[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 44 (Monday, November 5, 2001)]
[Pages 1568-1570]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Directive on Organization and Operation of the Homeland Security Council

October 29, 2001

 Homeland Security Presidential Directive-1

Subject: Organization and Operation of the Homeland Security Council

    This is the first in a series of Homeland Security Presidential 
Directives that shall record and communicate presidential decisions 
about the homeland security policies of the United States.

A. Homeland Security Council

    Securing Americans from terrorist threats or attacks is a critical 
national security function. It requires extensive coordination across a 
broad spectrum of Federal, State, and local agencies to reduce the 
potential for terrorist attacks and to mitigate damage should such an 
attack occur. The Homeland Security Council (HSC) shall ensure 
coordination of all homeland security-related activities among executive 
departments and agencies and promote the effective development and 
implementation of all homeland security policies.

B. The Homeland Security Council Principals Committee

    The HSC Principals Committee (HSC/PC) shall be the senior 
interagency forum under the HSC for homeland security issues. The HSC/PC 
is composed of the following members: the Secretary of the Treasury; the 
Secretary of Defense; the Attorney General; the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services; the Secretary of Transportation; the Director of the 
Office of Management and Budget; the Assistant to the President for 
Homeland Security (who serves as Chairman); the Assistant to the 
President and Chief of Staff; the Director of Central Intelligence; the 
Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Director of the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency; and the Assistant to the President 
and Chief of Staff to the Vice President. The Assistant to the President 
for National Security Affairs shall be invited to attend all meetings of 
the HSC/PC. The following people shall be invited to HSC/PC meetings 
when issues pertaining to their responsibilities and expertise are 
discussed: the Secretary of State; the Secretary of the Interior; the 
Secretary of Agriculture; the Secretary of Commerce; the Secretary of 
Labor; the Secretary of Energy; the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; the 
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; and the Deputy 
National Security Advisor for Combating Terrorism. The Counsel to the 
President shall be consulted regarding the agenda of HSC/PC meetings and 
shall attend any meeting when, in consultation with the Assistant to the 
President for Homeland Security, the Counsel deems it appropriate. The 
Deputy Director of the Office of Homeland Security shall serve as 
Executive Secretary of the HSC/PC. Other heads of departments and 
agencies and senior officials shall be invited, when appropriate.
    The HSC/PC shall meet at the call of the Assistant to the President 
for Homeland Security, in consultation with the regular attendees of the 
HSC/PC. The Assistant to the President for Homeland Security shall 
determine the agenda, in consultation with the regular attendees, and 
shall ensure that all necessary papers are prepared. When global 
terrorism with domestic implications

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is on the agenda of the HSC/PC, the Assistant to the President for 
Homeland Security and the Assistant to the President for National 
Security Affairs shall perform these tasks in concert.

C. Homeland Security Council Deputies Committee

    The HSC Deputies Committee (HSC/DC) shall serve as the senior sub-
Cabinet interagency forum for consideration of policy issues affecting 
homeland security. The HSC/DC can task and review the work of the HSC 
interagency groups discussed below. The HSC/DC shall help ensure that 
issues brought before the HSC/PC or the HSC have been properly analyzed 
and prepared for action. The HSC/DC shall have the following as its 
regular members: the Deputy Secretary of the Treasury; the Deputy 
Secretary of Defense; the Deputy Attorney General; the Deputy Secretary 
of Health and Human Services; the Deputy Secretary of Transportation; 
the Deputy Director of the Office of Homeland Security (who serves as 
Chairman); the Deputy Director of Central Intelligence; the Deputy 
Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Deputy Director of 
the Federal Emergency Management Agency; the Deputy Director of the 
Office of Management and Budget; and the Assistant to the President and 
Chief of Staff to the Vice President. The Assistant to the President and 
Deputy National Security Advisor shall be invited to attend all meetings 
of the HSC/DC. The following people shall be invited to attend when 
issues pertaining to their responsibilities and expertise are to be 
discussed: the Deputy Secretary of State; the Deputy Secretary of the 
Interior; the Deputy Secretary of Agriculture; the Deputy Secretary of 
Commerce; the Deputy Secretary of Labor; the Deputy Secretary of Energy; 
the Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs; the Deputy Administrator of 
the Environmental Protection Agency; the Deputy National Security 
Advisor for Combating Terrorism; and the Special Advisor to the 
President for Cyberspace Security. The Executive Secretary of the Office 
of Homeland Security shall serve as Executive Secretary of the HSC/DC. 
Other senior officials shall be invited, when appropriate.
    The HSC/DC shall meet at the call of its Chairman. Any regular 
member of the HSC/DC may request a meeting of the HSC/DC for prompt 
crisis management. For all meetings, the Chairman shall determine the 
agenda, in consultation with the regular members, and shall ensure that 
necessary papers are prepared.

D. Homeland Security Council Policy Coordination Committees

    HSC Policy Coordination Committees (HSC/PCCs) shall coordinate the 
development and implementation of homeland security policies by multiple 
departments and agencies through-out the Federal government, and shall 
coordinate those policies with State and local government. The HSC/PCCs 
shall be the main day-to-day fora for interagency coordination of 
homeland security policy. They shall provide policy analysis for 
consideration by the more senior committees of the HSC system and ensure 
timely responses to decisions made by the President. Each HSC/PCC shall 
include representatives from the executive departments, offices, and 
agencies represented in the HSC/DC.
    Eleven HSC/PCCs are hereby established for the following functional 
areas, each to be chaired by the designated Senior Director from the 
Office of Homeland Security:
 1.          Detection, Surveillance, and Intelligence (by the Senior 
            Director, Intelligence and Detection);
 2.          Plans, Training, Exercises, and Evaluation (by the Senior 
            Director, Policy and Plans);
 3.          Law Enforcement and Investigation (by the Senior Director, 
            Intelligence and Detection);
 4.          Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Consequence Management 
            (by the Senior Director, Response and Recovery);
 5.          Key Asset, Border, Territorial Waters, and Airspace 
            Security (by the Senior Director, Protection and 
            Prevention);
 6.          Domestic Transportation Security (by the Senior Director, 
            Protection and Prevention);
 7.          Research and Development (by the Senior Director, Research 
            and Development);

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 8.          Medical and Public Health Preparedness (by the Senior 
            Director, Protection and Prevention);
 9.          Domestic Threat Response and Incident Management (by the 
            Senior Director, Response and Recovery);
 10.         Economic Consequences (by the Senior Director, Response and 
            Recovery); and
 11.         Public Affairs (by the Senior Director, Communications).
    Each HSC/PCC shall also have an Executive Secretary to be designated 
by the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security (from the staff 
of the HSC). The Executive Secretary of each HSC/PCC shall assist his or 
her Chair in scheduling the meetings of the HSC/PCC, determining the 
agenda, recording the actions taken and tasks assigned, and ensuring 
timely responses to the central policymaking committees of the HSC 
system. The Chairman of each HSC/PCC, in consultation with its Executive 
Secretary, may invite representatives of other executive departments and 
agencies to attend meetings of the HSC/PCC, when appropriate.
    The Assistant to the President for Homeland Security, at the 
direction of the President and in consultation with the Vice President, 
the Attorney General, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Director of 
the Federal Emergency Management Agency, may establish additional HSC/
PCCs, as appropriate.
    The Chairman of each HSC/PCC, with the agreement of its Executive 
Secretary, may establish subordinate working groups to assist the PCC in 
the performance of its duties.
    The Vice President may attend any and all meetings of any entity 
established by or under this directive. This directive shall be 
construed in a manner consistent with Executive Order 13228.
                                                George W. Bush

Note: This directive was released by the Office of the Press Secretary 
on October 30.