government approach, stating that in order, ‘‘to 
meet the challenges of the 21st century—from ter-
rorism to nuclear proliferation; from pandemic dis-
ease to cyber threats to crushing poverty—we will 
. . . use all elements of our national power.’’. 
(2) In recognition of the importance of inte-
grating all elements of our national influence, one of 
the President’s first actions was to merge the Na-
tional Security Council and Homeland Security 
Council into a single National Security Staff. 
(3) United States national security goals are es-
tablished in the National Security Strategy, which is 
required by law to be submitted annually to Con-
gress in conjunction with the Administration’s budg-
et proposal. However, only two versions have been 
published in the last 8 years, providing little insight 
about how we can harness all assets of national 
power to achieve these national security goals. 
(4) Interagency operations are now common in 
United States national security missions, however, 
outside the military, there is still no driving organi-
zational method for properly matching individual 
agency resources with larger joint missions. 
(5) The Department of Defense’s Quadrennial 
Defense Review has led to greater coordination and 
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cooperation among the service branches and simi-
larly the new Quadrennial Review of Diplomacy and 
Development is designed to identify key objectives 
and missions for United States diplomatic policy, 
there is no review that examines the goals and re-
sources across all United States agencies with na-
tional security responsibilities. 
(6) In its ‘‘Beyond Goldwater-Nichols Phase 2’’ 
report, the Center for Strategic and International 
Studies (CSIS) recognized this gap in strategic anal-
ysis. 
(7) CSIS recommended the establishment of a 
Quadrennial National Security Review to create an 
interagency process to identify national security 
goals, assess existing needs and capabilities, estab-
lish priorities for funding, and recommend specific 
policy and budget proposals to achieve national secu-
rity goals using all elements of national power. 
(8) The congressionally mandated Project on 
National Security Reform similarly recommended 
that the United States needs to develop an overall 
strategy to provide timely resources and adequate 
authorities for supporting our national security 
goals. 
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(9) The 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review Re-
port recommends the creation of ‘‘National Security 
Planning Guidance to direct the development of both 
military and nonmilitary plans and institutional ca-
pabilities.’’. The Report states that this guidance 
should set national security priorities, responsibilities 
and assist United States Federal agencies to ‘‘better 
align their strategy, budget and planning functions 
with national objectives.’’. 
(10) The 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review ac-
knowledges that, ‘‘the complexity of 21st century 
conflicts demands that the United States govern-
ment significantly improve interagency comprehen-
sive assessments, analysis, planning and execution 
for whole-of-government operations,’’ and advocates 
for ‘‘an improved interagency strategic planning 
process that makes optimal use of all national in-
struments of statecraft.’’. 
SEC. 3. QUADRENNIAL NATIONAL SECURITY REVIEWS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The National Security Act of 
1947 is amended by inserting after section 108 (50 U.S.C. 
404a) the following: 
‘‘SEC. 108A. QUADRENNIAL NATIONAL SECURITY REVIEWS. 
‘‘(a) QNSR REQUIRED.—Every 4 years, during a 
year following a year evenly divisible by 4, the President 
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shall, in consultation with the Director of the Office of 
Management and Budget, Congress, and the heads of 
other appropriate departments and agencies responsible 
for national security, conduct a quadrennial national secu-
rity review (in this section referred to as a ‘QNSR’) to 
set forth the security goals, including long-term and short- 
term security goals, of the United States. 
‘‘(b) REPORT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In a year following the year 
in which a QNSR is conducted under this section, 
but not later than the date on which the President 
submits the budget for the next fiscal year to Con-
gress under section 1105(a) of title 31, United 
States Code, the President shall submit to Congress 
a report on such QNSR. Such report shall include— 
‘‘(A) a discussion of the worldwide inter-
ests, goals, and objectives of the United States 
that are vital to the national security of the 
United States; 
‘‘(B) a prioritization of the goals described 
in subparagraph (A); 
‘‘(C) a description of— 
‘‘(i) which agencies and departments 
of the Federal Government will be respon-
sible for achieving such goals; and 
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‘‘(ii) the organizational, policy, and 
budget requirements of agencies and de-
partments of the Federal Government to 
achieve such goals; 
‘‘(D) an assessment of potential risks to 
the United States, citizens of the United States, 
and interests of the United States and any 
challenges to the pursuit or attainment of such 
goals by the United States; 
‘‘(E) an assessment of the role of other na-
tions in the attainment of such goals by the 
United States, including an assessment of polit-
ical, economic, or cultural trends at the global, 
regional, or national level that will affect such 
attainment; 
‘‘(F) a discussion of the foreign policy, na-
tional defense capabilities, international cooper-
ative efforts, and other relevant means by which 
to deter aggression and implement such goals 
and policies; 
‘‘(G) an evaluation of the capacity of the 
departments and agencies involved with imple-
menting national security strategy to conduct 
strategic planning and national security-related 
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