White House

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Lore & Background

On February 23, 2009, the Obama administration released Presidential Study Directive 1, ordering a sixty-day interagency review of the White House homeland security and counterterrorism structure. The review recommended merging the staff supporting the Homeland Security Council with the staff supporting the National Security Council. On May 26, 2009, Barack Obama signed the recommendation to merge the HSC and NSC staffs into one national security staff. On February 10, 2014, President Obama renamed that combined staff the National Security Council (NSC) staff. Policymakers and observers have debated whether the HSC staff should remain an independent entity or be merged with the NSC staff. The HSC and NSC continue to exist by statute as independent councils of leadership advising the president.

In Their Own Story

The HSC is responsible for assessing the objectives, commitments, and risks of the United States, and for making recommendations to the president with respect to homeland security policy. During the Bush administration, the council was chaired by the homeland security advisor. The Joint Chiefs of Staff serve as the primary military advisers to the Homeland Security Council, as well as to the National Security Council. Due to the recommendations implemented by Obama, the HSC and NSC now have combined staff, the national security staff (NSS).

Reader's Guide

The HSC was similar to its national security counterpart, the National Security Council, established in the National Security Act of 1947. The HSC consisted of full-time staff organized by subject areas relating to homeland security missions, with the Council itself composed of Cabinet members and senior White House officials whose departments have principal interests in homeland security policy-making. While similar in name, the Department of Homeland Security is a distinct federal executive department; unlike DHS, the HSC functions as part of the Executive Office of the President, drawing staff from across federal agencies and under the direct control of the president.

Did You Know?

• The Homeland Security Council was created by Executive Order 13228 on October 29, 2001.
• The HSC served as the successor to the Office of Homeland Security, which was established on September 20, 2001, immediately after the September 11 attacks.
• On May 26, 2009, Barack Obama signed the recommendation to merge the HSC and NSC staffs into one national security staff.
• On February 10, 2014, President Obama renamed the combined national security staff the National Security Council (NSC) staff.
• The Joint Chiefs of Staff are the primary military advisers to both the Homeland Security Council and the National Security Council.