Post 9-11 Responses

Legislative branch

• Laws:

1. "PATRIOT" and "USA" bills become anti-terrorist law

• increased surveillance powers
• reduced role of courts

1. other proposals

• Committee roles: hearings relating to proposed legislation and possible problem areas

Bush Administration initiatives

• Office of Homeland Security, with designation of a Special Advisor for Cyberspace Security
• formation of the Critical Infrastructure Protection Board
• "site scrubbing"
• removing potentially sensitive information from executive branch agency web sites
• evaluating what can safely be restored
• The Special Advisor for Cyberspace Security has also advanced a proposal for constructing a separate "GovNet" for crucial government network functions.