IntroductionOn September 11, 2001, al-Qaeda launched four coordinated terrorist suicide attacks on the United States crashing two hijacked passenger planes into the twin towers of New York's World Trade Center complex while a third hijacked jet was crashed into the Pentagon. A fourth plane, United Airlines Flight 93, was heading for Washington DC when passengers attacked the terrorists and the aircraft crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.The attacks killed 2,996 people, caused over $10 billion in damage and wasthe largest terrorist attack on U.S. soil. It was also the deadliest incident for firefighters and law enforcement ocers in U.S. history with 343 and 72 killedrespectively.Eleven days after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge was appointed as the first Director of the Oce of Homeland Security in the White House. The oce oversaw and coordinated acomprehensive national strategy to safeguard the country against terrorism and respond to any future attacks.With the passage of the Homeland Security Act by Congress in November2002, the Department of Homeland Security formally came into being as a stand-alone, Cabinet-level department to further coordinate and unifynational homeland security eorts, opening its doors on March 1, 2003.The Department of Homeland Security was created as a direct response tothese attacks. The Department has the distinction of being both the newest and the largest department within the federal government.The DHS was formed with the specific aim of securing the nation from the many threats it faced. It was created by integrating all or part of 22 dierentxviixviii UNDERSTANDING THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITYFederal Departments and agencies into a single, unified and integrated body. It was the largest reshue of federal departments and agencies in U.S. history.It has more than 240,000 employees in jobs that range from aviation and border security to emergency response, from cybersecurity analyst to chemical facility inspector. Its duties are wide-ranging, but the goal is clear--keeping America safe.The Rationale Behind the Creation of the DHSHistory teaches us that critical security challenges require clear lines of responsibility and the unified eort of the U.S. government. History alsoteaches us that new challenges require new organizational structures. For example, prior to 1945, America's armed forces were ineciently structuredwith separate War and Navy Departments and disconnected intelligence units. There were no formal mechanisms for cooperation. After World War II, the onset of the Cold War required consolidation and reorganization of America's national security apparatus to accomplish the new missions at hand.America needed a national security establishment designed to preventanother attack like Pearl Harbor, to mobilize national resources for an enduring conflict, and to do so in a way that protected America's values and ideals. In December 1945, only months after America's decisive victory in World War II, President Harry Truman asked Congress to combine the War and Navy Departments into a single Department of Defense. President Truman declared, "It is now time to take stock to discard obsoleteorganizational forms and to provide for the future the soundest, most eectiveand most economical kind of structure for our armed forces of which this mostpowerful Nation is capable. I urge this as the best means of keeping the peace." President Truman's goals were achieved with the National Security Act of1947 and subsequent amendments in 1949 and 1958. The legislation consolidated the separate military Departments into the Department of Defense with a civilian secretary solely in charge, established a Central Intelligence Agency to coordinate all foreign intelligence collection and analysis, and created the National Security Council in the White House tocoordinate all foreign and defense policy eorts. INTRODUCTION xixThis reorganization of America's national security establishment was crucial to overcoming the enormous threat faced in the Cold War and holds important lessons for our approach to the terrorist threat we face today.The First Nine Months Following the September 11 Attacks* Sep 11 - Department of Defense begins combat air patrols over U.S. cities- Department of Transportation grounds all U.S. private aircraft- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) activatesFederal Response Plan- U.S. Customs goes to Level 1 alert at all border ports of entry- Department of Health and Human Services activates (for the first time ever) the National Disaster Medical System, dispatching more than 300 medical and mortuary personnel to the New York and Washington, D.C. areas, dispatching one of eight 12-hour emergency "push packages" of medical supplies, and putting 80 Disaster Medical Assistance Teams nationwide and 7,000 private sector medical professionals on deployment alert.- Nuclear Regulatory Commission advises all nuclear power plants, non-power reactors, nuclear fuel facilities and gaseousdiusion plants go to the highest level of security. All complied.- President Bush orders federal disaster funding for New York- FEMA deploys National Urban Search and Rescue Response team- FEMA deploys U.S. Army Corp of Engineers to assist debris removal* Sep 12 - FEMA deploys emergency medical and mortuary teams to NYand Washington- Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) allows limited reopening of the nation's commercial airspace system to allow flights thatxx UNDERSTANDING THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITYwere diverted on September 11 to continue to their original destinations* Sep 13 - President orders federal aid for Virginia- Departments of Justice and Treasury deploy Marshals, BorderPatrol, and Customs ocials to provide a larger police presenceat airports as they reopen* Sep 14 - President proclaims a national emergency (Proc. 7463)- President orders ready reserves of armed forces to active duty- FBI Releases List of Nineteen Suspected Terrorists* Sep 17 - Attorney General directs the establishment of 94 Anti-TerrorismTask Forces, one for each United States Attorney Oce* Sep 18 - President signs authorization for Use of Military Force bill- President authorizes additional disaster funding for New York* Sep 20 - President addresses Congress, announces creation of the Oceof Homeland Security and appointment of Governor Tom Ridge asDirector* Sep 21 - Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announces that more than $126 million (part of $5 billion the President released for disaster relief ) is being provided immediately to support health services provided in the wake of the attacks.* Sep 22 - President signs airline transportation legislation, providing tools to assure the safety and immediate stability of our Nation's commercial airline system, and establish a process for compensating victims of the terrorist attacks.* Sep 25 - The first of approximately 7,200 National Guard troops begin augmenting security at 444 airports* Sep 27 - The FBI releases photographs of 19 individuals believed to be the 9/11 hijackers- Coast Guard immediately mobilized more than 2,000Reservists in the largest homeland defense and port security operation since World War II. INTRODUCTION xxi* Oct 1 - FEMA declares over $344 million committed to New York recovery so far* Oct 4 - Robert Stevens dies of anthrax in Florida--first known victim of biological terrorism* Oct 8 - President swears-in Governor Ridge as Assistant to the President for Homeland Security, and issues Executive Order creating Oce ofHomeland Security (OHS)* Oct 9 - President swears-in General (Retired) Wayne Downing asDirector of the Oce of Combating Terrorism (OCT), and issuesExecutive order creating OCT.* Oct 10 - President unveils "most wanted" terrorists* Oct 12 - FAA restores general aviation in 15 major metropolitan areas* Oct 16 - President issues Executive Order establishing the President'sCritical Infrastructure Protection Board to coordinate and have cognizance of Federal eorts and programs that relate to protection ofinformation systems* Oct 21 - FAA restores general aviation in 12 more major metropolitan areas* Oct 22 - President issues Executive Order for HHS to exercise certain contracting authority in connection with national defense functions.* Oct 23 - U.S. Customs Service creates new Oce of Anti-Terrorism* Oct 25 - Department of Treasury launches Operation Greenquest, a newmulti-agency financial enforcement initiative bringing the full scope of the government's financial expertise to bear against sources of terrorist funding.* Oct 26 - President signs the USA Patriot Act* Oct 29 - President chairs first meeting of the Homeland Security Council. Issues Homeland Security Presidential Directive-1, establishing the organization and operation of the Homeland Security Council (HSC), and Homeland Security Presidential Directive -2(HSPD-2), establishing the Foreign Terrorist Tracking Task Force and increasing immigration vigilance* Oct 30 - FAA restricts all private aircraft flying over nuclear facilitiesxxii UNDERSTANDING THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY* Nov 8 - President announces that the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) will support homeland security, mobilizing more than 20,000 Senior Corps and AmeriCorps participants* Nov 8 - President Bush creates the Presidential Task Force on Citizen Preparedness in the War Against Terrorism to help prepare Americans in their homes, neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, places of worship and public places from the potential consequences of terrorist attacks.* Nov 15 - FEMA announces Individual and Family Grant program for disaster assistance* Nov 19 - Aviation and Transportation Security Act establishes theTransportation Security Administration (TSA)* Nov 28 - HHS awards contract to produce 155 million doses of smallpox vaccine by the end of 2002 to bring the total of doses in the nation's stockpile to 286 million, enough to protect every United States citizen.* Nov 29 - Attorney General Ashcroft announces Responsible Cooperators Program, which will provide immigration benefits to non-citizens who furnish information to help apprehend terrorists or to stop terrorist attacks.* Dec 3 - FBI implements first phase of headquarters reorganization* Dec 10 - U.S. Customs launches "Operation Shield America" to prevent international terrorist organizations from obtaining sensitive U.S. technology, weapons, and other equipment* Dec 12 - Governor Ridge and Canadian Foreign Minister John Manley sign a "smart border" declaration and action plan to improve securityand eciency of the Northern border* Dec 19 - FAA restores general aviation in 30 major metropolitan areas* Dec 28 - President issues Executive Orders on succession in federal agencies* Jan 10 - President signs $2.9 billion bioterrorism appropriations bill* Jan 11 - FAA publishes new standards to protect cockpits from intrusion and small arms fire or fragmentation devices, such as grenades, requiring operators of more than 6,000 airplanes to install reinforced INTRODUCTION xxiiiing operators of more than 6,000 airplanes to install reinforced doors byApril 9, 2003.* Jan 17 - President issues Executive Order authorizing the Secretary of Transportation to increase the number of Coast Guard service members on active duty.- U.S. Customs announces Container Security Initiative- U.S. Border Patrol ocials and other representatives of the INSmeet with Native American leaders and law enforcement ocials jointly strengthen security along the Southwest andNorthern borders.- FBI releases information, photographs, and FBI laboratory photographic retouches on six suspected terrorists* Jan 18 - Department of Transportation meets mandate to submit plans for training security screeners and flight crews* Jan 23 - FBI announces new hiring initiative for FBI Special Agents* Jan 28 - Congress confirms appointment of John W. Magaw as UnderSecretary of Transportation for Security* Jan 30 - President issues Executive Order establishing the USA Freedom Corps, encouraging all Americans to serve their country for the equivalent of at least 2 years (4,000 hours) over their lifetimes.* Jan 31 - HHS announces state allotments of $1.1 billion to help strengthen their capacity to respond to bioterrorism and other public health emergencies resulting from terrorism.* Feb 3 - U.S. Secret Service ensures security of Super Bowl XXXVI, aNational Special Security Event* Feb 4 - President submits the President's Budget for FY 2003 to the Congress, directing $37.7 billion to homeland security, up from $19.5 billion in FY 2002.* Feb 6 - Attorney General Ashcroft announces rule change to Board of Immigration Appeals to eliminate backlog, prevent unwarranted delays and improve the quality of board decision making while ensuring that those in our immigration court system enjoy the full protections of due process.xxiv UNDERSTANDING THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY* Feb 8-24 - United States Secret Service ensures security of the 2002Winter Olympics, a National Special Security Event* Feb 25 - Soldiers of the U.S. Army National Guard begin to deploy to augment border security* Feb 26 - Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) orders all 104 commercial nuclear power plants to implement interim compensatory security measures, formalizing measures taken in response to NRC advisories since September 11, and imposing additional security enhancements as a result of on-going comprehensive security review.* Mar 1 - U.S. Customs Service announces action plan to ensure international air carrier compliance with regulations requiring passenger and crew information prior to arrival in the U.S. on flights from foreign locations.* Mar 5 - Attorney General Ashcroft announces National Security Coordination Council (NSCC) to ensure seamless coordination of all functions of the Department of Justice relating to national security,particularly eorts to combat terrorism.* Mar 8 - To date, the U.S. Coast Guard has conducted over 35,000 portsecurity patrols and 3,500 air patrols; boarded over 10,000 vessels including over 2,000 "high interest vessels;" escorted 6,000 vessels in and out of ports including 2,000 escorted by Sea Marshalls; maintained over 124 security zones; and recalled 2,900 Reservists to active duty.* Mar 12 - President establishes the Homeland Security Advisory System(HSPD-3)* Mar 19 - President issues Executive Order establishing the President'sHomeland Security Advisory Council* Mar 22 - Secretary of State Powell and Mexico Interior MinisterSantiago Creel sign a "smart border" declaration and action plan to improve security and eciency of the Southern border* Mar 25 - U.S. Customs ocers begin partnership with CanadianCustoms ocers to inspect U.S.- bound cargo upon its first arrival in theports of Montreal, Halifax, and Vancouver INTRODUCTION xxv* Mar 25 - Nuclear Regulatory Commission orders Honeywell International, Inc., a uranium conversion facility in Illinois, to immediately implement interim compensatory security measures.* Mar 29 - HHS announces it will obtain more than 75 million additional doses of smallpox vaccine from Aventis Pasteur Inc., provided thesupply, stored in a secure location since 1972, is proven safe and eective.* Apr 5 - NRC forms Oce of Security to streamline security, safeguardsand incident response activities* Apr 8 - INS implements rule changes governing an alien's ability to begin a course of study the period of time visitors are permitted to remain in the United States* Apr 16 - U.S. Customs launches the Customs-Trade Partnership AgainstTerrorism* Apr 22 - FBI Director Mueller announces key management positions in the counterterrorism division* Apr 30 - Transportation Security Administration announces successful i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f F e d e r a l p a s s e n g e r s c r e e n e r s a t Baltimore-Washington airport* May 14 - President Signs Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act* May 19 - TSA issues 180 day progress report to Congress* May 22 - CIA creates new position of Associate Director of CentralIntelligence for Homeland Security, eective May 28.* May 24 - Nuclear Regulatory Commission orders decommissioning ofcommercial nuclear power plants with spent fuel stored in water-filled pools and a spent nuclear fuel storage facility using pool storage to implement interim compensatory security measures for the current threat environment.* May 29 - Attorney General Ashcroft and FBI Director Mueller announcereorganization of the FBI to achieve top priority of counter-terrorism and better coordination with the CIA. Excerpted from Understanding the Department of Homeland Security by Don Philpott All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
