A. Its primary missions are preventing terrorists attacks within the United States, reducing the vulnerability of the United States to terrorism, and minimizing the damage from potential attacks and natural disasters.
Established in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks (see Pentagon, the and World Trade Center ), the department unifies formerly dispersed nonmilitary government agencies that are responsible for many functions related to American security.
Strong congressional support for a new federal department that would unify diverse and overlapping security functions of the federal government led to a White House proposal for the DHS in June, 2002, and the legislation was passed late the same year.
United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), executive department of the federal government charged with protecting the security of the American homeland as its main responsibility.
DHS was created by the Department of Homeland Security Act of 2002, and is an outgrowth of the Office of Homeland Security established by President George W. Bush after Sept. 11, 2001.
The creation of DHS involved the largest restructuring of the executive branch of the federal government since the Defense Dept. was established (1947-49).
Who was the first secretary of the Department of Homeland Security?
Tom Ridge , who had been appointed (Oct., 2001) to head the Office of Homeland Security, became the first secretary of the department on Jan. 24, 2003.When did the Department of Homeland Security form?
Established in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks (see Pentagon, the and World Trade Center ), the department unifies formerly dispersed nonmilitary government agencies that are responsible for many functions related to American security.
What was the progression of events for the creation of the Department of Homeland Security?
Strong congressional support for a new federal department that would unify diverse and overlapping security functions of the federal government led to a White House proposal for the DHS in June, 2002, and the legislation was passed late the same year.
What is the Department of Homeland Security?
United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), executive department of the federal government charged with protecting the security of the American homeland as its main responsibility.
How was the Department of Homeland Security created?
DHS was created by the Department of Homeland Security Act of 2002, and is an outgrowth of the Office of Homeland Security established by President George W. Bush after Sept. 11, 2001.
What did the creation of the Department of Homeland Security involve?
The creation of DHS involved the largest restructuring of the executive branch of the federal government since the Defense Dept. was established (1947-49).
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And, for a little more information on how Homeland Security continually changes, see:
Cyber-security
See also: Cyber-security regulation
The DHS National Cyber Security Division (NCSD) is responsible for the response system, risk management program, and requirements for cyber-security in the U.S. The division is home to US-CERT operations and the National Cyber Alert System.[45][46] The DHS Science and Technology Directorate helps government and private end-users transition to new cyber-security capabilities. This directorate also funds the Cyber Security Research and Development Center, which identifies and prioritizes research and development for NCSD.[46] The center works on the Internet's routing infrastructure (the SPRI program) and Domain Name System (DNSSEC), identity theft and other online criminal activity (ITTC), Internet traffic and networks research (PREDICT datasets and the DETER testbed), Department of Defense and HSARPA exercises (Livewire and Determined Promise), and wireless security in cooperation with Canada.[47]
On October 30, 2009, DHS opened the United States National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center|National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center. The center brings together government organizations responsible for protecting computer networks and networked infrastructure.[48]
[edit]Criticism
[edit]Excess, waste, and ineffectiveness
The Department of Homeland Security has been dogged by persistent criticism over excessive bureaucracy, waste, ineffectiveness and lack of transparency. Congress estimates that the department has wasted roughly $15 billion in failed contracts (as of September 2008).[49] In 2003, the department came under fire after the media revealed that Laura Callahan, Deputy Chief Information Officer at DHS with responsibilities for sensitive national security databases, had obtained her advanced computer science degrees through a diploma mill in a small town in Wyoming. The department was blamed for up to $2 billion of waste and fraud after audits by the Government Accountability Office revealed widespread misuse of government credit cards by DHS employees, with purchases including beer brewing kits, $70,000 of plastic dog booties that were later deemed unusable, boats purchased at double the retail price (many of which later could not be found), and iPods ostensibly for use in "data storage".[50][51][52][53]
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Note:
It is interesting that since Homeland Security was first established shortly after 9/11, we now have an administration that fails to identify the actual enemies of the United States; has removed all terms that once related to terrorism, such as, "radical Islamists", etc.
Also, while ignoring and erasing all traits of America's enemies, we see this same administration now discussing "peace" terms with both the Muslim Brotherhood and the Taliban. Please note that recently our own Vice President has announced that the "Taliban is not the enemy of the U.S.".
Such comments from America's so-called "leaders" cause great confusion within our country - and we beg to ask, "If not the Taliban, or the MB, pray tell, who exactly are America's enemies?"
Which brings us to the next question: "If not the radical extremists Muslims, could it possibly be our own American citizens?" No? Then explain the fact that now many Conservative blogs are under the careful eye of the Department of Homeland Security?"
Americans need to ask the GOP candidates exactly what the Mission of the Dept. of Homeland Security is and how has that Mission changed since Sept. 11, 2011? In its quest to seek out and locate terrorists within the borders of the U.S., isn't it also mandatory that this same department be responsible to protects every American citizen's rights under the Constitution of the United States?
."When the people fear the Government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty." Thomas Jefferson