**GAO-08-646T**                      Published: Apr 09, 2008. Publicly Released: Apr 09, 2008.                  

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## Highlights

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) began operations in March 2003 with missions that include preventing terrorist attacks from occurring within the United States, reducing U.S. vulnerability to terrorism, minimizing damages from attacks that occur, and helping the nation recover from any attacks. GAO has reported that the implementation and transformation of DHS is an enormous management challenge. GAO's prior work on mergers and acquisitions found that successful transformations of large organizations, even those faced with less strenuous reorganizations than DHS, can take at least 5 to 7 years to achieve. This testimony addresses (1) the progress made by DHS in implementing its management functions; and (2) key issues that have affected the department's implementation efforts. This testimony is based on GAO's August 2007 report evaluating DHS's progress between March 2003 and July 2007; selected reports issued since July 2007; and GAO's institutional knowledge of homeland security and management issues.

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## Topics

Homeland Security

AccountabilityAgency missionsFederal agency reorganizationHomeland securityInformation managementInformation technologyInteragency relationsInternal controlsPerformance measuresProgram evaluationProgram managementRisk managementStrategic information systems planningStrategic planningTerrorismAgency organizational structureInformation sharingProgram coordinationProgram goals or objectivesProgram implementationTransparency