[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 26 (Monday, February 12, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1850-S1851]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. VOINOVICH (for himself, Mr. Akaka, Mr. Levin, and Mrs. 
        McCaskill):
  S. 547. A bill to establish a Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security 
for Management, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Homeland 
Security and Governmental Affairs.
  Mr. VOINOVICH. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation 
with my good friend and partner on the Oversight of Government 
Management Subcommittee, Senator Akaka, to address the critical 
management challenges facing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). 
I am pleased to have Senators Levin and McCaskill as original 
cosponsors of this measure.
  The legislation would elevate the role and responsibilities of the 
current Under Secretary for Management of the Department to a Deputy 
Secretary of Homeland Security for Management. The language preserves 
the authority of the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of DHS as the 
first-and second-highest ranking Department officials, respectively. 
The individual appointed as the Deputy Secretary for Management would 
serve a five year term and be the third highest ranking official at the 
Department. A term would provide management continuity at the 
Department during times of leadership transition, such as following a 
presidential election.
  The role and responsibilities of the Deputy Secretary for Management 
would include serving as the Chief Management Officer and principal 
advisor to the Secretary on the management of the Department. The 
Deputy Secretary for Management would also be responsible for strategic 
and annual performance planning, identification and tracking of 
performance measures, as well as the integration and transformation 
process in support of homeland security operations and programs.
  The division of labor between the Deputy Secretary and the new Deputy 
Secretary for Management will be similar to the leadership structure at 
the Office of Management and Budget. The Deputy Secretary will continue 
to be the Secretary's first assistant on all policy matters, while the 
newly created Deputy Secretary for Management will be the Secretary's 
principal advisor on the development of sustained, long-term management 
strategies.
  I offer this legislation today because of my belief that the existing 
Under Secretary position lacks sufficient authority to direct the type 
of sustained leadership and overarching management integration and 
transformation strategy that is needed department-wide.
  There continue to be significant management challenges associated 
with integrating the Department of Homeland Security, whose creation 
represented the single largest restructuring of the Federal Government 
since the creation of the Department of Defense in 1947. In addition to 
its complex mission of securing the Nation from terrorism and natural 
hazards through protection, prevention, response, and recovery 
leadership of the Department of Homeland Security has the enormous task 
of unifying 180,000 employees from 22 disparate Federal agencies.
  Since 2003, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has included 
implementing and transforming the Department of Homeland Security on 
its high-risk list of programs susceptible to waste, fraud, abuse, and 
mismanagement. In announcing its 2007 high-risk list, Comptroller 
General Walker said that, ``The array of management and programmatic 
challenges continues to limit DHS's ability to carry out its roles 
under the National Homeland Security Strategy in an effective risk-
based way.''
  Similarly, in December 2005, the DHS Inspector General issued a 
report warning of major management challenges facing the Department of 
Homeland

[[Page S1851]]

Security. The report noted that although progress has been made since 
the Department's inception, ``Integrating its many separate components 
in a single, effective, efficient, and economical Department remains 
one of DHS' biggest challenges.''
  The Department's own Performance and Accountability Report, released 
in November 2006, states that it did not meet its strategic goal of 
``providing comprehensive leadership and management to improve the 
efficiency and effectiveness of the Department,'' further underscoring 
the need for good management.
  The Homeland Security Advisory Council Culture Task Force Report, 
published in January 2007, detailed persisting organizational 
challenges within DHS, and prescribed leadership and management models 
designed to empower employees, foster collaboration, and encourage 
innovation. The third recommendation of the report is that the 
Department establish an operational leadership position. The report 
noted, ``Alignment and integration of the DHS component organizations 
is vital to the success of the DHS mission. The CTF believes there is a 
compelling need for the creation of a Deputy Secretary for Operations 
(DSO) who would report to the Secretary and be responsible for the high 
level Department-wide measures aimed at generating and sustaining 
seamless operational integration and alignment of the component 
organizations.''
  The creation of the Deputy Secretary for Management will help address 
the concerns outlined by GAO, the DHS Inspector General, the Homeland 
Security Advisory Council, and the Department itself.
  As former Chairman and now Ranking Member of the Oversight of 
Government Management Subcommittee, improving the management structure 
at the Department has been one of my top priorities. The Subcommittee's 
Chairman, Senator Akaka, and I have been committed to ensuring that DHS 
has the proper tools to make continual improvements in its operations. 
It has become clear that the Department needs a stronger management 
focus to enable programmatic and operational success. Congress must act 
to strengthen the management function at DHS.
  During my long career in public service, including as a Mayor and 
Governor, I have repeatedly observed that the path to organizational 
success lies in adopting best practices in management, including 
strategic planning, performance and accountability measures, and 
effectively leveraging human capital. When instituting reforms as Mayor 
and Governor, individuals tasked with implementation would tell me, 
``We don't have time for Total Quality Management; we are too busy 
putting out fires.'' I appreciate that DHS is also busy putting out 
fires. But the connection between good management practices and 
operational success should not be lost.
  With the four year anniversary of the Department only weeks away, we 
must be honest about the remaining management challenges it faces. The 
legislation I offer today provides the focused, high-level attention 
that will result in effective management reform. I believe this 
legislation is vital to the Department's success. I urge my colleagues 
to join me in supporting this legislation.
  Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I am extremely pleased to join with my good 
friend, the senior Senator from Ohio, in reintroducing legislation 
today to establish a Deputy Secretary for Management who would be the 
chief management officer at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). 
I am especially pleased that we are joined by two of our colleagues on 
the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Senator 
Levin, who is also the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, and 
Senator McCaskill.
  The Department of Homeland Security continues to face serious 
challenges, some of which stem from integrating 22 separate entities 
with existing management problems into one agency. Such a broad, large-
scale merger is why the Government Accountability Office (GAO) 
continues to place DHS on the GAO High-Risk List. Our bill would assign 
overall management responsibilities to one individual who would be 
accountable for leading and instituting change. A Deputy Secretary for 
Management would provide the leadership necessary to move forward and 
sustain these needed changes. This presidentially appointed and Senate-
confirmed individual, who will have a term of office of five years, 
would serve as a bridge between political appointees and career 
employees. Changing agency culture is difficult and takes time. As 
Comptroller General David Walker notes, successful transformation 
initiatives in large private and public sector organizations can take 
at least five to seven years.
  In addition to serving as chairman of Oversight of Government 
Management Subcommittee, I am also the chairman of the Armed Services 
Readiness and Management Support Subcommittee, and I have witnessed 
firsthand how the Department of Defense (DoD) continues to struggle 
with business modernization despite clear congressional directives to 
do so. We cannot afford to allow the Department of Homeland Security, 
which has an extremely complex and critical mission, to be affected by 
the same management problems facing DoD. Our bill is born out of our 
concern and frustration that DHS is not doing better. We believe 
elevating the Under Secretary for Management to the Deputy Secretary 
level will provide DHS the necessary tools needed to avoid making the 
same mistakes as DoD. Having a single focus for key management 
functions, such as human capital, financial management, information 
technology, acquisition management, and performance management are 
essential if DHS is to avoid the stovepipe style of management at DoD.
  A Deputy Secretary for Management would bring needed attention to 
management issues and transformational change; would integrate various 
key operational and transformation efforts; and would institutionalize 
accountability for addressing management issues and leading change. Our 
bill enhances, not diminishes, the ability of the Secretary and Deputy 
Secretary of DHS to focus on policy decisions while leaving the 
management efforts to the Deputy Secretary for Management. It is good 
business practice to have one individual responsible for integrating 
strategic plans and overseeing change.
  I would like to note that the Homeland Security Advisory Council, 
established to advise and make recommendations to the Secretary of the 
Department of Homeland Security, created a Culture Task Force (CTF) at 
the request of Secretary Chertoff in June 2006. The CTF issued its 
recommendations to the Secretary last month. The January 2007 Report of 
the Homeland Security Culture Task Force recommends establishing an 
operational leadership position, ``who would report to the Secretary 
and be responsible for the high level Department-wide measures aimed at 
generating and sustaining operational integration and alignment of the 
component organizations.''
  Congress has a responsibility to ensure that agencies are instituting 
sound management practices that will empower agencies to spend taxpayer 
dollars more wisely while carrying out critical missions. A fully 
accountable chief management officer at DHS will make the difference by 
ensuring strong leadership over essential government programs.
                                 ______