Homeland Security Council
Encyclopedia
The Homeland Security Council (HSC) is an entity within the White House Office
tasked with advising the President on matters relating to Homeland Security. The current Homeland Security Advisor is John Brennan
who holds the rank of Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism.
and was created by on October 29, 2001 and subsequently expanded on by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 1. It served as the successor to the Office of Homeland Security, established on September 20, 2001, immediately after to the September 11 attacks. Congress
subsequently codified the HSC in the Homeland Security Act of 2002
, charging it with advising the President
on homeland security
matters.
On February 23, 2009, the Obama administration released Presidential Study Directive 1. This memorandum ordered a 60-day inter-agency review of the White House homeland security and counter-terrorism
structure. The review recommended that the president merge the staff supporting the Homeland Security Council with the staff supporting the National Security Council
. That recommendation was implemented to create a single National Security Staff. On May 26, 2009, Barack Obama
signed the recommendation to merge the Homeland Security Council and National Security Council staffs into one National Security Staff (NSS). Policymakers and observers have debated whether the HSC staff should remain an independent entity with the White House or merged with the NSC staff. The HSC and NSC continue to exist by statute as independent councils of leadership advising the president.
counterpart, the National Security Council
(NSC), which was established in the National Security Act of 1947
. The HSC also maintained structural similarities with the NSC; the HSC consisted of full-time staff organized by subject areas relating to homeland security missions, with the Council itself being composed of Cabinet
members and senior White House officials whose departments have principal interests in homeland security policy-making
. The Joint Chiefs of Staff
consist of the primary military advisers to the Homeland Security Council, as well as the National Security Council. Due to the recommendations implemented by Obama, the Homeland Security Council and the National Security Council now have combined staff, the National Security Staff (NSS).
While similar in name, the Department of Homeland Security
is a distinct federal executive department
; unlike DHS, the HSC functioned as part of the Executive Office of the President, drawing staff from across federal agencies and under the direct control of the president.
White House Office
The White House Office is an entity within the Executive Office of the President of the United States. The White House Office is headed by the White House Chief of Staff, which was temporarily Pete Rouse, replaced on January 6, 2010 with the permanent appointment of William M. Daley, who is also...
tasked with advising the President on matters relating to Homeland Security. The current Homeland Security Advisor is John Brennan
John O. Brennan
John O. Brennan is chief counterterrorism advisor to U.S. President Barack Obama; officially his title is Deputy National Security Advisor for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, and Assistant to the President...
who holds the rank of Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism.
History
The Homeland Security Council (HSC) is an entity within the White House OfficeWhite House Office
The White House Office is an entity within the Executive Office of the President of the United States. The White House Office is headed by the White House Chief of Staff, which was temporarily Pete Rouse, replaced on January 6, 2010 with the permanent appointment of William M. Daley, who is also...
and was created by on October 29, 2001 and subsequently expanded on by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 1. It served as the successor to the Office of Homeland Security, established on September 20, 2001, immediately after to the September 11 attacks. Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
subsequently codified the HSC in the Homeland Security Act of 2002
Homeland Security Act
The Homeland Security Act of 2002, , 116 Stat. 2135 was introduced in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks and subsequent mailings of anthrax spores. The HSA was cosponsored by 118 members of Congress. It was signed into law by President George W...
, charging it with advising the President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
on homeland security
Homeland security
Homeland security is an umbrella term for security efforts to protect states against terrorist activity. Specifically, is a concerted national effort to prevent terrorist attacks within the U.S., reduce America’s vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do...
matters.
On February 23, 2009, the Obama administration released Presidential Study Directive 1. This memorandum ordered a 60-day inter-agency review of the White House homeland security and counter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...
structure. The review recommended that the president merge the staff supporting the Homeland Security Council with the staff supporting the National Security Council
United States National Security Council
The White House National Security Council in the United States is the principal forum used by the President of the United States for considering national security and foreign policy matters with his senior national security advisors and Cabinet officials and is part of the Executive Office of the...
. That recommendation was implemented to create a single National Security Staff. On May 26, 2009, Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
signed the recommendation to merge the Homeland Security Council and National Security Council staffs into one National Security Staff (NSS). Policymakers and observers have debated whether the HSC staff should remain an independent entity with the White House or merged with the NSC staff. The HSC and NSC continue to exist by statute as independent councils of leadership advising the president.
Mission
The Homeland Security Council is responsible for assessing the objectives, commitments, and risks of the United States, and for making recommendations to the president with respect to homeland security policy.Structure
The HSC was similar to its national securityNational security
National security is the requirement to maintain the survival of the state through the use of economic, diplomacy, power projection and political power. The concept developed mostly in the United States of America after World War II...
counterpart, the National Security Council
United States National Security Council
The White House National Security Council in the United States is the principal forum used by the President of the United States for considering national security and foreign policy matters with his senior national security advisors and Cabinet officials and is part of the Executive Office of the...
(NSC), which was established in the National Security Act of 1947
National Security Act of 1947
The National Security Act of 1947 was signed by United States President Harry S. Truman on July 26, 1947, and realigned and reorganized the U.S. Armed Forces, foreign policy, and Intelligence Community apparatus in the aftermath of World War II...
. The HSC also maintained structural similarities with the NSC; the HSC consisted of full-time staff organized by subject areas relating to homeland security missions, with the Council itself being composed of Cabinet
United States Cabinet
The Cabinet of the United States is composed of the most senior appointed officers of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States, which are generally the heads of the federal executive departments...
members and senior White House officials whose departments have principal interests in homeland security policy-making
Public policy
Public policy as government action is generally the principled guide to action taken by the administrative or executive branches of the state with regard to a class of issues in a manner consistent with law and institutional customs. In general, the foundation is the pertinent national and...
. The Joint Chiefs of Staff
Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...
consist of the primary military advisers to the Homeland Security Council, as well as the National Security Council. Due to the recommendations implemented by Obama, the Homeland Security Council and the National Security Council now have combined staff, the National Security Staff (NSS).
While similar in name, the Department of Homeland Security
United States Department of Homeland Security
The United States Department of Homeland Security is a cabinet department of the United States federal government, created in response to the September 11 attacks, and with the primary responsibilities of protecting the territory of the United States and protectorates from and responding to...
is a distinct federal executive department
United States Federal Executive Departments
The United States federal executive departments are among the oldest primary units of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States—the Departments of State, War, and the Treasury all being established within a few weeks of each other in 1789.Federal executive...
; unlike DHS, the HSC functioned as part of the Executive Office of the President, drawing staff from across federal agencies and under the direct control of the president.
Membership
| Structure of the United States Homeland Security Council (Current) | |
|---|---|
| Chair | Barack Obama Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in... (President of the United States) |
| Statutory Attendees | Joe Biden Joe Biden Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. is the 47th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President Barack Obama... (Vice President of the United States) Tim Geithner (Secretary of the Treasury) Leon Panetta Leon Panetta Leon Edward Panetta is the 23rd and current United States Secretary of Defense, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama since 2011. Prior to taking office, he served as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency... (Secretary of Defense) Eric Holder Eric Holder Eric Himpton Holder, Jr. is the 82nd and current Attorney General of the United States and the first African American to hold the position, serving under President Barack Obama.... (Attorney General) Kathleen Sebelius Kathleen Sebelius Kathleen Sebelius is an American politician currently serving as the 21st Secretary of Health and Human Services. She was the second female Governor of Kansas from 2003 to 2009, the Democratic respondent to the 2008 State of the Union address, and chair-emerita of the Democratic Governors... (Secretary of Health and Human Services) Ray LaHood Ray LaHood Raymond H. "Ray" LaHood is a Republican politician from Illinois who is currently the United States Secretary of Transportation, having served since 2009. Previously, he represented the Illinois's 18th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives for seven terms .-Early life and... (Secretary of Transportation) Janet Napolitano Janet Napolitano Janet Napolitano is the third and current United States Secretary of Homeland Security, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She is the fourth person to hold the position, which was created after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the 21st... (Secretary of Homeland Security) Craig Fugate Craig Fugate William Craig Fugate was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2009 to be the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He had been the Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management. He was appointed director by Gov. Jeb Bush in 2001 and later re-appointed by Gov... (Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency) Robert Mueller Robert Mueller Robert Swan Mueller III is the 6th and current Director of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation .-Early life:... (Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation) John Brennan John O. Brennan John O. Brennan is chief counterterrorism advisor to U.S. President Barack Obama; officially his title is Deputy National Security Advisor for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, and Assistant to the President... (Homeland Security Advisor) |
| Additional Attendees | General Martin E. Dempsey Martin Dempsey General Martin E. Dempsey, USA is the 18th and current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He previously served 149 days as the 37th Chief of Staff of the Army from April 11, 2011 to September 7, 2011. Prior to that, he served as Commanding General, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command from... (Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff) William Daley William Daley William or Bill Daley may refer to:*Bill Daley , American baseball player*Bill Daley , American footballer* William M. Daley , American politician from Illinois, White House Chief of Staff... (Chief of Staff) Ron Klain Ron Klain Ronald A. "Ron" Klain is an American lawyer and political operative best known for serving as Chief of Staff to two Vice Presidents - Al Gore and Joseph Biden . He is an influential Democratic Party insider... (Chief of Staff to the Vice President) Thomas Donilon Thomas E. Donilon Thomas E. “Tom” Donilon is the National Security Advisor in the Obama Administration, and has had a career as a U.S. political advisor, government official and lawyer... (Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs) Jeffrey Zients Jeffrey Zients Jeffrey "Jeff" D. Zients is an American CEO, management consultant and entrepreneur. On July 30, 2010, he was named acting director of the Office of Management & Budget. President Obama appointed him to the new position of United States Chief Performance Officer... , acting (Director of the Office of Management and Budget) |
| Occasional Participants | Hillary Rodham Clinton Hillary Rodham Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the... (Secretary of State) Tom Vilsack Tom Vilsack Thomas James "Tom" Vilsack is an American politician, a member of the Democratic Party, and presently the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. He served as the 40th Governor of the state of Iowa. He was first elected in 1998 and re-elected to a second four-year term in 2002... (Secretary of Agriculture) Ken Salazar Ken Salazar Kenneth Lee "Ken" Salazar is the current United States Secretary of the Interior, in the administration of President Barack Obama. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a United States Senator from Colorado from 2005 to 2009. He and Mel Martinez were the first Hispanic U.S... (Secretary of the Interior) Steven Chu Steven Chu Steven Chu is an American physicist and the 12th United States Secretary of Energy. Chu is known for his research at Bell Labs in cooling and trapping of atoms with laser light, which won him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1997, along with his scientific colleagues Claude Cohen-Tannoudji and... (Secretary of Energy) Hilda Solis Hilda Solis Hilda Lucia Solis is the 25th United States Secretary of Labor, serving in the Obama administration. She is a member of the Democratic Party and served in the United States House of Representatives from 2001 to 2009, representing the 31st and 32nd congressional districts of California that include... (Secretary of Labor) Gary Locke Gary Locke Gary Locke may refer to:*Gary Locke , Chinese American politician; U.S. Secretary of Commerce and former Governor of Washington*Gary Locke *Gary Locke... (Secretary of Commerce) Eric Shinseki Eric Shinseki Eric Ken Shinseki is a retired United States Army four-star general who is currently serving as the 7th United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs. His final U.S. Army post was as the 34th Chief of Staff of the Army... (Secretary of Veterans Affairs) Lisa P. Jackson Lisa P. Jackson Lisa Perez Jackson is an American chemical engineer currently serving as the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency . Previously, she worked at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for 6 years, first as an assistant commissioner and later as commissioner... (Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency) Gene Sperling Gene Sperling Gene B. Sperling is an American lawyer and political figure, currently serving as a Counselor to Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner. He is also on the staff of the Council on Foreign Relations, where he serves as Senior Fellow for Economic Policy and Director of the Center on Universal Education. He... (Assistant to the President for Economic Policy) Melody Barnes Melody Barnes Melody C. Barnes was chosen by President Barack Obama to serve as the Director of the Domestic Policy Council for his administration. Obama announced her appointment on November 24, 2008. She was previously Executive Vice President for Policy at the Center for American Progress and led the CAP's... (Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy) |
United States Homeland Security Advisors
- Tom RidgeTom RidgeThomas Joseph "Tom" Ridge is an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives , the 43rd Governor of Pennsylvania , Assistant to the President for Homeland Security , and the first United States Secretary of Homeland Security...
(2001-2003) - John A. GordonJohn A. GordonGeneral John Alexander Gordon was deputy director of central intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, D.C. He served as the President's Homeland Security advisor from 2003 to 2004....
(2003-2004) - Frances M. Fragos Townsend (2004-2007)
- Vacant (2007-2008)
- Kenneth L. WainsteinKenneth L. WainsteinKenneth Leonard Wainstein is an American lawyerand former Assistant Attorney General for national security.-Education:Wainstein is a graduate of the University of Virginia and earned his law degree from the University of California at Berkeley....
(2008-2009) - John O. BrennanJohn O. BrennanJohn O. Brennan is chief counterterrorism advisor to U.S. President Barack Obama; officially his title is Deputy National Security Advisor for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, and Assistant to the President...
(2009-present)