Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) recently introduced two bills in an attempt to protect local businesses and communities against potential terrorist attacks.
The first bill, the CBRN Intelligence and Information Sharing Act, would amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear intelligence and information sharing functions of the Office of Intelligence and Analysis in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The act would also require the dissemination of information analyzed by the department to entities with responsibilities relations to homeland security.
The second, the DHS Support for Fusion Centers Act, would require federal intelligence officials to assess personnel needs at regional fusion centers to determine if additional access to classified information is needed.
“Information about known terror threats does little good if it never reaches local officials,” McSally said. “There’s just too much at stake to allow a failure to work together to put our communities at risk. That’s why I’m introducing this legislation to help ensure local law enforcement have the tools, information, and personnel they need to keep us safe.”
McSally introduced the bills one day prior to the Corporate Security Symposium, an event for local Tucson-area businesses to hear from DHS officials about the evolving threat of terrorism.