The 'New' Security Paradigm: Protecting the Homeland

Sept. 11 re-ignited a debate that had been fading from U.S. public discourse and public awareness since the end of the Cold War: how to defend the American homeland.

It was not that the issue had disappeared. Annually, the administration routinely requested and Congress appropriated billions of dollars for the Department of Defense and the military activities of the Department of Energy. After all, defending the homeland, traditionally understood, is the mission of armed military forces.

But for the most part, with two oceans and friendly neighbors, the United States had become accustomed to the idea that defending the homeland was done from "over there," not along our land borders and coastlines. Even the array of air defense squadrons that used to go up to investigate suspicious aircraft or to escort Soviet long-range reconnaissance aircraft had dwindled to four, all in the reserves.

There was concern in a number of quarters about the possible development of long-range missiles by a few new countries. But in 2000, North Korea, the country furthest along in such development, voluntarily suspended any further testing as long as talks with the United States continued. The North's moratorium now extends into 2003.

Sept. 11 changed perceptions. President George W. Bush, in submitting his Fiscal Year (FY) 2003 budget to Congress, said that "our first priority must be the security of our homeland." To this end, he proposes spending $37.7 billion on programs for homeland security, a more inclusive concept than homeland defense. (Separately, the military request is for $396 billion, a $48 billion increase.) This doubles the FY'02 request of $19.5 billion and is 29.3 percent over the combined FY'02 request and EmergencyResponse Fund ($9.8 billion).

In briefings by "senior administration officials," the broader scope of homeland security became obvious. They highlighted four immediate policy initiatives, all of which go far beyond the responsibilities of military forces:

	Build the capacity of first responders - police, firefighters, paramedics - $3.5 billion for planning, equiping, training, and conducting exerises;
	Defend against bioterrorism - $5.9 billion for infrastructure improvements, enhanced federal response capabilities, and research to develop new medicines, vaccines, and diagnostic tests;
	Secure land, sea and air borders - $10.9 billion, including programs for classifying and managing risks (the "smart border" program), moving inspection/screening of people and cargo abroad, and developing an entry-exit tracking system for non-U.S. citizens; and
	Employ information management technology and intelligence - $722 million for three areas: sharing information horizontally across federal agencies, improving cyber security, and sharing information vertically - federal/state/local levels.

In addition, to meet the requirements of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act signed into law Nov. 18, 2001, the administration is seeking $4.8 billion to fund the activities of the new Transportation Security Administration that is charged to improve security for all forms of transportation. Other programs, such as new hiring authority for federal law enforcement agencies, physical and information technology security for various executive departments and agencies, and the Citizen Corps will divide $5.4 billion.

Somewhat surprisingly, the Department of Defense has funding of $6.8 billion for "outside initiatives" associated with homeland security. This includes $4.6 billion for physical security and $1.3 billion for costs associated with combat air patrols over the United States. Other activities funded in this category include National Guard Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Teams, troops stationed in airports, and expenses tied to National Security Special Events such as the Super Bowl and the Winter Olympics. Moreover, the government is planning to deploy 1,400 reserve component personnel along the U.S.-Canadian border to relieve overworked Border Patrol, Customs, and Immigration and Naturalization Service agents until more individuals can be hired and trained for these three border control agencies.

The following charts show the breakout of Homeland Security funding by activity and by executive department. Note that "securing borders' absorbs 28 percent of funding by activity, but because this is divided among Treasury, Justice, Transportation, and Agriculture, the Department of Defense as an agency receives the largest percentage of funds - 22 percent.

And the president's budget request is not the last word. In 2001, Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), attempted to add more money than requested to the emergency spending measure responding to the Sept. 11 attacks. Some in Congress may feel that $37.7 billion for FY'03 is not enough to secure the homeland.

For more information, see Securing the Homeland Strengthening the Nation, President George W. Bush, February 2002.

 

By Col. (Ret.) Daniel Smith, USA CDI Chief of Research dsmith@cdi.org

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