McCaul Hearing Finds DHS Strategy Unfocused: Reveals New, Innovative Ways to Strengthen Abilities to Combat Emerging Threats

Hearing Video:Opening StatementQ&A-1Q&A-2

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Multiple strategies within the Department of Homeland Security that are considered to be confusing and too reactive hinder the nearly 10 year old organization from combating emerging terrorist threats. That assertion was presented during today's Homeland Security Oversight & Investigations subcommittee hearing examining a plethora of guiding documents which multiple investigations have found to create performance problems and mission delays for the department's subordinate agencies.

"The bottom line is that DHS needs a single strategic document which subordinateagencies can follow and make sure the strategy is effectively and efficiently implemented," said Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX), who chairs the subcommittee. "If the agencies do not have a clearly established list of priorities it will be difficult to complete assigned missions."

Chairman McCaul's hearing uncovered that greater emphasis should be placed on cyber security and that DHS did not use a risk assessment in developing its strategic plans.

"There were a number of things that went into that equation but there was not a formal risk assessment that was part of determining which things floated to the top," David Maurer, who investigates Homeland Security operations at the Government Accountability Office, testified. Alan Cohn, DHS's Deputy Assistant Secretary for policy, testified that the department agreed with GAO's recommendations and will incorporate into strategy for 2013.

Congressman McCaul said the subcommittee will also take a close look at recommendationsfrom Paul Schneider, former Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security under Secretary Chertoff, to follow the Goldwater-Nichols model that successfullyrestructured and strengthened the Department of Defense. Chief among the changes would be to separate operations from acquisition.

"Two questions: Do we want the head of (Customs and Border Protection) with 65,000 people, 24-7 responsibilities, to keep the incorrect people and bad stuff out of the borders, at the same time we hold him responsible for putting together very comprehensive surveillance systems along the border?" Schneider testified. "In my mind, the answer is absolutely not. Let the operators do what the war fighters do – operate and basically provide good law enforcement – and have those people that are smart put together integrated systems using the maximum amount of technology available and satisfy those user requirements."

An unclear mission has also led to a strategy of immigration enforcement in the interior that is often counter to efforts to secure the border, according to Dr. Sharon Caudle of the Bush School of Public Policy at Texas A&M University. "Right now you do have different sets of opinion about what the actual goals are there," she testified.

Today's was the first in a series of hearings examining the challenges of DHS operations nearly a decade into the department's existence.

"We live within a tough budgetary time and so I think we need to make best use out of the dollars that we have and make it more efficient and that's part of whatthese hearings are going to be about," Rep. McCaul said.

Chairman McCaul and Ranking Member Bill Keating (D-MA) at today's oversight hearing.