Conclusion

Contacts and
Acknowledgments

federal government will make an effort to remove classified information from some documents to facilitate distribution to more state and local authorities.

The recent publication of the national strategy is an important initial step in defining homeland security, setting forth key strategic objectives, and specifying initiatives to implement them. The proposals for the Department of Homeland Security represent recognition by the administration and the Congress that much still needs to be done to improve and enhance the security of the American people and our country's assets. The proposed department will clearly have a central role in the success of efforts to strengthen homeland security, and has primary responsibility for many of the initiatives in the national homeland security strategy.

Moreover, given the unpredictable characteristics of terrorist threats, it is
essential that the strategy be implemented at a national rather than federal level
with specific attention given to the important and distinct roles of state and local
governments. Accordingly, decision makers will have to balance the federal
approach to promoting homeland security with the unique needs, capabilities, and'
interests of state and local governments. Such an approach offers the best
promise for sustaining the level of commitment needed to address the serious
threats posed by terrorism.

This completes my prepared statement. I would be pleased to respond to any questions you or other Members of the Subcommittee may have.

For further information about this testimony, please contact me at (202) 5129573 or JayEtta Hecker at (202) 512-2834. Other key contributors to this testimony include Matthew Ebert, Thomas James, David Laverny-Rafter, Yvonne Pufahl, Jack Schulze, and Amelia Shachoy.

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Related GAO Products

Homeland Security

Port Security: Nation Faces Formidable Challenges in Making New Initiatives
Successful, GAO-02-993T. Washington, D.C.: August 5, 2002.

Aviation Security: Transportation Security Administration Faces Immediate and
Long-Term Challenges. GAO-02-971T. Washington, D.C.: July 25, 2002.

Homeland Security: Critical Design and Implementation Issues. GAO-02-957T.
Washington, D.C.: July 17, 2002.

Homeland Security: New Department Could Improve Coordination but
Transferring Control of Certain Public Health Programs Raises Concerns.
GAO-02-954T. Washington, D.C.: July 16, 2002.

Critical Infrastructure Protection: Significant Homeland Security Challenges
Need to Be Addressed. GAO-02-918T. Washington, D.C.: July 9, 2002.

Homeland Security: New Department Could Improve Biomedical R&D
Coordination but May Disrupt Dual-Purpose Efforts. GAO-02-924T.
Washington, D.C.: July 9, 2002.

Homeland Security: Title III of the Homeland Security Act of 2002. GAO-02927T. Washington, D.C.: July 9, 2002.

Homeland Security: Intergovernmental Coordination and Partnership Will Be
Critical to Success. GAO-02-901T. Washington, D.C.: July 3, 2002.

Homeland Security: New Department Could Improve Coordination but May
Complicate Priority Setting. GAO-02-893T. Washington, D.C.: June 28, 2002.
Homeland Security: New Department Could Improve Coordination but May
Complicate Public Health Priority Setting. GAO-02-883T. Washington, D.C.:
June 25, 2002.

Homeland Security: Proposal for Cabinet Agency Has Merit, But Implementation
Will Be Pivotal to Success. GAO-02-886T. Washington, D.C.: June 25, 2002.

Homeland Security: Key Elements to Unify Efforts Are Underway but
Uncertainty Remains. GAO-02-610. Washington, D.C.: June 7, 2002.

National Preparedness: Integrating New and Existing Technology and Information Sharing into an Effective Homeland Security Strategy. GAO-02811T. Washington, D.C.: June 7, 2002.

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GAO-02-1011T

Combating Terrorism

Homeland Security: Integration of Federal, State, Local, and Private Sector Efforts Is Critical to an Effective National Strategy for Homeland Security GAO02-621T. Washington, D.C.: April 11, 2002.

Combating Terrorism: Key Aspects of a National Strategy to Enhance State and Local Preparedness. GAO-02-473T. Washington, DC.:

March 1, 2002.

Combating Terrorism: Considerations for Investing Resources in Chemical and Biological Preparedness. GAO-01-162T. Washington, D.C.: October 17, 2001.

Combating Terrorism: Selected Challenges and Related Recommendations.
GAO-01-822. Washington, D.C.: September 20, 2001.

Combating Terrorism: Actions Needed to Improve DOD's Antiterrorism Program Implementation and Management. GAO-01-909. Washington, D.C.: September 19, 2001.

Combating Terrorism: Comments on HR. 525 to Create a President's Council on Domestic Preparedness. GAO-01-555T. Washington, D.C.: May 9, 2001.

Combating Terrorism: Observations on Options to Improve the Federal
Response. GAO-01-660T. Washington, D.C.: April 24, 2001.

Combating Terrorism: Comments on Counterterrorism Leadership and National Strategy GAO-01-556T. Washington, D.C.: March 27, 2001.

Combating Terrorism: FEMA Continues to Make Progress in Coordinating Preparedness and Response. GAO-01-15. Washington, D.C.: March 20, 2001.

Combating Terrorism: Federal Response Teams Provide Varied Capabilities; Opportunities Remain to Improve Coordination.

GAO-01-14. Washington, D.C.: November 30, 2000.

Combating Terrorism. Need to Eliminate Duplicate Federal Weapons of Mass
Destruction Training. GAO/NSIAD-00-64, Washington, D.C.:
March 21, 2000.

Combating Terrorism: Observations on the Threat of Chemical and Biological Terrorism GAO/T-NSIAD-00-50. Washington, D.C.: October 20, 1999.

Combating Terrorism. Need for Comprehensive Threat and Risk Assessments of Chemical and Biological Attack. GAO/NSIAD-99-163. Washington, D.C.: September 7, 1999.

Combating Terrorism: Observations on Growth in Federal Programs. GAO/T-
NSIAD-99-181. Washington, D.C.: June 9, 1999.

Combating Terrorism. Analysis of Potential Emergency Response Equipment and Sustainment Costs. GAO-NSIAD-99-151. Washington, D.C.: June 9, 1999.

Combating Terrorism: Use of National Guard Response Teams Is Unclear.
GAO/NSIAD-99-110. Washington, D.C.: May 21, 1999.

Combating Terrorism: Observations on Federal Spending to Combat Terrorism.
GAO/T-NSIAD/GGD-99-107, Washington, D.C.. March 11, 1999.