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 Home > News & Policies > October 2001

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
October 30, 2001

Homeland Security Presidential Directive-1
October 29, 2001

SUBJECT: Organization and Operation of the Homeland Security Council

This is the first in a series of Homeland Security Presidential Directives that shall record and communicate presidential decisions about the homeland security policies of the United States.

A. Homeland Security Council

Securing Americans from terrorist threats or attacks is a critical national security function. It requires extensive coordination across a broad spectrum of Federal, State, and local agencies to reduce the potential for terrorist attacks and to mitigate damage should such an attack occur. The Homeland Security Council (HSC) shall ensure coordination of all homeland security-related activities among executive departments and agencies and promote the effective development and implementation of all homeland security policies.

B. The Homeland Security Council Principals Committee

The HSC Principals Committee (HSC/PC) shall be the senior interagency forum under the HSC for homeland security issues. The HSC/PC is composed of the following members: the Secretary of the Treasury; the Secretary of Defense; the Attorney General; the Secretary of Health and Human Services; the Secretary of Transportation; the Director of the Office of Management and Budget; the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security (who serves as Chairman); the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff; the Director of Central Intelligence; the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency; and the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Vice President. The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs shall be invited to attend all meetings of the HSC/PC. The following people shall be invited to HSC/PC meetings when issues pertaining to their responsi-bilities and expertise are discussed: the Secretary of State; the Secretary of the Interior; the Secretary of Agriculture; the Secretary of Commerce; the Secretary of Labor; the Secretary of Energy; the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; and the Deputy National Security Advisor for Combating Terrorism. The Counsel to the President shall be consulted regarding the agenda of HSC/PC meetings and shall attend any meeting when, in consultation with the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security, the Counsel deems it appropriate. The Deputy Director of the Office of Homeland Security shall serve as Executive Secretary of the HSC/PC. Other heads of departments and agencies and senior officials shall be invited, when appropriate.

The HSC/PC shall meet at the call of the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security, in consultation with the regular attendees of the HSC/PC. The Assistant to the President for Homeland Security shall determine the agenda, in consultation with the regular attendees, and shall ensure that all necessary papers are prepared. When global terrorism with domestic implications is on the agenda of the HSC/PC, the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs shall perform these tasks in concert.

C. Homeland Security Council Deputies Committee

The HSC Deputies Committee (HSC/DC) shall serve as the senior sub-Cabinet interagency forum for consideration of policy issues affecting homeland security. The HSC/DC can task and review the work of the HSC interagency groups discussed below. The HSC/DC shall help ensure that issues brought before the HSC/PC or the HSC have been properly analyzed and prepared for action. The HSC/DC shall have the following as its regular members: the Deputy Secretary of the Treasury; the Deputy Secretary of Defense; the Deputy Attorney General; the Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services; the Deputy Secretary of Transpor-tation; the Deputy Director of the Office of Homeland Security (who serves as Chairman); the Deputy Director of Central Intelligence; the Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Deputy Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency; the Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget; and the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Vice President. The Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor shall be invited to attend all meetings of the HSC/DC. The following people shall be invited to attend when issues pertaining to their responsibilities and expertise are to be discussed: the Deputy Secretary of State; the Deputy Secretary of the Interior; the Deputy Secretary of Agriculture; the Deputy Secretary of Commerce; the Deputy Secretary of Labor; the Deputy Secretary of Energy; the Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs; the Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; the Deputy National Security Advisor for Combating Terrorism; and the Special Advisor to the President for Cyberspace Security. The Executive Secretary of the Office of Homeland Security shall serve as Executive Secretary of the HSC/DC. Other senior officials shall be invited, when appropriate.

The HSC/DC shall meet at the call of its Chairman. Any regular member of the HSC/DC may request a meeting of the HSC/DC for prompt crisis management. For all meetings, the Chairman shall determine the agenda, in consultation with the regular members, and shall ensure that necessary papers are prepared.

D. Homeland Security Council Policy Coordination Committees

HSC Policy Coordination Committees (HSC/PCCs) shall coordinate the development and implementation of homeland security policies by multiple departments and agencies throughout the Federal government, and shall coordinate those policies with State and local government. The HSC/PCCs shall be the main day-to-day fora for interagency coordination of homeland security policy. They shall provide policy analysis for consideration by the more senior committees of the HSC system and ensure timely responses to decisions made by the President. Each HSC/PCC shall include representatives from the executive departments, offices, and agencies represented in the HSC/DC.

Eleven HSC/PCCs are hereby established for the following functional areas, each to be chaired by the designated Senior Director from the Office of Homeland Security:

1. Detection, Surveillance, and Intelligence (by the Senior Director, Intelligence and Detection);

2. Plans, Training, Exercises, and Evaluation (by the Senior Director, Policy and Plans);

3. Law Enforcement and Investigation (by the Senior Director, Intelligence and Detection);

4. Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Consequence Management (by the Senior Director, Response and Recovery);

5. Key Asset, Border, Territorial Waters, and Airspace Security (by the Senior Director, Protection and Prevention);

6. Domestic Transportation Security (by the Senior Director, Protection and Prevention);

7. Research and Development (by the Senior Director, Research and Development);

8. Medical and Public Health Preparedness (by the Senior Director, Protection and Prevention);

9. Domestic Threat Response and Incident Management (by the Senior Director, Response and Recovery);

10. Economic Consequences (by the Senior Director, Response and Recovery); and

11. Public Affairs (by the Senior Director, Communications).

Each HSC/PCC shall also have an Executive Secretary to be designated by the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security (from the staff of the HSC). The Executive Secretary of each HSC/PCC shall assist his or her Chair in scheduling the meetings of the HSC/PCC, determining the agenda, recording the actions taken and tasks assigned, and ensuring timely responses to the central policymaking committees of the HSC system. The Chairman of each HSC/PCC, in consultation with its Executive Secretary, may invite representatives of other executive departments and agencies to attend meetings of the HSC/PCC, when appropriate.

The Assistant to the President for Homeland Security, at the direction of the President and in consultation with the Vice President, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, may establish additional HSC/PCCs, as appropriate.

The Chairman of each HSC/PCC, with the agreement of its Executive Secretary, may establish subordinate working groups to assist the PCC in the performance of its duties.

The Vice President may attend any and all meetings of any entity established by or under this directive.

This directive shall be construed in a manner consistent with Executive Order 13228.

GEORGE W. BUSH

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