[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 130 (Friday, October 7, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11322-S11324]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. COLLINS (for herself and Mr. Warner):
  S. 1866. A bill to establish an Under Secretary for Policy in the 
Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise today, on behalf of myself and 
Senators Warner and Coburn, to introduce a bill establishing an Under 
Secretary for Policy within the Department of Homeland Security. This 
legislation would meet a critical need of the Department: an official 
at the highest

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level of the Department to develop coherent strategies and provide 
comprehensive policy guidance for responding to the full range of 
threats to our homeland.
  This past spring, soon after being confirmed as the second Secretary 
of Homeland Security, Secretary Chertoff conducted a top-to-bottom 
review of the Department. As Secretary Chertoff said at the launch of 
this ``Second Stage Review,'' the Congress created the Department of 
Homeland Security ``to do more than simply erect a big tent under which 
a lot of different organizations would be collected.'' Instead, the 
purpose of the Department is to integrate the capabilities and achieve 
unity of effort among a wide range of agencies and entities that are 
involved in protecting our homeland.
  In July, Secretary Chertoff announced the results of the ``Second 
Stage Review'' and proposed several organizational changes aimed at 
further integrating the Department's many components. Chief among these 
proposed changes was the creation of a Senate-confirmed Under Secretary 
with responsibility for policy development across the Department.
  Thus, in keeping with Secretary Chertoff's proposal, this legislation 
would create an Under Secretary for Policy who is appointed by the 
President with the advice and consent of the Senate. This Under 
Secretary would serve as the Secretary's principal policy advisor and 
enable the Department to develop comprehensive policies and 
strategies--across all of the Departments' components--to meet homeland 
security challenge. The Under Secretary's responsibilities would cover 
four key areas: policy development, strategic planning, international 
affairs, and private sector outreach. The policy development and 
strategic planning functions are new, while the international affairs 
and private sector outreach functions are transferred from other parts 
of the Department in order to consolidate the full range of policy-
level functions under this Under Secretary.
  We need no better reason to take up this bill than the tragic events 
of a month ago. Hurricane Katrina was a natural disaster, but the 
devastation, suffering, and deprivation left in the wake of this 
powerful storm were compounded by the failure of all levels of 
government--local, State, and Federal--to prepare and respond in a 
unified, integrated way. Moreover, the capabilities needed to have 
dealt with Hurricane Katrina are in many instances the same 
capabilities that are needed to protect America from terrorism.
  The governmental failures highlighted by Hurricane Katrina are 
evidence of the need for greater integration and unity of effort within 
the Department. At the heart of this integration, the Department needs 
a stronger emphasis on policy development and strategic planning to 
meet the full range of threats to our homeland. Creating an Under 
Secretary for Policy is a critical step for ensuring that our 
government has a truly capable Department of Homeland Security.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill establishing an 
Under Secretary for Policy within the Department of Homeland Security 
be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1866

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. UNDER SECRETARY FOR POLICY.

       (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Homeland 
     Security Policy Act of 2005''.
       (b) In General.--The Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 
     U.S.C. 101 et seq.) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating title VI and section 601 as title 
     XVIII and section 1801, respectively, and transferring that 
     title to the end of the Homeland Security Act of 2002; and
       (2) by inserting after title V, the following:

                 ``TITLE VI--UNDER SECRETARY FOR POLICY

     ``SEC. 601. UNDER SECRETARY FOR POLICY.

       ``(a) In General.--There shall be in the Department an 
     Under Secretary for Policy, who shall be appointed by the 
     President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
       ``(b) Responsibilities.--Subject to the direction, 
     authority, and control of the Secretary, the responsibilities 
     of the Under Secretary for Policy shall be as follows:
       ``(1) Policy.--
       ``(A) To serve as the principal policy advisor to the 
     Secretary.
       ``(B) To provide overall direction and supervision for 
     policy development to programs, offices, and activities of 
     the Department.
       ``(C) To establish and direct a formal policymaking process 
     for the Department.
       ``(D) To analyze, evaluate, and review completed, ongoing, 
     and proposed programs, to ensure they are compatible with the 
     Secretary's priorities, strategic plans, and policies.
       ``(2) Strategic planning.--
       ``(A) To conduct long-range, strategic planning for the 
     Department.
       ``(B) To prepare national and Department strategies, as 
     appropriate.
       ``(C) To conduct net assessments of issues facing the 
     Department.
       ``(D) To conduct reviews of the Department to ensure the 
     implementation of this paragraph.
       ``(3) International responsibilities.--
       ``(A) To promote informational and educational exchange 
     with nations friendly to the United States in order to 
     promote sharing of best practices and technologies relating 
     to homeland security, including--
       ``(i) the exchange of information on research and 
     development on homeland security technologies;
       ``(ii) joint training exercises of first responders; and
       ``(iii) exchanging expertise and information on terrorism 
     prevention, response, and crisis management.
       ``(B) To identify areas for homeland security informational 
     and training exchange where the United States has a 
     demonstrated weakness and another friendly nation or nations 
     have a demonstrated expertise.
       ``(C) To plan and undertake international conferences, 
     exchange programs (including the exchange of scientists, 
     engineers, and other experts), and other training activities.
       ``(D) To manage international activities within the 
     Department in coordination with other Federal officials with 
     responsibility for counterterrorism matters.
       ``(4) Private sector.--
       ``(A) To create and foster strategic communications with 
     the private sector to enhance the primary mission of the 
     Department to protect the American homeland.
       ``(B) To advise the Secretary on the impact of the 
     policies, regulations, processes, and actions of the 
     Department on the private sector.
       ``(C) To interface with other relevant Federal agencies 
     with homeland security missions to assess the impact of the 
     actions of such agencies on the private sector.
       ``(D) To create and manage private sector advisory councils 
     composed of representatives of industries and associations 
     designated by the Secretary--
       ``(i) to advise the Secretary on private sector products, 
     applications, and solutions as they relate to homeland 
     security challenges; and
       ``(ii) to advise the Secretary on homeland security 
     policies, regulations, processes, and actions that affect the 
     participating industries and associations.
       ``(E) To work with Federal laboratories, federally funded 
     research and development centers, other federally funded 
     organizations, academia, and the private sector to develop 
     innovative approaches to address homeland security challenges 
     to produce and deploy the best available technologies for 
     homeland security missions.
       ``(F) To promote existing public-private partnerships and 
     develop new public-private partnerships to provide for 
     collaboration and mutual support to address homeland security 
     challenges.
       ``(G) To assist in the development and promotion of private 
     sector best practices to secure critical infrastructure.
       ``(H) To coordinate industry efforts, with respect to 
     functions of the Department, to identify private sector 
     resources and capabilities that could be effective in 
     supplementing Federal, State, and local government agency 
     efforts to prevent or respond to a terrorist attack.
       ``(I) To coordinate among Department operating entities and 
     with the Assistant Secretary for Trade Development of the 
     Department of Commerce on issues related to the travel and 
     tourism industries.''.
       (c) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--The Homeland 
     Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101 et seq.) is amended--
       (1) in section 103--
       (A) by redesignating paragraphs (6) through (10) as 
     paragraphs (7) through (11), respectively; and
       (B) by inserting after paragraph (5) the following:
       ``(6) An Under Secretary for Policy.'';
       (2) by striking section 879;
       (3) by redesignating sections 880 through 890 as sections 
     879 through 889, respectively; and
       (4) in the table of contents--
       (A) by redesignating the items relating to title VI and 
     section 601 as relating to title XVIII and section 1801, 
     respectively, and transferring the items relating to that 
     title and section to the end of the table of contents;
       (B) by inserting before the item relating to title VII the 
     following:

                 ``TITLE VI--UNDER SECRETARY FOR POLICY

``Sec. 601. Under Secretary for Policy.'';

       (C) by striking the item relating to section 879; and

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       (D) by redesignating the items relating to sections 880 
     through 890 as relating to sections 879 through 889, 
     respectively.
                                 ______