Merging the HSC and NSC: Stronger Together
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Authors
Wormuth, Christine
White, Jeremy
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Advisors
Date of Issue
2009-01-00
Date
2009-01
Publisher
Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security
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Abstract
At the federal level, homeland security is inherently and fundamentally an interagency undertaking. The quality of interagency relationships and processes is central to the success or failure of federal ''' and national ''' homeland security activities. Short of giving a single Cabinet secretary directive authority over other Cabinet secretaries during major domestic incidents, the only way to ensure effective unity of effort at the federal level is to exercise strong leadership from the White House. This kind of leadership is needed not just during an actual catastrophe but also when the government is engaged in the day-to-day activities of working to prevent, protect against, and prepare for such catastrophes. In recent years the White House has not played this role, in large part because of the bifurcation of national security issues into a National Security Council and a Homeland Security Council. This article thus suggests that one of the most important and necessary changes the new administration should make is to merge these organizations into a single council with a largely shared professional staff.
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Article
Description
This article appeared in Homeland Security Affairs (January 2009), v.5 no.1
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Citation
Homeland Security Affairs (January 2009), v.5 no.1
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Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
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The copyright of all articles published in Homeland Security Affairs rests with the author[s] of the articles. Any commercial use of Homeland Security Affairs or the articles published herein is expressly prohibited without the written consent of the copyright holder. Anyone can copy, distribute, or reuse these articles as long as the author and original source are properly cited.