Joint Committee Hearing Examines Changes Needed at DHS’s Science and Technology Directorate
(Washington, DC) – Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Research and Technology and the House Committee on Homeland Security’s Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies held a hearing to review the strategy, mission, programs, projects, and other activities of the Science and Technology Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS S&T) and to examine other research and development (R&D) activities at DHS. Testifying before the Subcommittees were Dr. Reginald Brothers, Undersecretary for Science and Technology at DHS, and Mr. David Maurer, Director of Homeland Security and Justice Issues at the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
The S&T Directorate carries out research to serve the operational components of the Department and other end users in the homeland security community such as first responders, state and local governments, and private industry. It also has the responsibility for coordinating all of the R&D that occurs at DHS. Operational components conduct their own research with S&T providing technical assistance, testing, and evaluation.
Ranking Member Dan Lipinski (D-IL) said in his opening statement, “It is no secret that the creation of DHS as a single agency constructed from several existing agencies with diverse missions generated a number of management challenges. The S&T Directorate’s task of providing high-quality scientific and technical support for all of the agency’s missions is undoubtedly a daunting one. Having said that, I am disappointed that the success of the S&T Directorate continues to be limited by the lack of an effective strategy and a lack of coordination, resulting in some costly and likely preventable failures. This must change.”
Mr. Maurer testified on what actions are needed to strengthen management of R&D at DHS. His testimony was largely based on GAO’s work on this issue from September 2012 to the present. He said, “S&T clearly has a lot of work ahead to bring coherence and structure to its research and development efforts. Our work identified three key areas for improvement. We found that S&T needs to define R&D, do a better job tracking R&D, and improve how it coordinates R&D…S&T has an important role to play in identifying and filling gaps in technological capabilities at DHS. Implementing GAO’s recommendations, updating the strategic plan, and addressing morale issues will better position S&T to translate state of the art science into usable tools to help enhance homeland security.”
Members from both subcommittees discussed the need to strike a better balance between the S&T Directorate’s basic and applied research, the relationship between the Directorate and the operational components of DHS, the inability of DHS to track R&D activities, and the steps the Undersecretary is taking to develop a strategic plan. Many members also highlighted the challenges the Under Secretary will face as he begins to implement changes at S&T and emphasized the importance of working with Congress to move past some of the management and coordination issues that have plagued DHS in the past.
Dr. Brothers emphasized the importance of an S&T reauthorization, “I believe that given S&T’s workforce and the rising urgency for technology as a force multiplier, there is yet-to-be-realized potential for S&T to support the Department and the Nation. In the coming years, my objective is to help S&T actualize that potential and become a full-fledged enabler and trusted performer across the Department. This pursuit, and the ability for S&T to provide the bridge between present and future homeland security capabilities, rest significantly on whether we can transform the Directorate into a 21st century federal R&D organization. For that, we need help from Congress… Re-authorization of S&T is a chance to empower an R&D organization for the 21st century and to give us the flexibility to empower our workforce, engage more effectively with industry and other non-government stakeholders, and bring more and better solutions to our DHS and first responder customers.”
Ranking Member of the Full Committee, Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), said in her statement for the record, “The homeland security threat landscape is constantly changing and innovative research allows us to stay ahead of those who wish to do us harm. This complex challenge requires the greatest minds and most talented workforce…In addition to a strong workforce, DHS has five national laboratories and access to the excellent facilities and strong technical support at Department of Energy labs. DHS also has twelve university-based Centers of Excellence, an advanced research projects agency, and a growing industrial base. The tools are all there. Where S&T has fallen short is in carrying out the basics of good government: strategic planning, coordination across the agency, and adequate testing and evaluation. These problems must be fixed.”
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