The U.S. House Homeland Security Committee released a report on Tuesday titled “Streamlining the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Overhead Will Make the Homeland Safer” that shows department-wide waste across DHS’s 22 offices and agencies.
“Despite existing for over 13 years, the Department of Homeland Security still struggles with many of the same inefficiencies and management challenges that plagued the Department when it was first established,” House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) said. “My committee has conducted site visits and interviews, held hearings, and put forth numerous legislative proposals to increase coordination between the Department’s numerous offices and agencies and ensure DHS is operating as efficiently as possible. There is no room for error in the defense of our nation. The more DHS wastes on unnecessary overhead costs, the less money and resources it has to carry out key missions including: border security, interior enforcement, cybersecurity, aviation security, and supporting first responders.”
The committee staff reviewed relevant DHS testimony and real property data over the past year. The committee also examined more than 20 Government Accountability Office and Office of the Inspector General reports, and met with current and former government officials, industry executives and various other stakeholder groups to produce the final report.