Most experts say America is better protected against terrorism than it was when Arab terrorists crashed hijacked jetliners into the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Although billions of dollars have been spent on security upgrades in the two years since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, many experts warn that security gaps remain in several critical areas, including the nation's borders, airports, power grids and chemical plants. In addition, a new study describes emergency first responders as "dangerously unprepared." Meanwhile, as congressional lawmakers prepare to approve billions of dollars in new homeland-security funds, the fledgling Department of Homeland Security is struggling to coordinate information-gathering among 22 formerly independent government law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

Martin Kady II covers homeland security and technology for CQ Weekly and CQ Today. He previously covered technology at the Washington Business Journal and has been a reporter at the Winston-Salem Journal in North Carolina. He graduated from the University of Virginia with a bachelor’s degree in foreign affairs. He has won 12 writing awards over the past decade from the Virginia, North Carolina and Maryland press associations.