Analysis of Critical Infrastructure Authorities: US Laws and Acts

This assignment is a discussion board post analyzing the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, the Homeland Security Act of 2002 and the Implementing Recommendation of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007. The post compares and contrasts these acts with regard to critical infrastructure (CI) identification, prioritization, protection, and resiliency. It examines how these statutes direct the executive branch in its efforts to safeguard CI. The analysis includes the historical context of these laws, their specific provisions, and their impact on national security, particularly in response to terrorism. The assignment highlights the controversies and criticisms associated with these acts, such as concerns about privacy and constitutional rights. The post also references supporting materials, including relevant US Code sections and the evolution of homeland security measures. The discussion concludes by emphasizing the importance of these legislative actions in strengthening the nation's infrastructure and preventing future attacks.

Running Head: CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AUTHORITIES
CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AUTHORITIES
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note:

1CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AUTHORITIES
The Code of United States of America (USC) is the official codified law including the
federal statutes which are applicable in United States. It contains 54 titles of which title 53 is
being reserved. The laws which are not codified in the USC is codified and contained in the
United Stated Statutes at Large. This US Statute at Large is strictly chronologically arranged
including all the laws spread across in various volumes. Therefore, it becomes difficult to
research any matter with US State at Large as a tool. The applicability and validity of the law
and its provisions has to be first researched only then further research can be done.
In 2001, the US Patriot Act 2001 was brought into action by President Bush, which is a
comprehensive collection of provisions referring the anti-terrorism provisions and laws
regulating the same. The objective of the enactment of such law is to improve the national
security, improve the scrutiny of terrorism groups and activities and fighting illegal activities like
money laundering which is a serious threat to national economy. The United States vs. Antoine
Jones (2012) 565 US 400 is one of the biggest critique of the application of the Act where the
conviction was overturned by the Supreme Court on the grounds of jeoparding the Constitutional
rights of the suspects due to monitoring provisions laid down in the Patriot Act. Further, the
Electronic Privacy Information Center has criticized the law stating that it gives an uncontrolled
authority to the FBI to invade private communications of law-abiding American citizens. Section
209, 212 and 220 has been debated to be modified for violating title III wiretap order and not
recognizing the importance of serving notice under the Fourth Amendment under Title III which
relates to wiretap. This included one of the biggest controversies of use of National Scrutiny
Letters where FBI were allowed to search all the conversational medium of the people without
the court’s order. This was strongly criticized by American Civil Liberties Union for violating
Constitutional right to privacy (Kissling 2016).

2CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AUTHORITIES
Protection of the United States from terrorism activities became the main agenda
of the Department of Homeland Security due to which they proposed the establishment of a
special department called Department of Homeland Security. This DHS is the core establishment
to protect America’s infrastructure. The Critical Infrastructure Information Act 2002 was
enforced at 6 USC section 131 which provides situational analysis under which DHS can obtain ,
disclose and use the infrastructure information as a part of critical infrastructure protection
program (Steven 2003).
Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 is the codification
which allows complete without any reservations, inspection of sea and air cargo which are
entering into the United States (United States, Department of Homeland Security (2011)). It is to
control the terrorism funding and exchange of any communication or weaponry plans. It was
passed by the unanimous consent to ensure strict national security which meant voluntary
preparedness for any attack in future. The Act lays down the scrutiny of all the cargos entering
the country, nationwide reporting of any suspicious activity, advance passenger record data, huge
funding has been granted to ensure national security is maintained at its best, set up of fusion
centers where all the state and urban support if fused with the federal systems, enhanced
explosive screening, implementation of chemical facility anti-terrorism standards and Critical
infrastructure Security Assessments to ensure national infrastructure and its critical vulnerability
towards potential terrorism activity and provide recommendations against the same.
It can be concluded after the 9/11 attach America was shaken with terrorism and has
taken effective steps to revive its strength, immunity, and infrastructural security to ensure no
further terrorist or any suspicious activity goes unseen.

3CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AUTHORITIES
REFERENCES
India, P. (2019). Don't inquire beyond jurisdiction in limited scrutiny cases: CBDT to taxmen.
Retrieved 5 October 2019, from https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-
affairs/don-t-inquire-beyond-jurisdiction-in-limited-scrutiny-cases-cbdt-to-taxmen-
117120100400_1.html
United States. Department of Homeland Security.
(2011). Implementing 9/11 Commission Recommendations:
Progress Report 2011. The Department.
Kissling, M. T. (2016). How patriotism matters in US social studies classrooms, fifteen years
after 9/11. Reassessing the Social Studies Curriculum: Promoting Critical Civic
Engagement in a Politically Polarized, Post, 9(11), 41-53.
United States vs. Antoine Jones (2012) 565 US 400
Stevens, G. M. (2003, February). Homeland Security Act of 2002: Critical Infrastructure
Information Act. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL
RESEARCH SERVICE.