Washington, D.C. – October 27, 2009 - Today in a hearing of the Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation reviewing activities at the Science and Technology Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS S&T), Subcommittee Ranking Member Adrian Smith (R-NE) emphasized the need for a comprehensive, strategic plan for the future.

“While agency ‘growing pains’ always present a challenge, in the seven years since its creation, the S&T Directorate has demonstrated respectable progress, refining its roles and responsibilities and instituting a sound organizational structure and operating processes,” Smith said.  “However, one of the critical policy challenges the committee recognized in 2002 still remains: development of a true strategic plan to inform, prioritize, and guide the work of the Directorate.”

With an FY2010 budget request of $968 million, DHS S&T is responsible for carrying out research on behalf of federal homeland security agencies and coordinating this research with other federal research entities. DHS S&T is currently organized in a matrix style management structure with three research directors that oversee portfolios containing long-term basic research, shorter-term applied research, and technology transition.

Witnesses at today’s hearing agreed that the S&T Directorate’s strategic plan should be informed by comprehensive risk assessments in order to account for the impact and likelihood of potential threats. Such comprehensive threat assessments would allow for DHS S&T to better align its R&D priorities with the needs of the customer.

When asked about the DHS position regarding the need for an updated strategic plan incorporating risk assessments, Mr. Brad Buswell, Acting Undersecretary of DHS S&T, agreed, saying that a comprehensive strategic plan would absolutely help the Directorate prioritize R&D to facilitate technology development.

Ranking Member Smith concluded, saying that “Without an effective strategic plan, the Directorate has no foundation from which to systematically guide development of priorities and measure performance toward objectives.”

The following witnesses also testified today before the Subcommittee:

Dr. Phil Depoy, Chairman, Homeland Security Science and Technology Advisory Committee;

Mr. David Berteau, Senior Adviser and Director, Defense Industrial Initiatives Group at the Center for Strategic and International Studies; and

Dr. Cindy Williams, Chair, Committee on the DHS Science and Technology Directorate at the National Academy of Public Administration.

For more information on the hearing or to read witness testimony, please visit the GOP Science and Technology Committee website.