    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book I)]
    [June 18, 2002]
    [Pages 1006-1011]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Message to the Congress Transmitting Proposed Legislation To Create the
    Department of Homeland Security
    June 18, 2002

    To the Congress of the United States:
        I hereby transmit to the Congress proposed legislation to create a
    new Cabinet Department of Homeland Security.
        Our Nation faces a new and changing threat unlike any we have faced
    before--the global threat of terrorism. No nation is immune, and all
    nations must act decisively to protect against this constantly evolving
    threat.
        We must recognize that the threat of terrorism is a permanent
    condition, and we must take action to protect America against the
    terrorists that seek to kill the innocent.
        Since September 11, 2001, all levels of government and leaders from
    across the political spectrum have cooperated like never before. We have
    strengthened our aviation security and tightened our borders. We have
    stockpiled medicines to defend against bioterrorism and improved our
    ability to combat weapons of mass destruction. We have dramatically
    improved information sharing among our intelligence agencies, and we
    have taken new steps to protect our critical infrastructure.
        Our Nation is stronger and better prepared today than it was on
    September 11. Yet, we can do better. I propose the most extensive
    reorganization of the Federal Government since the 1940s by creating a
    new Department of Homeland Security. For the first time we would have a
    single Department whose primary mission is to secure our homeland. Soon
    after the Second World War, President Harry Truman recognized that our
    Nation's fragmented military defenses needed reorganization to help win
    the Cold War. President Truman proposed uniting our military forces
    under a single entity, now the Department of Defense, and creating the
    National Security Council to bring together defense, intelligence, and
    diplomacy. President Truman's reforms are still helping us to fight
    terror abroad, and today we need similar dramatic reforms to secure our
    people at home.
        President Truman and Congress reorganized our Government to meet a
    very visible enemy in the Cold War. Today our Nation must once again
    reorganize our Government to protect against an often-invisible enemy,
    an enemy that hides in the shadows and an enemy that can strike with
    many different types of weapons. Our enemies seek to obtain the most
    dangerous and deadly weapons of mass destruction and use them against
    the innocent. While we are winning the war on terrorism, Al Qaeda and
    other terrorist organizations still have thousands of trained killers
    spread across the globe plotting attacks against America and the other
    nations of the civilized world.

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        Immediately after last fall's attack, I used my legal authority to
    establish the White House Office of Homeland Security and the Homeland
    Security Council to help ensure that our Federal response and protection
    efforts were coordinated and effective. I also directed Homeland
    Security Advisor Tom Ridge to study the Federal Government as a whole to
    determine if the current structure allows us to meet the threats of
    today while preparing for the unknown threats of tomorrow. After careful
    study of the current structure, coupled with the experience gained since
    September 11 and new information we have learned about our enemies while
    fighting a war, I have concluded that our Nation needs a more unified
    homeland security structure.
        I propose to create a new Department of Homeland Security by
    substantially transforming the current confusing patchwork of government
    activities into a single department whose primary mission is to secure
    our homeland. My proposal builds on the strong bipartisan work on the
    issue of homeland security that has been conducted by Members of
    Congress. In designing the new Department, my Administration considered
    a number of homeland security organizational proposals that have emerged
    from outside studies, commissions, and Members of Congress.

    The Need for a Department of Homeland Security

        Today no Federal Government agency has homeland security as its
    primary mission. Responsibilities for homeland security are dispersed
    among more than 100 different entities of the Federal Government.
    America needs a unified homeland security structure that will improve
    protection against today's threats and be flexible enough to help meet
    the unknown threats of the future.
        The mission of the new Department would be to prevent terrorist
    attacks within the United States, to reduce America's vulnerability to
    terrorism, and to minimize the damage and recover from attacks that may
    occur. The Department of Homeland Security would mobilize and focus the
    resources of the Federal Government, State and local governments, the
    private sector, and the American people to accomplish its mission.
        The Department of Homeland Security would make Americans safer
    because for the first time we would have one department dedicated to
    securing the homeland. One department would secure our borders,
    transportation sector, ports, and critical infrastructure. One
    department would analyze homeland security intelligence from multiple
    sources, synthesize it with a comprehensive assessment of America's
    vulnerabilities, and take action to secure our highest risk facilities
    and systems. One department would coordinate communications with State
    and local governments, private industry, and the American people about
    threats and preparedness. One department would coordinate our efforts to
    secure the American people against bioterrorism and other weapons of
    mass destruction. One department would help train and equip our first
    responders. One department would manage Federal emergency response
    activities.
        Our goal is not to expand Government, but to create an agile
    organization that takes advantage of modern technology and management
    techniques to meet a new and constantly evolving threat. We can improve
    our homeland security by minimizing the duplication of efforts,
    improving coordination, and combining functions that are currently
    fragmented and inefficient. The new Department would allow us to have
    more security officers in the field working to stop terrorists and fewer
    resources in Washington managing duplicative activities that drain
    critical homeland security resources.
        The Department of Homeland Security would have a clear and efficient
    organizational structure with four main divisions: Border and
    Transportation Security; Emergency Preparedness and Response; Chemical,
    Biological, Radiological and Nuclear

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    Countermeasures; and Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection.

    Border and Transportation Security

        Terrorism is a global threat and we must improve our border security
    to help keep out those who mean to do us harm. We must closely monitor
    who is coming into and out of our country to help prevent foreign
    terrorists from entering our country and bringing in their instruments
    of terror. At the same time, we must expedite the legal flow of people
    and goods on which our economy depends. Securing our borders and
    controlling entry to the United States has always been the
    responsibility of the Federal Government. Yet, this responsibility and
    the security of our transportation systems is now dispersed among
    several major Government organizations. Under my proposed legislation,
    the Department of Homeland Security would unify authority over major
    Federal security operations related to our borders, territorial waters,
    and transportation systems.
        The Department would assume responsibility for the United States
    Coast Guard, the United States Customs Service, the Immigration and
    Naturalization Service (including the Border Patrol), the Animal and
    Plant Health Inspection Service, and the Transportation Security
    Administration. The Secretary of Homeland Security would have the
    authority to administer and enforce all immigration and nationality
    laws, including the visa issuance functions of consular officers. As a
    result, the Department would have sole responsibility for managing entry
    into the United States and protecting our transportation infrastructure.
    It would ensure that all aspects of border control, including the
    issuing of visas, are informed by a central information-sharing
    clearinghouse and compatible databases.

    Emergency Preparedness and Response

        Although our top priority is preventing future attacks, we must also
    prepare to minimize the damage and recover from attacks that may occur.
        My legislative proposal requires the Department of Homeland Security
    to ensure the preparedness of our Nation's emergency response
    professionals, provide the Federal Government's response, and aid
    America's recovery from terrorist attacks and natural disasters. To
    fulfill these missions, the Department of Homeland Security would
    incorporate the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as one of its
    key components. The Department would administer the domestic disaster
    preparedness grant programs for firefighters, police, and emergency
    personnel currently managed by FEMA, the Department of Justice, and the
    Department of Health and Human Services. In responding to an incident,
    the Department would manage such critical response assets as the Nuclear
    Emergency Search Team (from the Department of Energy) and the National
    Pharmaceutical Stockpile (from the Department of Health and Human
    Services). Finally, the Department of Homeland Security would integrate
    the Federal interagency emergency response plans into a single,
    comprehensive, Government-wide plan, and would work to ensure that all
    response personnel have the equipment and capability to communicate with
    each other as necessary.

    Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Countermeasures

        Our enemies today seek to acquire and use the most deadly weapons
    known to mankind--chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear
    weapons.
        The new Department of Homeland Security would lead the Federal
    Government's efforts in preparing for and responding to the full range
    of terrorist threats involving weapons of mass destruction. The
    Department would set national policy and establish guidelines for State
    and local governments. The Department would direct exercises for
    Federal, State, and local

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    chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear attack response teams
    and plans. The Department would consolidate and synchronize the
    disparate efforts of multiple Federal agencies now scattered across
    several departments. This would create a single office whose primary
    mission is the critical task of securing the United States from
    catastrophic terrorism.
        The Department would improve America's ability to develop
    diagnostics, vaccines, antibodies, antidotes, and other countermeasures
    against new weapons. It would consolidate and prioritize the disparate
    homeland security-related research and development programs currently
    scattered throughout the executive branch, and the Department would
    assist State and local public safety agencies by evaluating equipment
    and setting standards.

    Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection

        For the first time the Government would have under one roof the
    capability to identify and assess threats to the homeland, map those
    threats against our vulnerabilities, issue timely warnings, and take
    action to help secure the homeland.
        The Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection division of
    the new Department of Homeland Security would complement the reforms on
    intelligence-gathering and information-sharing already underway at the
    FBI and the CIA. The Department would analyze information and
    intelligence from the FBI, CIA, and many other Federal agencies to
    better understand the terrorist threat to the American homeland.
        The Department would comprehensively assess the vulnerability of
    America's key assets and critical infrastructures, including food and
    water systems, agriculture, health systems and emergency services,
    information and telecommunications, banking and finance, energy,
    transportation, the chemical and defense industries, postal and shipping
    entities, and national monuments and icons. The Department would
    integrate its own and others' threat analyses with its comprehensive
    vulnerability assessment to identify protective priorities and support
    protective steps to be taken by the Department, other Federal
    departments and agencies, State and local agencies, and the private
    sector. Working closely with State and local officials, other Federal
    agencies, and the private sector, the Department would help ensure that
    proper steps are taken to protect high-risk potential targets.

    Other Components

        In addition to these four core divisions, the submitted legislation
    would also transfer responsibility for the Secret Service to the
    Department of Homeland Security. The Secret Service, which would report
    directly to the Secretary of Homeland Security, would retain its primary
    mission to protect the President and other Government leaders. The
    Secret Service would, however, contribute its specialized protective
    expertise to the fulfillment of the Department's core mission.
        Finally, under my legislation, the Department of Homeland Security
    would consolidate and streamline relations with the Federal Government
    for America's State and local governments. The new Department would
    contain an intergovernmental affairs office to coordinate Federal
    homeland security programs with State and local officials. It would give
    State and local officials one primary contact instead of many when it
    comes to matters related to training, equipment, planning, and other
    critical needs such as emergency response.
        The consolidation of the Government's homeland security efforts as
    outlined in my proposed legislation can achieve great efficiencies that
    further enhance our security. Yet, to achieve these efficiencies, the
    new Secretary of Homeland Security would require considerable
    flexibility in procurement, integration of information technology
    systems, and personnel issues. My proposed

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    legislation provides the Secretary of Homeland Security with just such
    flexibility and managerial authorities. I call upon the Congress to
    implement these measures in order to ensure that we are maximizing our
    ability to secure our homeland.

    Continued Interagency Coordination at the White House

        Even with the creation of the new Department, there will remain a
    strong need for a White House Office of Homeland Security. Protecting
    America from terrorism will remain a multidepartmental issue and will
    continue to require interagency coordination. Presidents will continue
    to require the confidential advice of a Homeland Security Advisor, and I
    intend for the White House Office of Homeland Security and the Homeland
    Security Council to maintain a strong role in coordinating our
    government-wide efforts to secure the homeland.

    The Lessons of History

        History teaches us that new challenges require new organizational
    structures. History also teaches us that critical security challenges
    require clear lines of responsibility and the unified effort of the U.S.
    Government.
        President Truman said, looking at the lessons of the Second World
    War: ``It is now time to discard obsolete organizational forms, and to
    provide for the future the soundest, the most effective, and the most
    economical kind of structure for our armed forces.'' When skeptics told
    President Truman that this proposed reorganization was too ambitious to
    be enacted, he simply replied that it had to be. In the years to follow,
    the Congress acted upon President Truman's recommendation, eventually
    laying a sound organizational foundation that enabled the United States
    to win the Cold War. All Americans today enjoy the inheritance of this
    landmark organizational reform: a unified Department of Defense that has
    become the most powerful force for freedom the world has ever seen.
        Today America faces a threat that is wholly different from the
    threat we faced during the Cold War. Our terrorist enemies hide in
    shadows and attack civilians with whatever means of destruction they can
    access. But as in the Cold War, meeting this threat requires clear lines
    of responsibility and the unified efforts of government at all levels--
    Federal, State, local, and tribal--the private sector, and all
    Americans. America needs a homeland security establishment that can help
    prevent catastrophic attacks and mobilize national resources for an
    enduring conflict while protecting our Nation's values and liberties.
        Years from today, our world will still be fighting the threat of
    terrorism. It is my hope that future generations will be able to look
    back on the Homeland Security Act of 2002--as we now remember the
    National Security Act of 1947--as the solid organizational foundation
    for America's triumph in a long and difficult struggle against a
    formidable enemy.
        History has given our Nation new challenges--and important new
    assignments. Only the United States Congress can create a new department
    of Government. We face an urgent need, and I am pleased that Congress
    has responded to my call to act before the end of the current
    congressional session with the same bipartisan spirit that allowed us to
    act expeditiously on legislation after September 11.
        These are times that demand bipartisan action and bipartisan
    solutions to meet the new and changing threats we face as a Nation. I
    urge the Congress to join me in creating a single, permanent department
    with an overriding and urgent mission--securing the homeland of America
    and protecting the American people. Together we can meet this ambitious
    deadline and help ensure that the American homeland is secure against
    the terrorist threat.

                                                              George W. Bush

     The White House,

     June 18, 2002.

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    Note: The Office of the Press Secretary also released an ``Analysis for
    the Homeland Security Act of 2002'' and made available the text of the
    proposed legislation.