The Aspen Institute

Nearly a decade after the 9/11 Commission issued its report on the greatest act of terrorism on U.S. soil, one of its most significant recommendations has not been acted upon: the call for consolidated Congressional oversight of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands and the Aspen Institute Justice & Society Program convened a task force of distinguished current and former members of Congress, executive branch and DHS’ officials, and other homeland security experts to review this recommendation and recommend a strategy going forward. In its powerful new report, the task force warns that “fragmented jurisdiction impedes DHS’s’ ability to deal with three major vulnerabilities: the threats posed by small aircraft and boats; cyberattacks; and biological weapons.”