[FYI] (Fwd) FC: Sen. Ron Wyden calls for "Emergency Technology Corps

["Axel H Horns" <horns@ipjur.com>]

------- Forwarded message follows -------
Date sent:      	Fri, 28 Sep 2001 14:11:16 -0400
From:           	Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com>
To:             	politech@politechbot.com
Subject:        	FC: Sen. Ron Wyden calls for "Emergency Technology Corps"
Send reply to:  	declan@well.com



http://wyden.senate.gov/9262001%20Tech%20Corps%20Statement.htm

          Remarks of Senator Ron Wyden to the United States Senate
        Proposing a National Emergency Technology Guard (NET Guard)

     Senator Wyden chairs the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Science,
                           Technology and Space.

   "I am interested in discussing with the Senate a proposition that I
   think is important in light of the tragic events that unfolded on
   September 11, 2001. As all of us understand now, the communications
   infrastructure of New York, Washington, DC, and indeed the whole
   country, was severely challenged.

   "Wireless telephone networks were severely overloaded and crashed.
   Wireless Internet access was suspended. Telephone lines were cut,
   and communications, for people literally in communities around the
   East Coast of the United States, came to a standstill. Even the
   immediate communication needs of rescue workers, victims, families
   and aid groups were a struggle to coordinate. Survivors often could
   not let family members know they were safe. Families of victims had
   no immediate central clearinghouse to find information or file
   missing persons reports.

   "Hospitals were inundated with searches, requests for help and
   offers of aid, but no way to match them to each other. Even some of
   our nation's premier aid organizations, who have done such a
   marvelous job helping rescue workers, survivors and victims'
   families, faced immediate and severe challenges with respect to
   information technology infrastructure. The New York Times drew a
   conclusion that I strongly agree with: There need to be new ways to
   set up emergency information systems.

   "That's what I'd like to propose. What this country needs is
   essentially a technology equivalent of the National Guard: a
   National Emergency Technology Guard - NET Guard - that in times of
   crisis would be in a position to mobilize our nation's information
   technology, or IT, community to action quickly, just as the
   National Guard is ready to move during emergencies.

   "In our leading technology companies in this nation, there are the
   brains and the equipment to put in place this NET Guard, that could
   be deployed across this country when we face tragedies like we saw
   in New York City. A national volunteer organization of trained and
   well-coordinated units of IT professionals from our leading
   technology companies ought to be in a position to stand ready with
   designated computer equipment, satellite dishes, wireless
   communicators and other equipment to quickly recreate and repair
   compromised communications and technology infrastructures.

   "With Congressional support, the leaders of our nation's technology
   companies could organize themselves, their employees, and their
   resources for this purpose. Medium and small-sized businesses would
   be able to contribute once a national framework was put in place.
   The resources from the federal level need not be extensive; people
   could be designated from existing human resource pools at major and
   medium sized firms and these IT professionals would be trained to
   perform specific tasks in the event of an emergency.

   "I intend to use the Subcommittee that I chair to initiate a
   dialogue among Congressional, corporate, military and non-profit
   leaders to begin a new effort to mobilize information technology in
   times of crisis. As we seek to prevent future disasters, I believe
   the technology professionals of this nation, like most Americans,
   want to use their skills, their equipment, and their talents to
   this call and do their part. I propose we give leading information
   technology professionals a chance to use their ingenuity and
   creativity to insure greater safety and stability for our
   communities and our citizens in the coming days."

---

http://wyden.senate.gov/9262001%20Tech%20Corps.htm

                            Wyden Issues Call
                       for Emergency Technology Corps

          NET Guard Would Repair, Restore Communications in Crisis

   Washington, DC
   - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today called for the formation of
   a National Emergency Technology Guard (NET Guard) to mobilize as a
   technological equivalent of the military's National Guard in times
   of national crisis, including terror attacks and natural disasters.
   To complement other disaster response efforts, Wyden suggested that
   U.S. information technology (IT) companies could organize and lead
   a national volunteer response team to quickly reactivate and
   safeguard the nation's communication capability and infrastructure
   in times of critical need. 

   "As we seek to prevent future disasters, we must still prepare to
   meet them. I believe the technology professionals of this nation,
   like all Americans, are ready to answer the call and do their
   part," said Wyden. "The formation of a National Emergency
   Technology Guard will give them that chance, and insure greater
   safety and stability for our communities and our citizens in the
   coming days."

   The September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon
   temporarily crippled much of the communications infrastructure of
   New York, Washington, DC, and other parts of the nation, hampering
   rescue and response efforts. Wireless telephone networks were
   severely overloaded and crashed. Wireless Internet access was
   suspended. Telephone lines were cut, and communications, for many
   people, came to a standstill. Rescue workers, victims, families and
   aid groups struggled to coordinate their communication and
   technology needs.

   NET Guard would be a national volunteer organization of trained and
   well-coordinated units of IT professionals from U.S. technology
   companies. These units would stand ready with designated computer
   equipment, satellite dishes, wireless communicators and other
   resources to quickly recreate and repair compromised communications
   and technology infrastructures. Volunteers would be designated from
   existing human resource pools at major and medium sized firms and
   these IT professionals would be trained to perform specific tasks
   in the event of an emergency.

   Wyden, chair of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Science,
   Technology and Space, intends to initiate a dialogue among
   government, corporate, military and non-profit leaders to begin a
   new effort to mobilize information technology in times of crisis.

                                   # # #




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