstacles," Wyden said. "Some couldn't get the proper credentials to access the disaster sites. Some simply couldn't find the right place to offer their people, expertise and equipment, yet their expertise was sorely needed. This legislation will open a door in the Federal government to let our science and technology experts make life-saving contributions."

The Wyden-Allen legislation seeks to engage the private science and technology sector in preparing for and responding to disasters in a variety of ways, including:

• Providing for the creation of teams of volunteers with technology and science expertise, organized in advance and available to be mobilized on short notice. The teams would be certified by a central office created in the executive branch of the federal government, headed by a director appointed by the president. The teams would be similar to existing urban search and rescue teams under the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and medical response teams under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS);
• Providing for the creation of a "virtual technology reserve," consisting of a database of private-sector equipment and expertise that emergency officials can call upon in an emergency;
• Creating a Center for Civilian Homeland Security Technology Evaluation that would serve as a national clearinghouse and test bed for innovative technologies relating to emergency prevention and response; and
• Establishing a "communications interoperability" pilot program awarding seven grants of $5 million each. The grants would help fund pilot projects to enable communications systems used by fire, law enforcement, and emergency preparedness and response agencies to work together for cross-communication in disaster situations.

"This country has already mobilized the military, the government and law enforcement to fight terrorism, but America has yet to tap the tremendous technology and science talents of the private sector," said Wyden, who chairs the Senate Subcommittee on Science, Technology and Space. "This legislation invites a generation raised on information technologies to help their fellow citizens when crisis strikes."

At a December subcommittee hearing, FEMA Director Joe Allbaugh agreed that having science and technology experts ready for rapid deployment would enhance disaster response.

"Eventually, weeks after [Sept. 11], we were able to put together a database, but it would have been helpful to draw upon the brainpower in the United States to help us do a better job of managing the massive amounts of information that we were deluged with and at the same time continuing with our principal responsibility of saving lives and protecting property," Allbaugh testified.

The proposed legislation has already garnered support from science and technology experts in the private sector, including Intel, Microsoft, Oracle, and America Online. It now moves to the Senate Commerce Committee for hearings and consideration. Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) plans to introduce similar legislation in the House of Representatives.

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