March 12, 2014
OPEN LETTER TO: Honorable Representative TIM WALBERG, Michigan U.S. Congressional 7th District
We need U.S. House action on HR2417 NOW (commonly referred to as the SHIELD ACT) which is stuck in one of the House committees chaired by Michigan 6th District Representative Fred Upton. The Shield Act should not be a partisan issue.
Having actively worked for your previous election and reelection be advised that I, and others I know, will take on the mission before the next Primary election and national Mid-term Election to actively identify and work against 'any new candidate or incumbent ' who does not show proof of positive action pertaining the EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse attack) threat to the United States power grid. The “Shield Act” is the first step needed in protecting the grid. What, sir, have you done related to this issue?
Even though the House has passed an earlier version of this bill in a previous congress, it resolves nothing for the House to do this again and again if the Senate will not act. The current HR2417 sponsors and House leadership should be working with the Senate to work out a non-partisan version of this bill, pass it, and then push it to the White House.
Our State and Federal Governments both need to educate our citizens as to the level of danger to the national power grid that exists to include what an EMP threat really is, why there is a hostile threat, where the threat is coming from (both natural and man-made) and most importantly, the actual resulting risks to our very existence as a state and nation. YOU are in a unique position to demand action from 6th District Representative Fred Upton to move HR2417 out of committee and to the House floor for a vote. My attempt to contact Representative Upton by email was rejected immediately with a suggestion that I contact the Representative from my own district. That would be you. Your constituents cannot walk to his office to demand answers and action on this issue, but you can.
No matter how the power grid may be taken down, whether due to a natural event (e.g. a solar flare/geomagnetic storm), an EMP attack (Electromagnetic Pulse weapon), or cyber-attack via our enemies hacking into the grid via the internet, it's well known by those who have studied this issue that we are talking YEARS, based on known lead times, to replace high capacity transformers if the national or a regional grid is taken down regardless of the cause.
I would expect that you do know that the U.S. House of Representatives years ago funded and created a commission to study and report back to the U.S. House of Representatives concerning the EMP threat to our country (i.e. The Commission to Assess the Threat to the United States from Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Attack). The first report from this commission, a summary report, was delivered to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2004. Have you studied and investigated this threat sir?
Within the subsequent EMP commission reports you will find that following an EMP event the predictions are that anywhere from 70% to 90% of the U.S. population COULD BE LOST (i.e. dead) WITHIN THE FIRST 12 MONTHS. The main causes would be due to starvation, and not being able to provide for basic human needs such as warmth and safe shelter, sources of food and clean water, proper sanitation, prevention of disease using basic medicines, and lack of medical care when required. Expectation is for total social chaos and survival of the fittest. Our existing society and culture as we know it could not survive the savage desperation and destruction that would quickly evolve.
Declaring martial law will resolve nothing on the streets of America if basic survival is the issue. The harsh reality will be, if people know you have stuff that they need to sustain life for themselves and their loved ones, do not expect friendly negotiations or a willingness to barter from such desperate people. Our Republic, our Constitution, our very National Heritage would soon become irrelevant memories having been replaced in the minds of the people by the daily routine of planning how to survive another day in a very hostile environment. If you do not believe this can happen then you need a reality check.
Remember that our own government has predicted a horrendous casualty rate as high as 70% to 90% of the total U.S. population within 12 months following a significant EMP event, no matter the cause. The 2010 U.S. census was in the range of 310 million people. Do the math! The 2010 census (on your website) for the Michigan 7th Congressional District was approximately 690,000 constituents. Do the math on that too while you are at it!
The national casualty numbers would make Pearl Harbor, 9-11, and even the Holocaust of WWII look like child’s play by comparison. If you know something that we don’t about why this is not a top priority for our citizens and for all levels government, please let us know the rationale behind this thinking.
The U.S. military has been aware of the EMP threat for many years and has been hardening much of its equipment. Our list of real and potential enemies is also aware that an EMP weapon for them has extremely efficient first strike capabilities. A fatal flaw exists whereby the U.S. military has become as dependent upon high-tech and the same vulnerable public power and communications systems as the private sector. Our potential enemies know that our country is unprepared to deter the destructive forces of an EMP event and have discussed it openly within their own governments and literature.
An interesting side note is that a relatively small portion of the partisan $831 billion stimulus package of a few years ago could have done much to fund shielding efforts to lessen the present EMP threats to our power grid. Not only that, it’s now five years later and those protections could have been in place by now. However, $4.5 billion was allocated for ‘smart grid’ technology instead. This green mentality smart grid is just more ‘high tech’ that will get fried along with everything else during an EMP event.
There have been all kinds of reports, committees, various joint studies by government and industry, commissions, and lots of talk related to the dangers to our grid. This busy activity of smoke and mirrors brings with it the “illusion of action” rather than “resolution of the problem” and fixes nothing!
The costs for hardening the grid are negligible compared to the costs of fixing things after the fact. The replacement order lead time for high energy transformers under normal conditions is in years, not months. These large critical transformers are still not “shielded” within our power grid. In fact, those key components cannot be repaired from EMP damage and must be replaced. However, these components are not even made in this country. Why are electrical utility companies not required to maintain back up inventories of critical items like this? But, we can speculate that if you can regulate your own industry, as in this case, the profitable bottom line will dictate not spending money on expensive back up inventory that may never be used. We are talking about the preservation of not only individual lives, but the life of our nation here. So, this type of conflict of interest needs some attention.
In addition, those power industry workers who actually do the day to day hands on labor and currently have the expertise to replace burned up equipment and repair the other resulting damage that may be caused by an EMP event may very likely be among the people who would be lost in our war for survival on the streets. Who then will we turn to for repair of the damage after the fact?
Who will eventually turn the power back on? Will it be us or those who turned out the lights in the first place by bringing down our power-grid? Could it be the Chinese, North Koreans, Russians, or the Iranians? Let us not forget the terrorist group who may have acquired a nuke which they put on a missile which they then launched from an old ship from off our coast. Exploding it over the central U.S. is the final step. The timing for turning the lights back on will be meaningless if there is no one left to effectively coordinate and defend our homeland from invasion after an attack. The term ‘melting pot’ will take on a whole new meaning as many nations would take part in a greedy rush to our shores to grab as much for themselves of what was once the home of the free, the United States of America.
The EMP threat is real, and is a life or death issue. It seems knowing all this is still not enough to motivate our Representatives and Senators to come together in time to avoid an unbelievable vision of the crashing and burning of our nation. YOU have the platform, Congressman, to literally yell out the message of impending catastrophe until the message is heard in the media and Washington, D.C.
Under such predictable conditions as presented herein we regular citizens would need to be prepared to revert to local groups of family, friends and neighbors to work out means to help protect and provide for each other since that’s all we would have left in the form of effective government. If martial law were to be imposed, such action would not protect the average citizen from marauders, urban refugees, or invaders who would wish to take what little we may have left to sustain life. Though we have elected officials like yourself who we have entrusted to protect us from enemies foreign and domestic, if it comes down to it, we will revert back to doing whatever our immediate circumstances require for our own defense and survival without apology.
Our scientist know what is needed to shield the power grid and associated infrastructure. How can the U.S. House and Senate just sit on this and not act while there are still some options available? We could be transformed in an instant from a high tech to a “no tech” society and rolled back technically about 100 years. The only thing that has been effectively shielded from this threat so far is the U.S. public from the knowledge of the dangers we face. Be assured there will be no forgiveness on earth or in Heaven for those who were in a position to prevent such human tragedy and chose to do nothing.
We who voted for you cannot walk onto the House floor to plead our case and deliver our warning message. You can! And you should! Thanks in advance for your time and attention.
Sincerely,
Allen Graham – akgraham@wildblue.net
Precinct 1 Delegate, Clinton, Michigan
Executive Committee Member
Lenawee County Republicans
Source References (not all inclusive):
See: http://www.shieldact.com/
www.EMPactAmerica.org “Frequently Asked Questions”, Oct 2010: “In March 2010 the U.S. Navy resurrected their EMP team which had been inactive for 10 years.”
Various Witness Testimony – “Executive Report to U.S. House of Representatives – Report of the Commission to Assess the Threat to the United States from Electromagnetic Attack” – 2004
Major Miller, Colin R., “Electromagnetic Pulse Threats in 2010”, Center for Strategy and Technology Air War College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL November, 2005
Various Witness Testimony - “Threat Posed By Electromagnetic Pulse Attack”, Committee on Armed Services, U.S. House of Representatives, July 10, 2008
Various Witness Testimony - “Critical National Infrastructures”, Report of the Commission to Assess the Threat to the United States from Electromagnetic Pulse Attack, U.S. House of Representatives, July 2008
EMP Survival: How to Prepare Now and Survive When an Electromagnetic Pulse Destroys Our Power Grid, by Larry and Cheryl Poole, Copyright 2011
“Energy Sector-Specific Plan” - An Annex to the National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP) 2010
“Partnering for Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience”, Homeland Security (DHS) (NIPP) 2013
OPEN LETTER TO: Honorable Representative TIM WALBERG, Michigan U.S. Congressional 7th District
We need U.S. House action on HR2417 NOW (commonly referred to as the SHIELD ACT) which is stuck in one of the House committees chaired by Michigan 6th District Representative Fred Upton. The Shield Act should not be a partisan issue.
Having actively worked for your previous election and reelection be advised that I, and others I know, will take on the mission before the next Primary election and national Mid-term Election to actively identify and work against 'any new candidate or incumbent ' who does not show proof of positive action pertaining the EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse attack) threat to the United States power grid. The “Shield Act” is the first step needed in protecting the grid. What, sir, have you done related to this issue?
Even though the House has passed an earlier version of this bill in a previous congress, it resolves nothing for the House to do this again and again if the Senate will not act. The current HR2417 sponsors and House leadership should be working with the Senate to work out a non-partisan version of this bill, pass it, and then push it to the White House.
Our State and Federal Governments both need to educate our citizens as to the level of danger to the national power grid that exists to include what an EMP threat really is, why there is a hostile threat, where the threat is coming from (both natural and man-made) and most importantly, the actual resulting risks to our very existence as a state and nation. YOU are in a unique position to demand action from 6th District Representative Fred Upton to move HR2417 out of committee and to the House floor for a vote. My attempt to contact Representative Upton by email was rejected immediately with a suggestion that I contact the Representative from my own district. That would be you. Your constituents cannot walk to his office to demand answers and action on this issue, but you can.
No matter how the power grid may be taken down, whether due to a natural event (e.g. a solar flare/geomagnetic storm), an EMP attack (Electromagnetic Pulse weapon), or cyber-attack via our enemies hacking into the grid via the internet, it's well known by those who have studied this issue that we are talking YEARS, based on known lead times, to replace high capacity transformers if the national or a regional grid is taken down regardless of the cause.
I would expect that you do know that the U.S. House of Representatives years ago funded and created a commission to study and report back to the U.S. House of Representatives concerning the EMP threat to our country (i.e. The Commission to Assess the Threat to the United States from Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Attack). The first report from this commission, a summary report, was delivered to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2004. Have you studied and investigated this threat sir?
Within the subsequent EMP commission reports you will find that following an EMP event the predictions are that anywhere from 70% to 90% of the U.S. population COULD BE LOST (i.e. dead) WITHIN THE FIRST 12 MONTHS. The main causes would be due to starvation, and not being able to provide for basic human needs such as warmth and safe shelter, sources of food and clean water, proper sanitation, prevention of disease using basic medicines, and lack of medical care when required. Expectation is for total social chaos and survival of the fittest. Our existing society and culture as we know it could not survive the savage desperation and destruction that would quickly evolve.
Declaring martial law will resolve nothing on the streets of America if basic survival is the issue. The harsh reality will be, if people know you have stuff that they need to sustain life for themselves and their loved ones, do not expect friendly negotiations or a willingness to barter from such desperate people. Our Republic, our Constitution, our very National Heritage would soon become irrelevant memories having been replaced in the minds of the people by the daily routine of planning how to survive another day in a very hostile environment. If you do not believe this can happen then you need a reality check.
Remember that our own government has predicted a horrendous casualty rate as high as 70% to 90% of the total U.S. population within 12 months following a significant EMP event, no matter the cause. The 2010 U.S. census was in the range of 310 million people. Do the math! The 2010 census (on your website) for the Michigan 7th Congressional District was approximately 690,000 constituents. Do the math on that too while you are at it!
The national casualty numbers would make Pearl Harbor, 9-11, and even the Holocaust of WWII look like child’s play by comparison. If you know something that we don’t about why this is not a top priority for our citizens and for all levels government, please let us know the rationale behind this thinking.
The U.S. military has been aware of the EMP threat for many years and has been hardening much of its equipment. Our list of real and potential enemies is also aware that an EMP weapon for them has extremely efficient first strike capabilities. A fatal flaw exists whereby the U.S. military has become as dependent upon high-tech and the same vulnerable public power and communications systems as the private sector. Our potential enemies know that our country is unprepared to deter the destructive forces of an EMP event and have discussed it openly within their own governments and literature.
An interesting side note is that a relatively small portion of the partisan $831 billion stimulus package of a few years ago could have done much to fund shielding efforts to lessen the present EMP threats to our power grid. Not only that, it’s now five years later and those protections could have been in place by now. However, $4.5 billion was allocated for ‘smart grid’ technology instead. This green mentality smart grid is just more ‘high tech’ that will get fried along with everything else during an EMP event.
There have been all kinds of reports, committees, various joint studies by government and industry, commissions, and lots of talk related to the dangers to our grid. This busy activity of smoke and mirrors brings with it the “illusion of action” rather than “resolution of the problem” and fixes nothing!
The costs for hardening the grid are negligible compared to the costs of fixing things after the fact. The replacement order lead time for high energy transformers under normal conditions is in years, not months. These large critical transformers are still not “shielded” within our power grid. In fact, those key components cannot be repaired from EMP damage and must be replaced. However, these components are not even made in this country. Why are electrical utility companies not required to maintain back up inventories of critical items like this? But, we can speculate that if you can regulate your own industry, as in this case, the profitable bottom line will dictate not spending money on expensive back up inventory that may never be used. We are talking about the preservation of not only individual lives, but the life of our nation here. So, this type of conflict of interest needs some attention.
In addition, those power industry workers who actually do the day to day hands on labor and currently have the expertise to replace burned up equipment and repair the other resulting damage that may be caused by an EMP event may very likely be among the people who would be lost in our war for survival on the streets. Who then will we turn to for repair of the damage after the fact?
Who will eventually turn the power back on? Will it be us or those who turned out the lights in the first place by bringing down our power-grid? Could it be the Chinese, North Koreans, Russians, or the Iranians? Let us not forget the terrorist group who may have acquired a nuke which they put on a missile which they then launched from an old ship from off our coast. Exploding it over the central U.S. is the final step. The timing for turning the lights back on will be meaningless if there is no one left to effectively coordinate and defend our homeland from invasion after an attack. The term ‘melting pot’ will take on a whole new meaning as many nations would take part in a greedy rush to our shores to grab as much for themselves of what was once the home of the free, the United States of America.
The EMP threat is real, and is a life or death issue. It seems knowing all this is still not enough to motivate our Representatives and Senators to come together in time to avoid an unbelievable vision of the crashing and burning of our nation. YOU have the platform, Congressman, to literally yell out the message of impending catastrophe until the message is heard in the media and Washington, D.C.
Under such predictable conditions as presented herein we regular citizens would need to be prepared to revert to local groups of family, friends and neighbors to work out means to help protect and provide for each other since that’s all we would have left in the form of effective government. If martial law were to be imposed, such action would not protect the average citizen from marauders, urban refugees, or invaders who would wish to take what little we may have left to sustain life. Though we have elected officials like yourself who we have entrusted to protect us from enemies foreign and domestic, if it comes down to it, we will revert back to doing whatever our immediate circumstances require for our own defense and survival without apology.
Our scientist know what is needed to shield the power grid and associated infrastructure. How can the U.S. House and Senate just sit on this and not act while there are still some options available? We could be transformed in an instant from a high tech to a “no tech” society and rolled back technically about 100 years. The only thing that has been effectively shielded from this threat so far is the U.S. public from the knowledge of the dangers we face. Be assured there will be no forgiveness on earth or in Heaven for those who were in a position to prevent such human tragedy and chose to do nothing.
We who voted for you cannot walk onto the House floor to plead our case and deliver our warning message. You can! And you should! Thanks in advance for your time and attention.
Sincerely,
Allen Graham – akgraham@wildblue.net
Precinct 1 Delegate, Clinton, Michigan
Executive Committee Member
Lenawee County Republicans
Source References (not all inclusive):
See: http://www.shieldact.com/
www.EMPactAmerica.org “Frequently Asked Questions”, Oct 2010: “In March 2010 the U.S. Navy resurrected their EMP team which had been inactive for 10 years.”
Various Witness Testimony – “Executive Report to U.S. House of Representatives – Report of the Commission to Assess the Threat to the United States from Electromagnetic Attack” – 2004
Major Miller, Colin R., “Electromagnetic Pulse Threats in 2010”, Center for Strategy and Technology Air War College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL November, 2005
Various Witness Testimony - “Threat Posed By Electromagnetic Pulse Attack”, Committee on Armed Services, U.S. House of Representatives, July 10, 2008
Various Witness Testimony - “Critical National Infrastructures”, Report of the Commission to Assess the Threat to the United States from Electromagnetic Pulse Attack, U.S. House of Representatives, July 2008
EMP Survival: How to Prepare Now and Survive When an Electromagnetic Pulse Destroys Our Power Grid, by Larry and Cheryl Poole, Copyright 2011
“Energy Sector-Specific Plan” - An Annex to the National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP) 2010
“Partnering for Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience”, Homeland Security (DHS) (NIPP) 2013
