On March 30, Sens. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Barack Obama (D-IL) introduced a new bill on chemical plant security, The Chemical Security and Safety Act, with a major improvement over current chemical security proposals: it includes a requirement that chemical plants consider inherently safer technologies. The bill also establishes a more active role for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the implementation of chemical security requirements.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) concluded recently that, while some progress has been made on chemical security, hurdles and delays remain, including a lack of clear authority for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish requirements for chemical facilities. The GAO reported its findings in a report released Feb. 27 on the current status of chemical security at DHS. The GAO also found DHS resistant to involving the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in a review of inherently safer technologies that might reduce risks posed by chemical plants.

After two short-term extensions of the USA PATRIOT Act, Congress and the White House appear to have reached a deal on the controversial legislation. Unfortunately, the deal fails to make real progress toward protecting civil liberties.

Among the fireworks at the close of the 2005 congressional session, the extension of the 16 sunset provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act underwent a series of last-minute brinksmanship maneuvers.