nation's transportation network as part of the u.s. law enforcement and intelligence community, counterterrorism efforts. it is our responsibility to stay ahead of a threat to the risk-based intelligence securitynterconnected system to give the best opportunity of detecting in deterring threats as we saw with the cargo plot. and so the best tools we employ to combat terrorists are accurate, timely intelligence and partnerships. one of my first initiatives at tsa was to expand the clearance to a greater number of employees in the field. this ensures our expos of experts are supervisory transportation security officers, federal air marshals come and even detection officers have the information they need to better confront those who would do less harm to read the other tools are partnerships with other national security agencies and foreign counterparts, state and local law in force the agencies, the business community, especially airlines and cargo carriers, and of course, the american people. we have seen going back to christmas day, to doesn't mind and the air cargo plot mentioned, that concealment and design of explosives are being done in ways that challenge not only our social norms, but de