Protect Our Federal Buildings? Our Hands are Tied with Red Tape.

Nearly ten years after the Oklahoma City bombing and two-and-a-half years after 9/11, the federal committee set up to make federal buildings safer from terrorist attack has only one full time staff member. As a result, the Government Accountability Office says Washington is having only limited success in protecting its buildings, bases, and monuments against terrorist attack.

In it's latest report on the matter, GAO looked at the Interagency Security Committee (ISC). Washington set up the ISC after the Oklahoma City bombing. It was supposed to cut through the red tape and coordinate how all agencies protected federal facilities from attack. In 2002, the GAO found limited success because of three main problems:

The GSA failing to provide consistent and aggressive leadership
Inadequate funding and staff support and funding for ISC
ISC's difficulty in making decisions

The new GAO report finds that ISC has made progress but has significant challenges. For instance the lone staffer at the mercy of hundreds of government agencies -- each going in its own direction. (GAO)