To develop this essential national  strategy, the federal role needs to be considered in relation to other levels  of government, the goals and objectives for preparedness, and the most  appropriate tools to assist and enable other levels of government and the  private sector to achieve these goals. More than  40 federal entities have a role in combating and responding to terrorism,  and more than 20 federal entities in bioterrorism alone. Concerns about coordination and fragmentation in federal preparedness  efforts are well founded. The first of these is a lack of a cohesive effort from within the  federal government. Second, the lack of leadership has resulted in the federal government’s  development of programs to assist state and local governments that were  similar and potentially duplicative. As state and local officials have noted, the multiplicity of  programs can lead to confusion at the state and local levels and can  expend precious federal resources unnecessarily or make it difficult for  them to identify available federal preparedness resources. The design of federal policy will play a vital role in determining success  and ensuring that scarce federal dollars are used to achieve critical  national goals. Involving all levels of government and the private sector in developing key  aspects of a national strategy that I have discussed today - a definition and  clarification of the appropriate roles and responsibilities, an establishment  of goals and performance measures, and a selection of appropriate tools—  is essential to the successful formulation of the national preparedness  strategy and ultimately to preparing and defending our nation from  terrorist attacks. Homeland Security: A Framework for Addressing the Nation’s Issues. Combating Terrorism: Opportunities to Improve Domestic Preparedness  Program Focus and Efficiency.
What GAO Found

Federal, state, and local governments share responsibility in preparing for catastrophic terrorist attacks. Because the national security threat is diffuse and the challenge is highly intergovernmental, national policymakers must formulate strategies with a firm understanding of the interests, capacity, and challenges in addressing these issues. Key aspects of this strategy should include a definition and clarification of the appropriate roles and responsibilities of federal, state, and local entities. GAO has found fragmentation and overlap among federal assistance programs. More than 40 federal entities have roles in combating terrorism, and past federal efforts have resulted in a lack of accountability, a lack of cohesive effort, and program duplication. As state and local officials have noted, this situation has led to confusion, making it difficult to identify available federal preparedness resources and effectively partner with the federal government. Goals and performance measures should be established to guide the nation's preparedness efforts. For the nation's preparedness programs, however, outcomes have yet to be defined in terms of domestic preparedness. Given the recent and proposed increases in preparedness funding, real and meaningful improvements in preparedness and establishing clear goals and performance measures are critical to ensuring a successful and a fiscally responsible effort. The strategy should include a careful choice of the most appropriate tools of government to best achieve national goals. The choice and design of policy tools, such as grants, regulations, and partnerships, can enhance the government's capacity to (1) target areas of highest risk to better ensure that scarce federal resources address the most pressing needs, (2) promote shared responsibility by all parties, and (3) track and assess progress toward achieving national goals.