National resilience refers to the State’s ability to recover and withstand challenges, stresses, and shocks arising from a particular country’s environmental, political, economic, and social spheres spectrums. While maintaining its structures and core values, the country depicts its national resilience in adopting, thriving, and transforming despite the incurred challenges. United States of America (USA) has encountered various threats to its security over the past eras, from terrorist attacks to natural tragedies. As the President’s advisor to Homeland security, I must evaluate and assess the condition of national resilience by identifying strategies and gaps threatening national security. National resilience in the USA has been impacted by various elements such as Covid-19, banking, infrastructure, and energy (Bean, 2018). The government has enacted policies to enhance national resilience while addressing the established gaps. This paper assesses the condition of USA national resilience as an element of Homeland security by highlighting the strategies and addressing gaps.
Current Strategies
The USA has implemented several strategies to enhance national resilience. The pivotal policies include establishing various security departments, such as Homeland security. The department focuses on counteracting emergency disasters by training the communities and individuals on safety preparatory measures in the face of pandemics such as Covid-19, national disasters, and terrorist attacks. Additionally, the government has other security bodies, such as National Response Framework (NRF), providing a platform for local, State, and federal agencies to facilitate their responses to security threats (Farmer et al., 2020). National Preparedness System (NPS) is another department used to evaluate and improve the State’s readiness to respond to disasters and threats.
Capitalizing infrastructure sector. The current infrastructure plan under the Biden administration amounts to $2 trillion, which encompasses important investments in energy and transportation. The funds are thus used to build and strengthen the Nation’s aging infrastructure, making them resilient to disasters and cyber threats. Notably, reinforcing healthcare systems has helped the country recover from the losses and weaknesses highlighted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The State has reacted by improving access to all citizens, enhancing disease response and surveillance competencies, and spending on medical research (Givens et al., 2018). A package of $1.9 for Covid-19 relief has been proposed, including funds for vaccination, treatment, and testing under the Biden administration.
The State has invested in training and education. The State has thus invested in education and training, equipping individuals from various career fields to acquire resilient skills and knowledge to tolerate the changing global economy. The country also has diversified supply chains hence combating the monotony of suppliers. A review of critical supply chains under the Biden administration has been launched, especially the pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and batteries. Hence developing policies to reduce risks and identifying vulnerabilities. Enhancement of social safety nets that support families during disasters and economic recessions (Harrop & Matteson, 2014). Thus the minimum wage, provision of direct payments to families, and expansion of unemployment insurance. The State has fostered cooperation and collaboration with various society’s sectors enhancing national resilience. The urge for government partnership with public societies and businesses, thus addressing various challenges such as public health, climate change, and cybersecurity.
Gaps and Recommendations
There are various gaps in national resilience despite the implementation of effective strategies by the government. Limited investment in the infrastructure sector. Infrastructure maintenance and upgrades must be more robust when critical infrastructure is essential to maintaining national resilience. The damaged energy systems, bridges, and roads are aging, thus demanding immediate repair while the State’s cyber-security systems are vulnerable to cyber-attacks. The USA depends heavily on energy sources such as coal, oil, and gas, whereby disruptions in the sources affect the county’s normalcy in grander damage. For instance, hurricanes, floods, or storms can destroy power infrastructure resulting in fuel shortages and power outages. Other critical infrastructures, such as communication systems and transportation, are impacted by the cascading effects of disruptions (Givens et al., 2018).The gap can be addressed by investing heaving in infrastructure. The federal government should invest in medical personnel, hospital beds, and equipment, thus increasing the Nation’s resilience to respond to civil health emergencies. The government should also invest in improving and updating damaged power grids, dams, and bridges.
Limited healthcare systems. The Covid-19 pandemic affected the USA’s economy and public health greatly. Many businesses were closed, contracts terminated, and many individuals lost job opportunities, bringing grander economic losses. The pandemic highlighted the country’s weaknesses and inequalities in the supply chains and healthcare systems. The government strained the resources since there was reduced productivity (Harrop & Matteson, 2014). Minority communities and low-income families were greatly impacted, which resulted in increased national insecurities. Maintaining parity in the healthcare system’s access regardless of sex, religion, ethnicity, or income will promote national resilience.
Cybersecurity. The increased vulnerability of the USA to cyber-attacks can damage the economy, disrupt critical infrastructure and result in the loss of sensitive administrative gen. increasing investments in infrastructure, computer science, technological innovations, training, and information technology will increase national resilience. Cyber-attacks can be a threat to the banking sector. The banking sector plays a crucial role in stabilizing national resilience. For instance, the 2018 economic recession had a devastating impact on the national economy. The government should thus support and invest in the banking sector to stabilize the sector (Givens et al., 2018).The government should also invest largely in cyber-security systems to ensure cyber-security by implementing policies of maintaining government computer systems from cyber-attacks.
Dependency on supply chain management. Critical sectors such as pharmaceuticals and medicine were greatly affected during a pandemic when the State’s vulnerability was exposed. These sectors are most affected during the global crisis since most are imported. Increasing domestic production of these imported services and goods while diversifying supply chains enhances national resilience. For instance transportation sector is a significant component of the national infrastructure, allowing people and goods to be traveled to various destinations (Farmer et al., 2020).Detrimental social and economic consequences can result from the disruptions such as infrastructure or natural disasters in the transportation sector.
Similarly, during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the transportation sector was greatly imperiled was restricted, reducing the demand for air travel companies. Job losses reduced revenue for the government, air, and other transportation companies. Government’s investments in medical essentials and equipment supplies hence mitigating and developing resilient supply chains.
Political polarization. Political divisions and polarizations can greatly affect national resilience by hindering collaborations and corporation among various community sectors (Farmer et al., 2020). Natural disasters like climate change, floods, and wildfires may cause rubble to jeer and demonstrate in the streets. They also hinder the consensus among the leaders, bringing up more political divergences and thus imperiling national resilience.
Inadequate social safety nets. The insufficiency of food assistance programs and unemployment insurance during the national crisis caused starvation and increased crime rates. Increased demand engulfed families without food assistance programs and unemployment benefits during the Covid-19 pandemic (Givens et al., 2018). Expanding eligibility criteria and enhancing these relief programs will ensure families and friends have aid during these disastrous times.
The US government trains and teaches individuals about protective measures during natural disasters or national calamities. The skills and knowledge gained from public engagement and education enrich the participants with preparedness during disasters.
Enhancing national resilience in the USA necessitates a complex approach, including investments in various corporations, infrastructure, social safety nets, healthcare, and education across all sectors. By reinforcing these strategies, the country can thus withstand and recover easily from national disasters and calamities, enhancing strong national resilience. National resilience is significant in ensuring national security, which demands large funds. The government should provide tools and resources for communities and individuals to enhance disaster preparedness through profound educative campaigns. Government should provide emergency supplies, develop integrated preparedness plans, and increase education and training on crisis preparedness.
References
Bean, H. (2018). National resilience. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 46(1), 23-25. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00909882.2018.1426709
Farmer, C. M., Whipkey, K., & Chamberlin, M. (2020). Programs addressing psychological health and resilience in the US Department of Homeland Security. Rand health quarterly, 9(1). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7371351/
Givens, A. D., Busch, N. E., & Bersin, A. D. (2018). Going global: The international dimensions of US homeland security policy. Journal of Strategic Security, 11(3), 1-34. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26538515?casa_token=hFeRDEDoRocAAAAA:ayRSt_s7CFbQ8BdQA7L-PFtNbYq0cb7hsYoNf_pt4-tg38PwOyoE3vK652d-c2izIBLudonkulkp184jp7zMu-j04DENDNW5wq2u2tZr6_xiZThg
Harrop, W., & Matteson, A. (2014). Cyber resilience: A review of critical national infrastructure and cyber security protection measures applied in the UK and USA. Journal of Business Continuity & Emergency Planning, 7(2), 149-162. https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/hsp/jbcep/2014/00000007/00000002/art00007
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