U.s. Federal Department Of Homeland Security - 1245 Words

The idea of the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security evolved into the biggest U.S. government reorganization in American history. Prior to the establishment of the Department, Americans increasingly became concerned about terrorism on our soil. This concern was triggered by the World Trade Center bombing in 1993, the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 as well as the discovery of a bomb at the Atlanta Olympics in 1994. Additionally, it became more apparent to the Americans that terrorism has a growing global reach. The U.S. commissions looked at different aspects of the U.S. national security, the Hart-Rudman Commission, the Gilmore Commission as well as the National Commission on Terrorism. The members of the Commission as well†¦show more content†¦President George W. Bush, appointed Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge as the first Director of the Office of Homeland Security in the White House. The office duties are to oversee and coordinate a comprehensive national s trategy to safeguard the country against terrorism and respond to any future attacks. On November 2002, Congress passed the Homeland Security Act and the Department of Homeland Security became a stand-alone, Cabinet-level department. The department’s vision is to coordinate and unify national homeland security efforts. The creation of the department forms the most substantial reorganization of the federal government agencies since the National Security Acts of 1947. Ultimately this placed military departments under a secretary of defense and created the National Security Council (NSC) and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The Department of Homeland Security incorporates 22 government agencies that holds 179,000 people into one organization. The organization consists of five directorates: Border and Transportation Security, Emergency Preparedness and Response, Science and Technology, Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection and Management. In regard to border and tr ansportation security , DHS manages who and what enters into the United States to prevent the entry of terrorists and the instruments of terrorism. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), an agency of DHS is responsible for Emergency Preparedness and