CIAO DATE: 11/02

Assessing the Department of Homeland Security

Ivo Daaldar

July 2002

Brookings Institution

 

Abstract

President Bush's June 6 proposal to create a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would constitute the largest reorganization of the federal government in 50 years. Given the urgency of the terrorist threat, Congress has pledged to act rapidly. It aims to have a bill ready for the President's signature in time for the one-year anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

The issue of homeland security is one of the most important challenges facing our nation, and the decisions we make today about the strategy and organization for addressing these new threats will have profound consequences for our national security, our economy and our way of life. It is particularly important that we make these decisions based on careful analysis before instituting far-reaching changes.

Under this proposed approach, we favor retaining a strong Office of Homeland Security within the White House responsible for coordinating and leading the homeland security effort. The OHS director needs the necessary authority, however, to develop both a national homeland security strategy and an integrated, government-wide homeland security budget for presentation to and defense on Capitol Hill. We therefore believe that the homeland security council, office, and director should be given statutory authority.

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