This report examines how varied, and evolving, homeland security definitions and strategic missions may affect the prioritization of national homeland security policy and how it may affect the funding of homeland security. To address this issue, this report first discusses and analyzes examples of strategic documents, their differing homeland security definitions, and their varying homeland security missions. There are also strategic documents that provide specific guidance to DHS entities and include the 2010 Quadrennial Homeland Security Review , the Bottom-Up Review , and the 2012 Department of Homeland Security Strategic Plan . Prior to issuance of these documents, national and DHS homeland security strategic documents included the 2002 and 2007 National Strategies for Homeland Security and the 2008 Department of Homeland Security Strategic Plan . Definitions and Missions as Part of Strategy Development

Definitions and missions are part of strategy development. Policymakers develop strategy by identifying national interests, prioritizing missions to achieve those national interests, and arraying instruments of national power to achieve national interests. Developing strategy, however, may be complicated if the key concept of homeland security is not succinctly defined, and strategic missions are not aligned and synchronized among different strategic documents and federal entities. It was the 9/11 terrorist attacks that initiated the debate and development of a broader homeland security strategy. The debate over and development of homeland security definitions persist as the federal government continues to issue and implement homeland security strategy. In 2008, DHS issued Strategic Plan— One Team, One Mission, Securing Our Homeland . 2010–Present Document Evolution

The White House and DHS are the principle source of homeland security strategies. The primary national homeland security strategic document developed by the White House is the 2010 National Security Strategy , which unlike the 2007 National Strategy for Homeland Security addresses all-hazards and is not primarily terrorism focused. Since the National Strategy for Homeland Security and the Quadrennial Homeland Security Review missions are differing and varied, and because the Quadrennial Homeland Security Review does not specifically identify a strategic process to achieve the missions, one may assume that this document is solely operational guidance. Further congressional criticism includes an observation on the absence of a single DHS strategy. DHS is aligning its definition and missions in the Quadrennial Homeland Security Review , the Bottom-Up Review , and the 2012 Strategic Plan ; however, DHS does not prioritize the missions.
Ten years after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the U.S. government does not have a single definition for "homeland security." Currently, different strategic documents and mission statements offer varying missions that are derived from different homeland security definitions. Historically, the strategic documents framing national homeland security policy have included national strategies produced by the White House and documents developed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Prior to the 2010 National Security Strategy, the 2002 and 2007 National Strategies for Homeland Security were the guiding documents produced by the White House. In 2011, the White House issued the National Strategy for Counterterrorism.
In conjunction with these White House strategies, DHS has developed a series of evolving strategic documents that are based on the two national homeland security strategies and include the 2008 Strategic Plan—One Team, One Mission, Securing the Homeland; the 2010 Quadrennial Homeland Security Review and Bottom-Up Review; and the 2012 Department of Homeland Security Strategic Plan. The 2012 DHS strategic plan is the latest evolution in DHS's process of defining its mission, goals, and responsibilities. This plan, however, only addresses the department's homeland security purview and is not a document that addresses homeland security missions and responsibilities that are shared across the federal government. Currently, the Department of Homeland Security is developing the 2014 Quadrennial Homeland Security Review, which is due late 2013 or early 2014.
Varied homeland security definitions and missions may impede the development of a coherent national homeland security strategy, and may hamper the effectiveness of congressional oversight. Definitions and missions are part of strategy development. Policymakers develop strategy by identifying national interests, prioritizing goals to achieve those national interests, and arraying instruments of national power to achieve the national interests. Developing an effective homeland security strategy, however, may be complicated if the key concept of homeland security is not defined and its missions are not aligned and synchronized among different federal entities with homeland security responsibilities.
This report discusses the evolution of national and DHS-specific homeland security strategic documents and their homeland security definitions and missions, and analyzes the policy question of how varied homeland security definitions and missions may affect the development of national homeland security strategy. This report, however, does not examine DHS implementation of strategy.