US: Are you keeping up?
In the past week or so, the USA has passed three major pieces of legislation. And that's only a part of the post 11 September picture. Can anyone keep up?
Can anyone find a pen? George Bush's trusty example must be getting worn out. In the past week or so, he has been busy signing into law a whole series of laws:
- The Homeland Security Act - this amalgamates US Customs and a host of other US enforcement and investigation agencies
- Maritime Transportation Security Act - this provides for a range of border security measures and contains veiled threats to countries that do not agree with the Container Security Initiative under which US Customs officers are stationed at ports in foreign countries
- Intelligence Authorization Act - creates National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States to examine and report on the facts and causes relating to the September 11th terrorist attacks and appropriates budget: members of Congress have said it provides the largest-ever increase in intelligence spending to provide for expanded counter-terrorism activities, more intelligence personnel, and greater attention to human intelligence gathering.
Since 11 September 2001, the number of pieces of related legislation has multiplied astronomically - more than twenty Acts have been passed.
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