Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON D.C. Today we begin a series of hearings asking the basic question What is wrong with DHS? The first hearing examines the DHS strategy and its implementation to counter emerging threats" said Austin Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX). Nearly 10 years after the Department of Homeland Security was stood up as a cabinet-level organization McCaul will chair a hearing of the Homeland Security Oversight & Investigations Subcommittee to examine the strategy that DHS employs and its ability to counter emerging threats. The hearing is the first in a series examining Whats wrong with DHS?"
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the 3rd largest department in the Federal government with more than 200000 employees and an annual budget ofmore than $40 billion.
Its transformation according to the Government Accountability Office is critical to achieving its homeland security mission. However DHS has been criticized for excessive bureaucracy waste ineffectiveness and lack of transparency that have hindered its operations and wasted taxpayer dollars including the $1 billion spent on the Secure Border Initiative virtual fence (SBInet).
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said I see One DHS as a strong efficient and focused Departmentone where all the talents and skills that we possess as individuals and as components come together… in new and exciting ways to serve our missions. This is a necessary goal however the agency continues to be criticized for excessive bureaucracy waste ineffectiveness and lack of transparency that have hindered its operations and wasted taxpayer dollars.
Unless we fix these types of problems we will continue to see failures in DHS programs such as SBInet where in the end taxpayers received little if any return on a $1 billion investment" said McCaul.
Areas of concern cited by multiple federal investigations include:
Performance problems and mission delays attributable to acquisitions information technology finance human capital and integration functions that are at high risk
Multiple documents dictating differing strategies for protecting the homeland create confusion and uncertainty among subordinate agencies such as TSA CBP and ICE.
Uncertainty as to how DHS will implement its strategy Confusion and uncertainty hinders efforts to become a cohesive effective and efficient organization
Friday February 3 2012 HEARING: Is DHS Effectively Implementing a Strategy to Counter Emerging Threats? TIME: 10:00AM EDT LOCATION: 311 Cannon House Office Building Washington D.C. Live Webcast <http://homeland.house.gov/hearing/subcommitte-hearing-dhs-effectively-implementing-strategy-counter-emerging-threats> Witnesses: The Honorable Paul Schneider Principal The Chertoff Group Dr. Sharon Caudle The Bush School of Government and Public Service Mr. David Maurer Government Accountability Office Mr. Alan Cohn Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Department of Homeland SecurityMr. Shawn Reese Congressional Research Service
