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The Department of Homeland Security

Administration Homeland Security Actions Since September 11

Sep 11 America attacked
Sep 11 Department of Defense begins combat air patrols over U.S. cities
Sep 11 Department of Transportation grounds all U.S. private aircraft
Sep 11 FEMA activates Federal Response Plan
Sep 11 U.S. Customs goes to Level 1 alert at all border ports of entry
Sep 11 Nuclear Regulatory Commission advises all nuclear power plants, non-power reactors, nuclear fuel facilities and gaseous diffusion plants go to the highest level of security. All complied.
Sep 11 President orders federal disaster funding for New York
Sep 11 FEMA deploys National Urban Search and Rescue Response team
Sep 11 FEMA deploys US Army Corp of Engineers to assist debris removal
Sep 11 FEMA deploys emergency medical and mortuary teams to NY and Washington
Sep 12 FAA allows limited reopening of the nation’s commercial airspace system to allow flights that were diverted on September 11 to continue to their original destinations
Sep 13 President orders federal aid for Virginia
Sep 13 Departments of Justice and Treasury deploy Marshals, Border Patrol, and Customs officials to provide a larger police presence at airports as they reopen
Sep 14 President proclaims a national emergency (Proc. 7463)
Sep 14 President orders ready reserves of armed forces to active duty
Sep 14 FBI Releases List of Nineteen Suspected Terrorists
Sep 17 Attorney General directs the establishment of 94 Anti-Terrorism Task Forces, one for each United States Attorney Office
Sep 18 President signs authorization for Use of Military Force bill
Sep 18 President authorizes additional disaster funding for New York
Sep 20 President addresses Congress, announces creation of the Office of Homeland Security and appointment of Governor Tom Ridge as Director
Sep 21 HHS announces that more than $126 million (part of $5 billion the President released for disaster relief) is being provided immediately to support health services provided in the wake of the attacks.
Sep 22 President signs airline transportation legislation, providing tools to assure the safety and immediate stability of our Nation's commercial airline system, and establish a process for compensating victims of the terrorist attacks.
Sep 25 The first of approximately 7,200 National Guard troops begin augmenting security at 444 airports
Sep 27 The FBI releases photographs of 19 individuals believed to be the 9/11 hijackers
Sep Coast Guard immediately mobilized more than 2,000 Reservists in the largest homeland defense and port security operation since World War II.
Oct 1 FEMA declares over $344 million committed to New York recovery so far
Oct 4 Robert Stevens dies of anthrax in Florida – first known victim of biological terrorism
Oct 8 President swears-in Governor Ridge as Assistant to the President for Homeland Security, and issues Executive Order creating OHS
Oct 9 President swears-in General (Retired) Wayne Downing as Director of the Office of Combating Terrorism, and issues Executive order creating OCT.
Oct 10 President unveils "most wanted" terrorists
Oct 12 FAA restores general aviation in 15 major metropolitan areas
Oct 16 President issues Executive Order establishing the President's Critical Infrastructure Protection Board to coordinate and have cognizance of Federal efforts and programs that relate to protection of information systems
Oct 21 FAA restores general aviation in 12 more major metropolitan areas
Oct 22 President issues Executive Order for HHS to exercise certain contracting authority in connection with national defense functions.
Oct 23 U.S. Customs Service creates new Office of Anti-Terrorism
Oct 25 Department of Treasury launches Operation Greenquest, a new multi-agency financial enforcement initiative bringing the full scope of the government's financial expertise to bear against sources of terrorist funding.
Oct 26 President signs the USA Patriot Act
Oct 29 President chairs first meeting of the Homeland Security Council. Issues Homeland Security Presidential Directive-1, establishing the organization and operation of the HSC, and HSPD-2, establishing the Foreign Terrorist Tracking Task Force and increasing immigration vigilance
Oct 30 FAA restricts all private aircraft flying over nuclear facilities
Nov 8 President announces that the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) will support homeland security, mobilizing more than 20,000 Senior Corps and AmeriCorps participants
Nov 8 President Bush creates the Presidential Task Force on Citizen Preparedness in the War Against Terrorism to help prepare Americans in their homes, neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, places of worship and public places from the potential consequences of terrorist attacks.
Nov 15 FEMA announces Individual and Family Grant program for disaster assistance
Nov 28 HHS awards contract to produce 155 million doses of smallpox vaccine by the end of 2002 to bring the total of doses in the nation's stockpile to 286 million, enough to protect every United States citizen.
Nov 29 Attorney General Ashcroft announces Responsible Cooperators Program, which will provide immigration benefits to non-citizens who furnish information to help apprehend terrorists or to stop terrorist attacks.
Dec 3 FBI implements first phase of headquarters reorganization
Dec 10 U.S. Customs launches "Operation Shield America" to prevent international terrorist organizations from obtaining sensitive U.S. technology, weapons, and other equipment
Dec 12 Governor Ridge and Canadian Foreign Minister John Manley sign a "smart border" declaration and action plan to improve security and efficiency of the Northern border
Dec 19 FAA restores general aviation in 30 major metropolitan areas
Dec 28 President issues Executive Orders on succession in federal agencies
Jan 10 President signs $2.9 billion bioterrorism appropriations bill
Jan 11 FAA publishes new standards to protect cockpits from intrusion and small arms fire or fragmentation devices, such as grenades, requiring operators of more than 6,000 airplanes to install reinforced doors by April 9, 2003.
Jan 17 President issues Executive Order authorizing the Secretary of Transportation to increase the number of Coast Guard service members on active duty.
Jan 17 U.S. Customs announces Container Security Initiative
Jan 17-18 U.S. Border Patrol officials and other representatives of the INS meet with Native American leaders and law enforcement officials jointly strengthen security along the Southwest and Northern borders.
Jan 17 & 25 FBI releases information, photographs, and FBI laboratory photographic retouches on six suspected terrorists
Jan 18 Department of Transportation meets mandate to submit plans for training security screeners and flight crews
Jan 23 FBI announces new hiring initiative for FBI Special Agents
Jan 28 Congress confirms appointment of John W. Magaw as Under Secretary of Transportation for Security
Jan 30 President issues Executive Order establishing the USA Freedom Corps, encouraging all Americans to serve their country for the equivalent of at least 2 years (4,000 hours) over their lifetimes.
Jan 31 HHS announces state allotments of $1.1 billion to help strengthen their capacity to respond to bioterrorism and other public health emergencies resulting from terrorism.
Feb 3 United States Secret Service ensures security of Super Bowl XXXVI, a National Special Security Event
Feb 4 President submits the President’s Budget for FY 2003 to the Congress, directing $37.7 billion to homeland security, up from $19.5 billion in FY 2002.
Feb 6 Attorney General Ashcroft announces rule change to Board of Immigration Appeals to eliminate backlog, prevent unwarranted delays and improve the quality of board decision- making while ensuring that those in our immigration court system enjoy the full protections of due process.
Feb 8-24 United States Secret Service ensures security of the 2002 Winter Olympics, a National Special Security Event
Feb 25 Soldiers of the U.S. Army National Guard begin to deploy to augment border security
Feb 26 Nuclear Regulatory Commission orders all 104 commercial nuclear power plants to implement interim compensatory security measures, formalizing measures taken in response to NRC advisories since September 11, and imposing additional security enhancements as a result of on-going comprehensive security review.
Mar 1 U.S. Customs Service announces action plan to ensure international air carrier compliance with regulations requiring passenger and crew information prior to arrival in the U.S. on flights from foreign locations.
Mar 5 Attorney General Ashcroft announces National Security Coordination Council to ensure seamless coordination of all functions of the Department of Justice relating to national security, particularly efforts to combat terrorism.
Mar 8 To date, the U.S. Coast Guard has conducted over 35,000 port security patrols and 3,500 air patrols; boarded over 10,000 vessels including over 2,000 "high interest vessels;" escorted 6,000 vessels in and out of ports including 2,000 escorted by Sea Marshalls; maintained over 124 security zones; and recalled 2,900 Reservists to active duty.
Mar 12 President establishes the Homeland Security Advisory System (HSPD-3)
Mar 19 President issues Executive Order establishing the President’s Homeland Security Advisory Council
Mar 22 Secretary of State Powell and Mexico Interior Minister Santiago Creel sign a "smart border" declaration and action plan to improve security and efficiency of the Southern border
Mar 25 U.S. Customs officers begin partnership with Canadian Customs officers to inspect U.S.-bound cargo upon its first arrival in the ports of Montreal, Halifax, and Vancouver
Mar 25 Nuclear Regulatory Commission orders Honeywell International, Inc., a uranium conversion facility in Illinois, to immediately implement interim compensatory security measures.
Mar 29 HHS announces it will obtain more than 75 million additional doses of smallpox vaccine from Aventis Pasteur Inc., provided the supply, stored in a secure location since 1972, is proven safe and effective.
Apr 5 NRC forms Office of Security to streamline security, safeguards and incident response activities
Apr 8 INS implements rule changes governing an alien's ability to begin a course of study the period of time visitors are permitted to remain in the United States
Apr 16 U.S. Customs launches the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism
Apr 22 FBI Director Mueller announces key management positions in the counterterrorism division
Apr 30 Transportation Security Administration announces successful implementation of Federal passenger screeners at Baltimore-Washington airport
May 14 President Signs Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act
May 19 TSA issues 180 day progress report to Congress
May 22 CIA creates new position of Associate Director of Central Intelligence for Homeland Security, effective May 28.
May 24 Nuclear Regulatory Commission orders decommissioning of commercial nuclear power plants with spent fuel stored in water-filled pools and a spent nuclear fuel storage facility using pool storage to implement interim compensatory security measures for the current threat environment.
May 29 Attorney General Ashcroft and FBI Director Mueller announce reorganization of the FBI to achieve top priority of counter-terrorism and better coordination with the CIA