I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1383
To direct the President to transmit to the Congress each year a comprehensive 
report on the national homeland security strategy of the United States. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 17, 2005
Mr. FORD introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Homeland Security 
A BILL 
To direct the President to transmit to the Congress each 
year a comprehensive report on the national homeland 
security strategy of the United States.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Homeland Security 
Strategy Act of 2005’’. 
SEC. 2. ANNUAL HOMELAND SECURITY REPORT. 
(a) TRANSMITTAL TO THE CONGRESS.—
(1) REQUIREMENT.—The President shall trans-
mit to the Congress each year a comprehensive re-
port (in this Act referred to as a ‘‘homeland security
strategy report’’) on the homeland security strategy 
of the United States. 
(2) DATE
OF
ANNUAL
TRANSMITTAL.—The 
homeland security strategy report for any year shall 
be transmitted on the date on which the President 
submits to the Congress the budget for the next fis-
cal year under section 1105 of title 31, United 
States Code. 
(3) TRANSMITTAL BY NEW PRESIDENT.—Not 
later than 150 days after the date on which a new 
President takes office, the President shall transmit 
to the Congress a homeland security strategy report 
under this section. That report shall be in addition 
to the report for that year transmitted at the time 
specified in paragraph (2). 
(b) CONTENTS.—Each homeland security strategy re-
port shall set forth the homeland security strategy of the 
United States and shall include a comprehensive descrip-
tion and discussion of the following: 
(1) The worldwide interests, goals, and objec-
tives of the United States that are vital to the na-
tional homeland security of the United States. 
(2) The foreign policy, worldwide commitments, 
and national defense, economic, diplomatic, and in-
formation capabilities of the United States necessary
to deter aggression and to implement the homeland 
security strategy of the United States. 
(3) The proposed short-term and long-term 
uses of the political, economic, military, intelligence, 
diplomatic, information, and other elements of the 
national power of the United States to protect or 
promote the interests and achieve the goals and ob-
jectives referred to in paragraph (1). 
(4) The adequacy of the capabilities of the 
United States to carry out the homeland security 
strategy of the United States, including an evalua-
tion of the balance among the capabilities of all ele-
ments of the national power of the United States to 
support the implementation of the homeland security 
strategy of the United States. 
(5) Such other information as may be necessary 
to help inform the Congress on matters relating to 
the homeland security strategy of the United States. 
(c) CLASSIFIED AND UNCLASSIFIED FORM.—Each 
homeland security strategy report shall be transmitted in 
both a classified and an unclassified form. 
SEC. 3. QUADRENNIAL HOMELAND SECURITY REVIEW. 
(a) REVIEW REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Home-
land Security shall every four years, during the second 
year following a year evenly divisible by four, conduct a
comprehensive examination (in this Act referred to as the 
‘‘quadrennial homeland security review’’) of the homeland 
security strategy of the United States, force structure, re-
sources, threat assessment, infrastructure, budget plan, 
and other elements of the homeland security program and 
policies of the United States with a view toward deter-
mining and expressing the homeland security strategy of 
the United States and establishing a homeland security 
program for the next 20 years. Each such quadrennial 
homeland security review shall be conducted in consulta-
tion with the Director of National Intelligence. 
(b) CONDUCT OF REVIEW.—Each quadrennial home-
land security review shall be conducted so as—
(1) to delineate the homeland security strategy 
of the United States for the next 4 years; 
(2) to define sufficient force structure, capabili-
ties, infrastructure, intelligence resources, budget 
plan, and other elements of the homeland security 
program of the United States that would be required 
to execute successfully the full range of missions 
called for in the homeland security strategy of the 
United States; and 
(3) to identify—
(A) the budget plan that would be required 
to provide sufficient resources to execute suc-
cessfully the full range of missions called for in 
the homeland security strategy of the United 
States at a low-to-moderate level of risk, and 
(B) any additional resources required to 
achieve such a level of risk. 
(c) ASSESSMENT OF RISK.—The Secretary of Home-
land Security shall carry out an assessment of risk for 
purposes of subsection (b) in consultation with the Direc-
tor of National Intelligence and other key Federal, State, 
and local homeland security partners. The assessment 
shall define the nature and magnitude of the political, 
strategic, intelligence, and military risks associated with 
executing the missions called for under the homeland secu-
rity strategy of the United States. 
(d) SUBMISSION
OF REPORT
TO
THE CONGRES-
SIONAL COMMITTEES.—The Secretary of Homeland Secu-
rity shall submit a report on each quadrennial homeland 
security review to the Committee on Homeland Security 
and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Com-
mittee on Homeland Security of the House of Representa-
tives. The report shall be submitted in the year following 
the year in which the review is conducted, but not later 
than the date on which the President submits the budget 
for the next fiscal year to the Congress under section 1105 
(a) of title 31, United States Code. The report shall in-
clude such items as are determined by the Commission 
established by subsection (e). 
(e) NATIONAL
COMMISSION
ON
QUADRENNIAL 
HOMELAND SECURITY REVIEWS.—
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established the 
National Commission on Quadrennial Homeland Se-
curity Reviews (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Com-
mission’’). 
(2) MEMBERSHIP.—The Commission shall be 
composed of 10 members, of whom—
(A) 1 member shall be appointed by the 
President, who shall serve as chairman of the 
Commission; 
(B) 1 member shall be appointed by the 
minority leader of the Senate, in consultation 
with the minority leader of the House of Rep-
resentatives, who shall serve as vice chairman of 
the Commission; 
(C) 2 members shall be appointed by the 
majority leader of the Senate; 
(D) 2 members shall be appointed by the 
minority leader of the Senate; 
(E) 2 members shall be appointed by the 
majority leader of the House of Representa-
tives; and
(F) 2 members shall be appointed by the 
minority leader of the House of Representa-
tives. 
(3) QUALIFICATIONS; INITIAL MEETING.—
(A) NONGOVERNMENTAL
APPOINTEES.—
An individual appointed to the Commission may 
not be an officer or employee of the Federal 
Government or any State or local government. 
(B) OTHER
QUALIFICATIONS.—It is the 
sense of the Congress that individuals ap-
pointed to the Commission should be prominent 
United States citizens, with national recognition 
and significant depth of experience in such pro-
fessions as governmental service, law enforce-
ment, the armed services, law, public adminis-
tration, intelligence gathering and analysis, 
commerce (including transportation matters), 
and foreign affairs. 
(C) DEADLINE
FOR
APPOINTMENT.—All 
members of the Commission shall be appointed 
on or before December 31, 2005. 
(D) INITIAL MEETING.—The Commission 
shall meet and begin the operations of the Com-
mission as soon as practicable.
(4) QUORUM; 
VACANCIES.—After its initial 
meeting, the Commission shall meet upon the call of 
the chairman or a majority of its members. Six 
members of the Commission shall constitute a 
quorum. Any vacancy in the Commission shall not 
affect its powers, and shall be filled in the same 
manner in which the original appointment was 
made. 
(5) FUNCTIONS
OF
COMMISSION.—The func-
tions of the Commission are to—
(A) recommend a comprehensive list of 
items to be included by the Secretary of Home-
land Security in quadrennial homeland security 
reviews under subsection (d); and 
(B) submit to the President and the Con-
gress such reports as are required by this sec-
tion containing such findings, conclusions, and 
recommendations as the Commission shall de-
termine, including proposing all appropriate 
procedures, rules, and regulations necessary to 
implement such recommendations. 
(6) POWERS OF COMMISSION.—
(A) 
HEARINGS
AND
EVIDENCE.—The 
Commission or, on the authority of the Com-
mission, any subcommittee or member thereof,
may, for the purpose of carrying out this sec-
tion—
(i) hold such hearings and sit and act 
at such times and places, take such testi-
mony, receive such evidence, and admin-
ister such oaths as the Commission or such 
designated subcommittee or designated 
member may determine advisable; and 
(ii) subject to subparagraphs (A) and 
(B) of paragraph (7) require, by subpoena 
or otherwise, the attendance and testimony 
of such witnesses and the production of 
such 
books, 
records, 
correspondence, 
memoranda, papers, and documents as the 
Commission 
or 
such 
designated 
sub-
committee or designated member may de-
termine advisable. 
(B) 
CONTRACTING.—The 
Commission 
may, to such extent and in such amounts as are 
provided in appropriation Acts, enter into con-
tracts to enable the Commission to discharge its 
duties under this Act. 
(C) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGEN-
CIES.—
(i) IN
GENERAL.—The Commission 
may secure directly from any executive de-
partment, bureau, agency, board, commis-
sion, office, independent establishment, or 
instrumentality of the Government, infor-
mation, suggestions, estimates, and statis-
tics for the purposes of this section. Each 
department, bureau, agency, board, com-
mission, office, independent establishment, 
or instrumentality shall, to the extent au-
thorized by law, furnish such information, 
suggestions, estimates, and statistics di-
rectly to the Commission, upon request 
made by the chairman, the chairman of 
any subcommittee created by a majority of 
the Commission, or any member des-
ignated by a majority of the Commission. 
(ii) RECEIPT, HANDLING, STORAGE, 
AND
DISSEMINATION.—Information shall 
only be received, handled, stored, and dis-
seminated by members of the Commission 
and its staff consistent with all applicable 
statutes, regulations, and Executive orders. 
(D) ASSISTANCE
FROM
FEDERAL
AGEN-
CIES.—
(i) GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRA-
TION.—The 
Administrator 
of 
General 
Services shall provide to the Commission 
on a reimbursable basis administrative 
support and other services for the perform-
ance of the Commission’s functions. 
(ii) OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND AGEN-
CIES.—In addition to the assistance pre-
scribed in clause (i), departments and 
agencies of the United States may provide 
to the Commission such services, funds, fa-
cilities, staff, and other support services as 
they may determine advisable and as may 
be authorized by law. 
(E) GIFTS.—The Commission may accept, 
use, and dispose of gifts or donations of serv-
ices or property. 
(F) POSTAL SERVICES.—The Commission 
may use the United States mails in the same 
manner and under the same conditions as de-
partments and agencies of the United States. 
(7) SUBPOENAS.—
(A) ISSUANCE.—A subpoena may be issued 
under this subsection only—
(i) by the agreement of the chairman 
and the vice chairman of the Commission; 
or 
(ii) by the affirmative vote of 6 mem-
bers of the Commission. 
(B) SIGNATURE.—Subject to subparagraph 
(A), subpoenas issued under this subsection 
may be issued only under the signature of the 
chairman or any member designated by a ma-
jority of the Commission, and may be served 
only by a person designated by the chairman or 
by a member designated by a majority of the 
Commission. 
(C) ENFORCEMENT.—
(i) IN GENERAL.—In the case of con-
tumacy or failure to obey a subpoena 
issued under subparagraph (A), the United 
States district court for the judicial district 
in which the subpoenaed person resides, is 
served, or may be found, or where the sub-
poena is returnable, may issue an order re-
quiring such person to appear at any des-
ignated place to testify or to produce docu-
mentary or other evidence. Any failure to 
obey the order of the court may be pun-
ished by the court as a contempt of that 
court. 
(ii) ADDITIONAL ENFORCEMENT.—In 
the case of any failure of any witness to 
comply with any subpoena or to testify 
when summoned under authority of this 
paragraph, the Commission may, by major-
ity vote, certify a statement of fact consti-
tuting such failure to the appropriate 
United States attorney, who may bring the 
matter before the grand jury for its action, 
under the same statutory authority and 
procedures as if the United States attorney 
had received a certification under sections 
102 through 104 of the Revised Statutes 
of the United States (2 U.S.C. 192 
through 194). 
(8) NONAPPLICABILITY OF FEDERAL ADVISORY 
COMMITTEE ACT.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply 
to the Commission. 
(B) PUBLIC MEETINGS AND RELEASE OF 
PUBLIC VERSIONS OF REPORTS.—The Commis-
sion shall—
(i) hold public hearings and meetings 
to the extent appropriate; and 
(ii) release public versions of the re-
ports required under this section. 
(C) PUBLIC HEARINGS.—Any public hear-
ings of the Commission shall be conducted in a 
manner consistent with the protection of infor-
mation provided to or developed for or by the 
Commission as required by any applicable stat-
ute, regulation, or Executive order. 
(9) STAFF OF COMMISSION.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—
(i) APPOINTMENT
AND
COMPENSA-
TION.—The chairman, in consultation with 
the vice chairman, and in accordance with 
rules agreed upon by the Commission, may 
appoint and fix the compensation of a staff 
director and such other personnel as may 
be necessary to enable the Commission to 
carry out its functions, without regard to 
the provisions of title 5, United States 
Code, governing appointments in the com-
petitive service, and without regard to the 
provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter 
III of chapter 53 of such title relating to
classification and General Schedule pay 
rates, except that no rate of pay fixed 
under this clause may exceed the equiva-
lent of that payable for a position at level 
V of the Executive Schedule under section 
5316 of title 5, United States Code. 
(ii) PERSONNEL
AS
FEDERAL
EM-
PLOYEES.—
(I) IN GENERAL.—The executive 
director and any personnel of the 
Commission who are employees shall 
be employees under section 2105 of 
title 5, United States Code, for pur-
poses of chapters 63, 81, 83, 84, 85, 
87, 89, and 90 of that title. 
(II) 
MEMBERS
OF
COMMIS-
SION.—Subparagraph (a) shall not be 
construed to apply to members of the 
Commission. 
(B) DETAILEES.—Any Federal Govern-
ment employee may be detailed to the Commis-
sion without reimbursement from the Commis-
sion, and such detailee shall retain the rights, 
status, and privileges of his or her regular em-
ployment without interruption.
(C) CONSULTANT
SERVICES.—The Com-
mission may procure the services of experts and 
consultants in accordance with section 3109 of 
title 5, United States Code, but at rates not to 
exceed the daily rate paid a person occupying a 
position at level IV of the Executive Schedule 
under section 5315 of title 5, United States 
Code. 
(10) 
COMPENSATION
AND
TRAVEL
EX-
PENSES.—
(A) COMPENSATION.—Each member of the 
Commission may be compensated at not to ex-
ceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of 
basic pay in effect for a position at level IV of 
the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of 
title 5, United States Code, for each day during 
which that member is engaged in the actual 
performance of the duties of the Commission. 
(B) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—While away from 
their homes or regular places of business in the 
performance of services for the Commission, 
members of the Commission shall be allowed 
travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
subsistence, in the same manner as persons em-
ployed intermittently in the Government service
are allowed expenses under section 5703(b) of 
title 5, United States Code. 
(11) SECURITY CLEARANCES FOR COMMISSION 
MEMBERS
AND
STAFF.—The appropriate Federal 
agencies or departments shall cooperate with the 
Commission in expeditiously providing to the Com-
mission members and staff appropriate security 
clearances to the extent possible pursuant to existing 
procedures and requirements, except that no person 
shall be provided with access to classified informa-
tion under this section without the appropriate secu-
rity clearances. 
(12) 
REPORTS
OF
COMMISSION; 
TERMI-
NATION.—
(A) INTERIM REPORTS.—The Commission 
may submit to the President and the Congress 
interim reports containing such findings, con-
clusions, and recommendations for corrective 
measures as have been agreed to by a majority 
of Commission members. 
(B) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than June 
30, 2006, the Commission shall submit to the 
President and the Congress a final report con-
taining such findings, conclusions, and rec-
ommendations for items to be included in the
quadrennial security review as have been agreed 
to by a majority of Commission members. 
(C) TERMINATION.—
(i) IN
GENERAL.—The Commission, 
and all the authorities of this subsection, 
shall terminate 30 days after the date on 
which the final report is submitted under 
subparagraph (B). 
(ii) ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITIES BE-
FORE
TERMINATION.—The 
Commission 
may use the 30-day period referred to in 
clause (i) for the purpose of concluding its 
activities, including providing testimony to 
committees of the Congress concerning its 
reports and disseminating the final report. 
(13) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—
To carry out this subsection there is authorized to 
be appropriated to the Commission $3,000,000.
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