During the month of May, two of our important mission partners are commemorated during Military Appreciation Month and National Police Week. As the national office for responsible information sharing charged with supporting our Nation’s counterterrorism and homeland security missions, we at PM-ISE salute our nation’s law enforcement and military professionals and their families.

National Police Week

Later today, I will speak at the 8th Annual CES Government Conference 2013: Ports of Entry: Technologies Driving Global Commerce and the Security of Nations where I will share some of the work that my office has supported in advancing responsible information sharing at ports and borders. Many of our important partners in the WMD, maritime, and air communities have advanced their security missions and saved money through information sharing and interoperability programs. Two good examples of these projects are:

In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, our government not only needed to improve its counterterrorism intelligence, but also share information better, faster, and smarter. We found that our national security relies on our ability to share the right information, with the right people, at the right time – and we must “enlist all of our intelligence, law enforcement, and homeland security capabilities,” as the National Security Strategy states.

Last month, Ronald Brooks was awarded the National Intelligence Distinguished Public Service Medal by Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, which is the highest honor presented to a non-federal employee who has performed eminent acts of service and sacrifice on behalf of the United States Intelligence Community.

Back in March, GSA’s Office of Government-wide Policy and I challenged industry to provide recommendations for enhancing the government’s acquisition policy and increasing interoperability through standards.

Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of participating in the United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF) Thinkers Series, where I heard the perspectives of our industry partners in the Information Sharing Environment. USGIF and my staff have drafted a summary of the key themes of the discussion in USGIF Thinkers Series Vol. 1, some highlights of which include:

Interoperability & Standards

Our state and major urban area-led fusion centers have been and continue to be a critical component of our nation’s information sharing capabilities. By design, the national network of fusion centers are a direct reflection of our federated democracy and the sovereignty of state and local governments.

I just returned from the 119^th Annual International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference and Law Enforcement Education and Technology Expo in San Diego, CA. The IACP 2012 Conference is an excellent opportunity to learn about progress and develop connections in law enforcement, as well as discuss and solve issues in law enforcement and information sharing.

Effective and responsible information sharing requires strong commitment and participation from agencies. A number of our mission partners have embraced a culture of responsible information sharing in their planning and implementation – they have developed effective internal governance structures and practical measures to ensure that information sharing and risk management goals and objectives are fully integrated in their day-to-day operations.

This morning, I testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security’s Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Management. The hearing was titled “Lessons from Fort Hood: Improving Our Ability to Connect the Dots.”

I testified from my perspective as an information technologist and to present the mission of the PM-ISE, and I appreciated the opportunity to highlight important successes and challenges in information sharing.