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Parents |
> United States > U.S. Executive
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Website | http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/ |
Established | October 08, 2001 |
Disbanded | Still Active |
Contributor | ScottĀ³ |
Last Modified | IndyGeorgia May 26, 2015 09:12pm |
Description | Overview
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), commonly known in the
United States as "Homeland Security", is a Cabinet department of the U.S. federal
government with the responsibility of protecting the territory of the U.S. from terrorist
attacks and responding to natural disasters.
Whereas the Department of Defense is charged with military actions abroad, the
Department of Homeland Security works in the civilian sphere to protect the United
States within, at, and outside its borders. Its goal is to prepare for, prevent, & respond
to domestic emergencies, particularly terrorism.
With over 200,000 employees, DHS is the 3rd largest Cabinet department in the U.S.
federal government, after the Department of Defense & Department of Veterans Affairs.
Homeland security policy is coordinated at the White House by the Homeland Security
Council.
Timeline
The Office of Homeland Security (OHS) was established on October 8, 2001. Former
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge assumed the position of OHS Director on that date.
The department was established on November 25, 2002, by the Homeland Security Act
of 2002. It was intended to consolidate U.S. executive branch organizations related to
"homeland security" into a single Cabinet agency.
DHS officially began operations on January 24, 2003, the same day Ridge was named
secretary and began naming his chief deputies. But most of the department's
component agencies were not transferred into the new Department until March 1. |
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