Exercise PINNACLE | 06.21.2005 | 10:21:52 | Views: 5665 | ID: June 21 '05: During the moments after the attacks on 9/11, lawmakers took efforts to show the country that they were still working and that government and Congress was still functioning. Recently, the Department of Homeland Security announced further efforts to test the ability and functionality of Congress under a national emergency. A four-day program called Exercise PINNACLE is underway. The goal of the operation is to "test communications connectivity, and demonstrate that essential functions can be effectively conducted during threats and emergencies." Similar exercises have been run by DHS. The TOPOFF exercise in May focused on the ability of the first responder and medical communities to communicate and respond to a terrorist threat or a national emergency. But Exercise PINNACLE will test the "operations and procedures for performing essential government functions during threats and emergencies." Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said, "the ability of the Federal government to continue its essential functions is good government. ... Threat situations, domestic attacks, and natural disasters all present challenges to our Federal operations, and Exercise PINNACLE provides a demanding scenario to test our essential functions and assure their continuation."
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