This National Strategy for Homeland Security has set a broad and complex agenda for the United States. The Strategy has defined many different goals that need to be met, programs that need to be implemented, and responsibilities that need to be fulfilled. The principal purpose of a strategy, however, is to set priorities. It is particularly important for government institutions to set priorities explicitly, since these institutions generally lack a clear measure of how successfully they provide value to the citizenry.
Setting priorities is important to homeland security in two distinct respects. First, there is the question of the priority of homeland security compared to everything else the government does or might do. There is a strong consensus that protecting the people from terrorist attacks of potentially catastrophic proportions is among the highest, if not the highest, priority any government can have. There will, of course, be vigorous debate over how to achieve specific homeland security goals, who should pay, how much security is enough, and what the responsibilities of different entities should be, but there is little disagreement that securing the homeland is more important than just about every other government activity.
Second, there is the more complex question of priorities within the homeland security agenda. This point is absolutely essential in determining how to allocate the taxpayers' money in a government budget. The President's Budget for Fiscal Year 2003, which was finalized in the weeks immediately following September 11 and submitted to Congress in February 2002, recognized the need for priorities. It identified four key areas for extra attention and carefully targeted increases in federal expenditures:
Support first responders. The President's 2003 budget request included $3.5 billion to enhance first responders' response capabilities in communities across the Nation. These funds will support states and communities as they conduct exercises, purchase equipment, and train personnel.
Defend against biological terrorism. The 2003 budget request proposed increasing, by $4.5 billion to $5.9 billion total, spending on programs that counter the threat of biological terrorism. Areas of emphasis include: improving disease surveillance and response systems; increasing the capacity of public-health systems to handle outbreaks of contagious diseases; expanding research on vaccines, medicines, and diagnostic tests; and building up the National Pharmaceutical Stockpile.
Secure America's borders. The Administration proposed increasing spending on border security by $2.2 billion to $11 billion in 2003. These funds will expand the number of inspectors at ports of entry; purchase equipment to increase inspections of containers and cargo; design and test a statutorily required system that records the entry of individuals into the United States and their subsequent exit; and improve the Coast Guard's ability to track maritime activity.
Use information to secure the homeland. The 2003 budget proposed an increase in spending of $722 million on programs that will use information technology to more effectively share information and intelligence horizontally (between federal agencies) and vertically (between federal, state, and local governments).
These initiatives are the President's budgetary priorities for Fiscal Year 2003, and will remain important issues for the foreseeable future.
There is, however, an additional statutory and institutional priority at the present time-namely, the establishment of the new Department of Homeland Security as proposed by the President on June 6, 2002. Congress is considering legislation to implement the President's proposal even as this National Strategy is being published. Building a strong, flexible, and efficient Department of Homeland Security is an enormous challenge and a top federal priority.
Assuming Congress passes legislation to implement the President's proposal to create the Department of Homeland Security, the budget will fully reflect the reformed organization of the executive branch for homeland security. The Fiscal Year 2004 Budget will also have an integrated and vastly simplified account structure based on the six critical mission areas defined by the National Strategy.
Indeed, work has already begun on the Fiscal Year 2004 budget. At the time this National Strategy was published, it is expected that in Fiscal Year 2004 the Administration will attach priority to the following items.
Enhance the analytic capabilities of the FBI (p. 17). The first objective of this strategy is to prevent terrorist attacks. The FBI is among the most important federal institutions for achieving this objective. The FBI is seeking to enhance its analytic capabilities to support counterterrorism investigations and operations, as well as to enhance the counterterrorism capabilities of other components of the federal government.
Build new capabilities through the Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection Division of the proposed Department of Homeland Security (p. 18). Under the President's proposal, the Department of Homeland Security will build on capabilities to comprehensively assess the vulnerabilities of our critical infrastructure and key assests, map threats against those vulnerabilities, issue timely warnings, and work with federal, state, and local governments and the private sector to take appropriate protective action.
Create "smart borders" (p. 22).We must prevent terrorists and the implements of terror from entering the United States. At the same time, our economic security depends on the efficient flow of people, goods, and services. We will build a "smart border" that achieves both of these critical goals. It will feature strong, advanced risk-management systems, increased use of biometric identification information, and partnerships with the private sector to allow pre-cleared goods and persons to cross borders without delay.
Increase the security of international shipping containers (p. 23). Ensuring the security of the global trading system is essential to our security and world commerce. Some 16 million shipping containers enter the United States each year; roughly two-thirds come from 20 "mega" seaports. The United States will work with its trade partners to increase security in these ports, establish greater controls over containers, pre-screen containers before they arrive in America, and develop technologies to track in-transit containers.
Recapitalize the U.S. Coast Guard (p. 23). The President is committed to building a strong and effective Coast Guard. The Administration's Fiscal Year 2004 Budget proposal will provide resources to acquire the sensors, command-and-control systems, shore-side facilities, boats and cutters, aircraft, and people the Coast Guard requires to perform all of its missions, including assuring the safety of Americans at sea, maritime domain awareness, and fisheries enforcement.
Prevent terrorist use of nuclear weapons through better sensors and procedures (p. 38). The federal government will support research efforts for improved technologies to detect nuclear materials and weapons. In particular, the Department of Homeland Security would develop and deploy new detection systems and inspection procedures against the entry of such materials at all major ports of entry and throughout our national transportation infrastructure.
Develop broad spectrum vaccines, antimicrobials, and antidotes (p. 39). The Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Health and Human Services would support research efforts to expand the inventory of diagnostics, vaccines, antidotes, and other therapies that can mitigate the consequences of a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear attack. Protecting a diverse population of all ages and health conditions requires a coordinated national effort with a comprehensive research and development strategy and investment plans. Such efforts will also benefit other infectious disease and medical research.
Integrate information sharing across the federal government (p. 56). The federal government will develop systems to coordinate the sharing of essential homeland security information. The federal government will design and implement an interagency information architecture that will support efforts to find, track, and respond to terrorist threats in a way that improves both the time of response and the quality of decisions.
These items will be the budgetary priorities of the federal government for the next budget cycle. In the intervening months, the executive branch will prepare detailed implementation plans for these and most other initiatives contained within this Strategy. These plans will ensure that the taxpayers' money is spent only in a manner that achieves specific objectives with clear performance-based measures of effectiveness.
State and local governments, private industry, and concerned citizens groups should go through a similar process of priority-setting and long-term planning.
Americans will never forget the murderous events of September 11, 2001. Our Nation suffered great harm on that terrible morning. The American people have responded magnificently with courage and compassion, strength and resolve. There should be no doubt that we will succeed in weaving an effective and permanent level of security into the fabric of a better, safer, stronger America.
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