John McCarthy, Director and PI of the CIP Program, was recently asked to take part in a task force sponsored by the ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security. The task force studied the response to Hurricane Katrina to ascertain if the underlying legal structures were equal to the challenge of such a massive disaster.
Randall Jackson, Sr. Legal Research Associate and Maeve Dion, Legal Research Associate, worked with Mr. McCarthy to develop the paper’s section on posse comitatus and the use of the military in disaster relief.
John A. McCarthy Quoted in a Chicago Daily Law Bulletin Article on United States Laws Relating to Disaster Planning
John A. McCarthy, CIP Program Director and Principal Investigator, was quoted in an article in the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin on possible societal and legal implications of a flu pandemic or other disaster.
Much of the information in the article comes from Suzanne E. Spaulding, the immediate past chair of the ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security.
When disasters strike, law 'not ready' In: Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, by Patricia Manson. February 13, 2006.
Excerpt: The Katrina working group concluded that current laws and procedures designed to clear the way for the military to assist in relief efforts are sound, according to one of its members, John A. McCarthy of Arlington, Va.
McCarthy is the executive director of the Critical Infrastructure Protection Project at George Mason University School of Law.
But the same cannot be said for the legal authorities governing the private sector's role in responding to catastrophes, said another member of the group, Lee M. Zeichner of Falls Church, Va.
He said these laws and regulations "are wholly insufficient." Congress needs to craft a strategy for dealing with a major disaster -- "the so-called incident of national significance, something that is truly castastrophic, a super-duper disaster, pick your term" -- that sets out the part that non-governmental entities are to play, according to Zeichner.
"I think that we need to move away from ad hoc response when it comes to the private sector," he said. "We need clarity on roles and responsibilities."
January 2006
Issue 4.07 | The CIP Report: January 2006
The Critical Infrastructure Protection Program at George Mason University's School of Law is pleased to publish this edition focused on the Homeland Security Council and UASI Updates.
Homeland Security Advisory Council & UASI Updates: Issue Table of Contents HSAC New Members Appointed Risk Approach for WME DHS UASI Grants UASI Funding Table U.S.- Swedish Workshop CIP Conference
John McCarthy Participates in Infrastructure Conference and CIP Program Exhibits Research Findings and Projects: February 15-17, 2006
The CIP Program will participate in a three-day conference on critical infrastructure protection, entitled Critical Infrastructure Resilience / ISBE 2006. This conference will be held at the Washington, D.C. Convention Center from February 15-17, 2006. At the conference, CIP Program Director and Principal Investigator, John A.McCarthy will participate in a panel discussion on Day 2 from 3:45 – 5:15pm on “The Current and Future Infrastructure: How Can Integration Be Achieved?
In addition, the CIP Program will be an exhibitor in an exhibit hall at the conference. Here, CIP Program researchers will discuss past and future research, and CIP Program staff will also be on hand to discuss a questions and research involving infrastructure protection.
December 2005
CIPP Panel Discussion on the Continuity of the U.S. Supreme Court Discussed in Detail in Legal Times
The Legal Times just published an article discussing the recent panel discussion about continuity in the Supreme Court in the event of its incapacitation, be it from a terrorist attack, flu pandemic or other catastrophic event. This article summarizes several of the key points brought put forth by the panel of experts during the event on November 30, 2005.
A Panel Discussion: Continuity of the U.S. Supreme Court
The November 30th workshop will address the issue of protecting the continuity of the Supreme Court in the event of its incapacitation, be it from a terrorist attack, flu pandemic or other catastrophic event. As a new Court session commences, it is important to think about this issue in light of the potential threats faced by all element of the
U.S. government. The continued functioning of the Supreme Court in the aftermath of a disaster or attack is critical to our democratic society. It is therefore imperative that contingencies be thought through and put in place in advance of such a scenario. With this purpose in mind, we are convening a panel of leading experts in the field to discuss ideas regarding the Court"s continuity. [more...]
Critical Conversations on Infrastructure Protection - After the Storms: Repairing the Damage
A conversation featuring former FEMA director James Lee Witt on preparedness, response, and America’s critical infrastructures The conversation with James Lee Witt will be followed by a panel discussion to include experts on homeland security and the private sector. Panelists will be announced shortly. The event will take place on Tuesday, November 29, 2005 [more...]
October 2005
Harmonizing Security Cost Recovery (SCR) Programs for Critical Infrastructure Investments
The Senior Policy Group (SPG) of the Office of the National Capital Region Coordination (ONCRC) and George Mason University’s Critical Infrastructure Protection Program held the first-ever Security Cost Recovery Workshop on October 6, 2005 to discuss possible initial steps in t he development of a single, harmonized legislative and regulatory program to encourage capital and operational expenditures in security in the National Capital Region. The workshop was a result of one of several findings and recommendations that evolved from the National Capital Region-Critical Infrastructure Project (NCR-CIP) [more...].
CIP Program Cited in Public Utilities Fortnightly Article
The CIP Program was recently mentioned in an article in the publication Public Utilities Fortnightly for their involvement with the Department of Energy in analyzing insurance issues in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Excerpt: "One hurdle, admittedly, which was voiced many times at a recent meeting with the insurance industry sponsored by DOE and the Critical Infrastructure Protection Program at George Mason School of Law, was the problem of adverse selection -- a phenomenon where the only parties involved in the insurance are those that need coverage the most."
September 2005
John A. McCarthy Writes on Securing Infrastructre in Richmond Times-Dispatch Article
Director and Principal Investigator, John A. McCarthy, wrote an editorial in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, which appeared on September 11, 2005. The piece is entitled Securing Infrastructure: Telecoms Must Take Steps To Ensure Communications. It is available from the Ricmond Times-Dispatch website and it has been reprinted in the October 2005 issue of The CIP Report (p. 11)
The Critical Infrastructure Protection Program | George Mason University School of Law 3301 N. Fairfax Drive | MS 1G7 | Arlington, VA 22201 Phone: (703) 993- 4840 | Fax: (703) 993- 4847
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