Foreign Policy Magazine Quotes Marino on Unused National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS)

Representative Tom Marino was quoted regarding the Department of Homeland Security's unused NTAS infrastructure and the failure of President Obama's new system of warning the American public about terrorism threats. Marino's full statement appears below: 

“The underutilization of the NTAS seems to demonstrate the ineffectiveness of the President’s ability directly communicate with our citizens about terror threats. Under his lack of leadership the bureaucracy has grown cumbersome and lethargic which make expedient dissemination of information nearly impossible. That is completely unacceptable and DHS needs to figure out a way to get this most basic function right. Frankly having a NTAS that is hollow and purely aesthetic is embarrassing.

In emergency situations, especially during terror attacks or threats, information can save lives and increase overall safety. We’ve had too many close calls in the past few years and social media may never be enough to provide our people with important information. We need a complete infrastructure of notifications systems and the President needs to regularly inquire with his security commission about the effectiveness of it.

I am deeply concerned about this problem and the fact that no alerts have been issued despite all the imminent threats we face. I am currently working closely with my colleagues on the Homeland Security Committee to plan more Congressional inquiries into the utilizations and usefulness of the current NTAS. We must do everything we can to make it better. The first step is implementing better leadership.”

Please read FP Magazine's John Hudson's full article here. 

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