United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2008-07-16 monographic deposited born digital 14 p. GA 1.13:GAO-08-960T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-960T P0b002ee18039f12e f:d08960t DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-960T machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-960T GAO-08-960T Agency missions Biological agents Biological warfare Biotechnology Data collection Developmental testing Homeland security Information centers Information technology Interagency relations Mission essential operations Operational testing Risk factors Risk management Schedule slippages Systems analysis Systems integration Technology Technology assessment Terrorism Program goals or objectives Program implementation DHS BioWatch program National Biosurveillance Integration System Testimony A82889 The United States faces potentially dangerous biological threats that occur naturally or may be the result of a terrorist attack. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is developing two major initiatives to provide early detection and warning of biological threats: the National Biosurveillance Integration Center (NBIC), a center for integrating and coordinating information on biological events of national significance, and the BioWatch program that operates systems used to test the air for biological agents. The Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 requires DHS to establish a fully operational NBIC by September 30, 2008. This statement discusses the status of DHS's efforts to (1) make NBIC fully operational by the mandated deadline, and (2) improve the BioWatch program's technology. GAO's preliminary observations of these two programs are based on our ongoing work mandated by the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 to review U.S. biosurveillance efforts. To conduct this work, GAO reviewed related statutes; federal directives; and DHS planning, development, and implementation documents on these two initiatives. We also interviewed DHS program officials to obtain additional information about NBIC and BioWatch. DHS reviewed a draft of this testimony and provided technical comments, which were incorporated as appropriate. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-960T/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-960T.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-960T/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-960T.pdf GAO-08-960T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-960T Testimony GAO-08-960T; Biosurveillance: Preliminary Observations on Department of Homeland Security's Biosurveillance Initiatives; Agency missions Biological agents Biological warfare Biotechnology Data collection Developmental testing Homeland security Information centers Information technology Interagency relations Mission essential operations Operational testing Risk factors Risk management Schedule slippages Systems analysis Systems integration Technology Technology assessment Terrorism Program goals or objectives Program implementation DHS BioWatch program National Biosurveillance Integration System Volume 121 Page 266 121 Stat. 266 Public Law 110-53