October 27, 2009
Subcommittee Examines Ways to Improve DHS Directorate’s Strategic Planning, Stakeholder Involvement, and Research Portfolio
(Washington, DC) – Today, the House Committee on Science and Technology’s Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation held a hearing to review activities at the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate, also known as the Directorate. Specifically, the hearing examined the strategic planning process, stakeholder involvement in setting research priorities, and the role of basic research in the Directorate’s portfolio.
“Research and development efforts at the Directorate are critical to supporting not just the missions of the agencies within DHS, but our country’s first responders” stated Subcommittee Chairman David Wu (D-OR). “This Subcommittee continues to do all it can to assist the Directorate in its efforts to deliver quality technical solutions to all stakeholders. In past hearings, this Subcommittee has made many recommendations to the Directorate and I am very pleased to see that some of these recommendations have been acted upon.”
The Directorate conducts long-term basic research, short-term applied research, and technology transition work in six specific areas: chemical and biological; explosives; human factors; infrastructure and geophysical; border and maritime; and command, control, and interoperability. The Directorate is tasked with research on behalf of federal homeland security agencies and communication with other federal research agencies to coordinate research efforts.
“I am pleased to see that funding for basic research is now 20 percent of the Directorate’s portfolio,” added Wu. “This Subcommittee firmly believes that basic research plays a critical role in the R&D process. By increasing the presence of basic research at the Directorate, it has shown a commitment to not only solve today’s problems, but position itself to meet future issues head-on.”
Members discussed their concerns regarding the Directorate’s strategic plan, Integrated Product Teams, and the basic research being conducted at the 11 university-based Centers of Excellence with witnesses.
“Over the course of multiple hearings, this Subcommittee has expressed the need for a comprehensive threat assessment to use as a foundation for determining research priorities,” said Wu. “The current strategic plan does little to define the direction of research activities and is not grounded in a comprehensive, formal threat assessment. It is unacceptable that plans are made without a proper analysis of threats and the dangers they pose, especially when considering that we rely on the Directorate to help protect our country from future threats. While I am encouraged by progress in many areas of the Science and Technology Directorate, I am increasingly frustrated at the lack of such a crucial element to the effectiveness of an almost one billion dollar research investment.”
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