Not a Matter of “If”, But of “When”: The Status of U.S. Response Following an RDD Attack

The Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce and the District of Columbia and the Subcommittee on State, Local, and Private Sector Preparedness and Integration held a joint hearing to examine our national level of preparedness to respond to a terrorist attack using a radiological dispersion device or “dirty bomb.” Particular focus was on how the U.S. Department of Homeland Security coordinates with other Federal agencies, such as the Department of Energy and Department of Health and Human Services. The Subcommittees also examined how DHS coordinates with regional, state and local governments, and their capabilities to respond to a dirty bomb attack.