{
  "id": "RL32897",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "RL32897",
  "active": false,
  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
  "versions": [
    {
      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 306112,
      "date": "2005-04-29",
      "retrieved": "2016-04-07T19:46:21.371029",
      "title": "Post-9/11 National Threat Notification Efforts: Issues, Actions, and Options for Congress",
      "summary": "A perceived lack of coordination in the federal government's warning notification process and\ninconsistent messages regarding threats to the homeland have led to an erosion of confidence in the\ninformation conveyed to the Nation. Congress is now considering legislation ( H.R. 1817 , The Department of Homeland Security Authorization Act for FY2006) to reform the\nHomeland Security Advisor System to allow for greater confidence in the threat information\nconveyed to the Nation.\n Since September 11, 2001, numerous federal government organizations have notified the public\nof threats to the Nation. At times, warnings have been issued in a government-wide coordinated\nmanner; other times this has not been the case. In each situation that has led to increasing the threat \nlevel, a number of organizations have made public pronouncements regarding the nature of the threat\nprior to, during, or after the raising of the alert-level. The information conveyed to the public often\nhas been inconsistent regarding the threat or the timing of a suspected attack. This lack of\ncoordination and unity in message has led to a dilution in the American public's belief in the\npronouncements and a questioning of the utility of the Homeland Security Advisory System (HSAS). \nThe focus of this paper is the federal government's coordination efforts in publicly alerting the\nNation of threats to the homeland. The report reviews past warnings and changes in the alert level,\norganizations that have made public statements regarding threats to the Nation, and examples of how\nthis lack of unity might lead to confusion and misinterpretations of the threat level. Options for\nCongress are provided regarding delineation of roles and responsibilities and which government\nentity should be held accountable for warning the Nation of threats to the homeland .\n This paper may be updated based on future National threat notifications or changes in the\nnotification system. For a discussion and options regarding the Homeland Security Advisory\nSystem's (HSAS) level of detail with respect to disseminated warnings, Department of Homeland\nSecurity's suggested protective measures, coordination of the HSAS with other current federal\nwarning systems, or the costs associated with threat levels changes see  CRS Report RL32023 ,\n Homeland Security Advisory System: Possible Issues for Congressional Oversight .",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORTS",
      "active": false,
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          "encoding": "utf-8",
          "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL32897",
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          "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL32897",
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      ],
      "topics": []
    }
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Intelligence and National Security"
  ]
}