Report: GAO Overview of Department of Homeland Security Management Challenges

On Wednesday, April 20, 2005, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) delivered the statement of Norman Rabkin, Managing Director of the GAO's Homeland Security and Justice department. The statement, presented as testimony before the Subcommittee on Management, Integration, and Oversight, Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives, was entitled Homeland Security -- Overview of Department of Homeland Security Management Challenges. The testimony explains why GAO designated the Department of Homeland Security's transformation as a high-risk area. It also explains the specific management issues that the Department of Homeland Security will be forced to address.

The consolidation of 22 federal agencies under one umbrella, the Department of Homeland Security, has not gone as smoothly as many hoped but few expected it would. This testimony tries to explain to Congress what management challenges the Department faces.