NATIONAL HOMELAND SECURITY
AND COMBATING TERRORISM ACT OF 2002
Bill Summary
Introduced May 2, 2002 By
Senators Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., Arlen Specter, R-Pa., and Bob Graham, D-Fla.,
and Reps. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, Jane Harman, D-Calif., Ellen Tauscher,
D-Calif., and James Gibbons, R-Nev.
The proposed legislation calls
for formation of a Department of National Homeland Security, at cabinet level,
to plan, coordinate, and integrate U.S. Government activities relating to
homeland security, including border security and emergency preparedness, and to
act as a focal
point
regarding natural and manmade crises and emergency planning. The legislation creates a White House Office
of Combating Terrorism to coordinate threat assessments, to craft and oversee a
National Strategy to Combat Terrorism, and exercise budget certification
authority over spending to combat terrorism.
Title I
The
Department Secretary
The
Secretary would be nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The Secretary would be a member of the
National Security Council.
The
Department Secretary’s Duties
The
Secretary’s duties would include:
Developing policies, goals, and plans to promote homeland security
Working with state and local
governments to protect homeland security
Conducting exercise and training programs for federal employees
involved in
homeland security
Establishing effective command and control
procedures for the range of potential contingencies, including those that may require
military support
Developing a response plan for
homeland security and emergency preparedness
The
Department’s Composition
The
authorities, functions, personnel and assets of the following agencies would be
transferred to the Department of Homeland Security:
The Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) and its 10 regional offices
The United States Customs
Service
Immigration and Naturalization Service enforcement functions,
including the Border
Patrol
The United States Coast Guard
The Agriculture Department quarantine
inspector functions
The
Critical Infrastructure Assurance Office now located within the Commerce Department
The National Infrastructure Protection Center and
the National Domestic Preparedness
Office, now located within the FBI
An
office of Science and Technology would be established to advise the Secretary
on research and development and other science priorities. The bill authorizes $200 million to help develop
homeland security technologies.
The
Department’s Organization
The
Department would be divided into three sections: border security, protecting
critical infrastructure, including computer systems, and emergency preparedness
and response.
Title II
Director
of the National Office for Combating Terrorism within the White House
The
director would be appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
The
director would be an advisor to the National Security Council
The
Director’s Duties
The
director’s duties will include:
Developing and reviewing a
comprehensive national assessment of terrorist threats
Developing, with the department
secretary, a comprehensive strategy to combat terrorism
Coordinating and overseeing the
execution of the strategy by federal agencies
Developing, with the department
secretary, an annual budget to implement the strategy
Exercising budget review and
certification authority over programs in the terrorism prevention and
response budget.
Title III
National
Strategy to Combat Terrorism
The
National Strategy to Combat Terrorism will be developed collaboratively by the
department secretary and the White House director.
The
secretary will have the lead role on issues of border security, critical
infrastructure protection, emergency preparation and response, and
integration
with state and local efforts.
The
director will take the lead on strategic planning concerning intelligence and
military assets, law enforcement and diplomacy.
A
non-partisan, nine-member panel of outside experts will be established to
provide an assessment of the terrorism strategy.
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