December 12, 2014
2014 Quadrennial Homeland Security Review:
Evolution of a Strategic Review

turning those requirements into an acquisition strategy
Overview
and expenditure plan within the department.
In June 2014, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Additionally, Congress required the DHS report on the
reported the second iteration of the Quadrennial Homeland
review to:
Security Review (QHSR) to Congress. DHS states that the
• provide a result of the review process;
QHSR is a “comprehensive examination of the homeland
security strategy of the Nation, including recommendations
• describe national homeland security threats;
regarding the long-term strategy and priorities of the Nation
• discuss the status of cooperation among all levels of
for homeland security.”
governments in preventing terrorist attacks and
responding to emergencies; and
The QHSR is a process in which DHS examines the
nation’s homeland security strategy; the report delivered to
• explain any underlying assumptions used in conducting
Congress provides an explanation of this process. Neither
the review.
the review process nor the report to Congress is the
strategy, instead the 2014 QHSR (both the process and the
Meeting QHSR Process and Report
report) are part of the constant reevaluation of the nation’s
Requirements
homeland security and part of the process by which the
combined National and Homeland Security Staff develops
Congress specifically tasked DHS with the QHSR process
the next iteration of the national security strategy. In 2010,
and report requirements in Section 707 of the HSA (as
the Obama Administration combined the national and
amended). It could be said that DHS met a significant
homeland security strategies with its 2010 issuance of the
number of the review process and report requirements with
National Security Strategy.
the FY2014 QHSR. DHS, however, only partially met the
requirement to prioritize missions because the department
Congress originally tasked the National Homeland Security
only identified cross-cutting priorities instead of prioritizing
Council and staff to assess homeland security objectives,
missions. DHS did not provide a review and assessment of
commitments, and risks in Section 904 of the Homeland
DHS mechanisms and programs for meeting the QHSR’s
Security Act of 2002 (HSA). Additionally, the council was
requirements, or for turning those requirements into an
to oversee and review homeland security policies.
acquisition strategy and expenditure plan. Finally, DHS has
not provided an updated national homeland security
Review and Report Requirements
strategy, but instead provided the review, and its
corresponding congressional report, of the nation’s
With the enactment of the Implementing Recommendations
homeland security strategy as embodied in the 2010
of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (9/11 Act), Congress
National Security Strategy.
required DHS to conduct a quadrennial homeland security
review. Congress required both the QHSR review and
DHS Response to FY2010 QHSR
report to include:
Shortcomings
• prioritized missions;
In 2010, DHS issued the first QHSR, and it was criticized
• a description of the interagency cooperation,
for not communicating the nation’s homeland security
preparedness of federal response assets, infrastructure,
priorities, not comparing favorably to the Department of
budget plan, and other homeland security elements; and
Defense’s Quadrennial Defense Review, and not identifying

a budget plan or resources to secure the nation. One of the
an assessment of DHS’s organizational structure with
primary criticisms of the 2010 QHSR was the absence of
the national homeland security strategy.
homeland security strategic priorities.
Congress specifically required the DHS Secretary to consult
with other federal entities, and required the review process
In the 2014 QHSR, DHS states it will adopt strategic shifts
and renewed emphases on the following priorities:
to include:

• securing against the evolving terrorism threat;
a delineated and updated national homeland security
strategy; and
• safeguarding and securing cyberspace;
• a review and assessment of the effectiveness of DHS
• countering biological threats and hazards;
mechanisms for meeting the QHSR’s requirements, and
• securing and managing flows of people and goods; and
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2014 Quadrennial Homeland Security Review: Evolution of a Strategic Review
• strengthening the execution of DHS’s mission through
public-private partnerships.
The 2014 QHSR updated the missions and goals originally
identified in the 2010 QHSR. DHS states that this reflects
changes in the strategic environment where it; other federal,
state, local, and tribal government entities; private sector
partners; and other members of the homeland security
enterprise have “matured, evolved, and enhanced” their
homeland security capabilities. The 2014 QHSR has a
section that provides an in-depth framework of the nation’s
basic homeland security missions. DHS’s examination and
work on missions and priorities is an attempt to address
some of the 2010 QHSR shortcomings.
Another attempt to address criticism of the 2010 QHSR is
the identification of federal, state, local, and tribal entities
and private sector partners with homeland security
responsibilities. Some of these partners include the
Departments of Justice, State, Defense, Health and Human
Services, Treasury, Agriculture, Commerce, Education, and
Energy, and businesses and industry. Included in the 2014
QHSR is a table that identifies federal entities with
National Response Framework responsibilities.
Potential 2014 QHSR Issues for
Congressional Concern
Congress may wish to address these two potential issues
with the QHSR:
• the continued absence of prioritized national homeland
security missions; and
• the continued absence of an acquisition, budget, or fiscal
plan associated with national homeland security
missions.
Congress may wish to address the core issue of requiring
DHS to review the nation’s homeland security considering
the nation’s homeland security encompasses an endeavor
that is more than the activities of DHS. In FY2014, the
Office of Management and Budget reported that DHS was
appropriated 49% of total “homeland security” funding,
with 51% being appropriated to a number of other federal
entities.

Shawn Reese, sreese@crs.loc.gov, 7-0635

IF10024
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