Homeland authorization to move before organizational changes

The House is slated to consider an authorization measure for the Homeland Security Department in early May, despite plans by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to announce organizational changes later that month.

"This bill will be light on organizational changes in deference to Chertoff's top to bottom review," said House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Christopher Cox, R-Calif., Wednesday, adding the committee would mandate any needed organizational changes suggested by Chertoff in subsequent legislation. "Almost certainly, we'll have a richer bill next year," Cox said.

The committee plans to mark up the measure next week and have it ready for a floor vote the week of May 9. Cox said the panel is working closely with the department on the bill and has told Chertoff that stand-alone bills could be introduced later to implement changes.

Chertoff is contemplating moving the office that allocates first-responder grants out of the secretary's office and placing it within the emergency preparedness and response division, according to an administration aide.

He also is considering requiring the information analysis division to report directly to him and combining its other component -- the infrastructure protection division -- with the emergency preparedness wing.

The authorization measure includes provisions to raise the chief cybersecurity position to an assistant secretary, bolster intelligence gathering and create a technology transfer at the department to provide first responders with the latest technologies.

Other provisions would require the department to establish a terrorism-prevention plan, change Transportation Security Administration procedures to reduce delays in air travel, and alter the color-coded alert system to provide specific warnings for some cities.

It would also require the department to provide funding for 2,000 additional border patrol agents. The Bush administration requested funding for about 200 agents.

The administration aide said Wednesday that the cybersecurity language might conflict with Chertoff's plans to separate the information analysis and infrastructure protection directorate. The directorate oversees cybersecurity and is responsible for collecting and disseminating terrorist-related intelligence.

On Wednesday, House Government Reform Committee Chairman Tom Davis, R-Va., also expressed jurisdictional concerns with the cyber provisions, arguing the committee should wait until Chertoff concludes his review and considers raising the cyber chief's profile.

"The bill should be a last resort, not the first resort," said Davis, whose panel oversees the Office of Management and Budget's responsibilities for government-wide computer security. "I feel strongly we ought to delay action. I'm concerned about overlapping jurisdiction."