The States and Homeland Security: How Are They Doing -- PA is One of Four States Examined in New Report from The Century Foundation 6/24/2003
From: Christy Hicks of The Century Foundation, 212-452-7723; E-mail: hicks@tcf.org News Advisory: The September 11 attacks made clear the central role that state and local governments play in homeland security. The federal government has been developing a homeland defense strategy and has created a new department to execute it. None of that will matter however, unless state and local governments are a strong and effective part of the plan. But how have state and local governments improved their preparedness over the past 18 months? This new report from The Century Foundation looks at four states: Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin to provide a broad cross section of state and local government activities in responding to these new threats. Authors of the four reports looked for concrete ways in which agencies have changed the ways they do business. "Assessment of Homeland Security Initiatives: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania," was written by Louise K. Comfort of the University of Pittsburgh. In the report, she describes the initiatives related to homeland security that have been undertaken by the state; discusses the challenges to implementation and coordination of the new security initiatives; and explains the uncertainty related to funding for homeland security efforts in the state. The report also details success stories in Pennsylvania's homeland security initiatives. The report will be released Wednesday, June 25. Journalists can receive an advance copy of the report by contacting Christy Hicks at 212-452-7723 or hicks@tcf.org or Rebecca Shaffer at 212-452-7743 or shaffer@tcf.org. Louis Comfort is available to discuss the report. Please contact Christy Hicks or Rebecca Shaffer to arrange an interview. For comparative information on the other states in the study, please join us for a press teleconference on Wednesday, June 25, 11a.m. EST (8 a.m. PST). The teleconference will feature Donald F. Kettl, executive director, Century Foundation Working Group on Federalism Challenges, Homeland Security Project; professor of public affairs and political science, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Kettl is the director of the four-state study. Please call or email for telephone number and access code by 5 p.m. (EST) Tuesday, June 24. ------ The Century Foundation is a research foundation that undertakes timely, critical, and analytical studies of major economic, political, and social institutions and issues. Nonprofit and nonpartisan, TCF was founded in 1919 and endowed by Edward A. Filene. |