Asa Hutchinson DHS Entry-Exit System

DHS Entry-Exit System Meets 2004 Goals Ahead of Schedule

Monday, Jan 3, 2005 Asa Hutchinson, Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security at the United States Department of Homeland Security, announced today that the Department of Homeland Security met a major milestone by implementing the US-VISIT entry-exit system at the 50 busiest land ports of entry ahead of schedule. Congress mandated that DHS complete this phase of an entry-exit system by December 31, 2004. As of December 29, 2004, US-VISIT was operational at the 50 busiest land border ports. The first results indicate that these new US-VISIT biometric procedures at land border ports of entry are also saving visitors time crossing the border. FULL TEXT DHS Entry-Exit System Meets 2004 Goals Ahead of Schedule

For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary Contact: 202-298-5200 (Kimberly Weissman January 03, 2005

National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is assisting U.S. government agencies in their effort to assess the extent and scope of damage caused by the December 26th tsunami in the Indian Ocean. NGA is providing imagery products of the affected areas on a daily basis to: the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA); the U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM), in whose region the tsunami occurred; and to other U.S. government agencies supporting humanitarian relief activities.

NGA continues to use its commercial satellite imagery contracts to fulfill customer requests for information. The products show the scope of the damage caused by the earthquake and resulting tsunami. OFDA and USPACOM are using the products to determine the priorities for emergency relief efforts and where life supporting supplies and personnel need to be deployed.

NGA is also assessing impacts to infrastructure, which includes damage to roads, bridges, ports, and airfields and how that damage affects access in and out of the damaged areas. This assessment will assist the U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) and others providing assistance in the region.

NGA is a Department of Defense combat support agency and a member of the National Intelligence Community whose mission is to provide timely, relevant and accurate geospatial intelligence in support of our national security. Geospatial intelligence is the exploitation and analysis of imagery and geospatial information to describe, assess and visually depict physical features and geographically referenced activities on the Earth. Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., NGA has major facilities in the Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia, and St. Louis, Mo., areas with NGA support teams worldwide. - 30 -

Office of Corporate Relations Public Affairs 4600 Sangamore Road Bethesda, MD 20816-5003

MEDIA RELEASE: NGA-04-14 DATE: December 29, 2004 CONTACT: Stephen Honda, 301-227-2057; Stephen.Honda@nga.mil Howard Cohen, 301-227-3105; cohenh@nga.mil