Hearing of the Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies Subcommittee of the House Homeland Security Committee - "S&T on a Budget: Finding Smarter Approaches to Spur Innovation, Impose Discipline, Drive Job Creation...

Statement

Hearing of the Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies Subcommittee of the House Homeland Security Committee - "S&T on a Budget: Finding Smarter Approaches to Spur Innovation, Impose Discipline, Drive Job Creation and Strengthen Homeland Security"

S&T is an essential component of the Department's efforts, and I know many of us are eager to hear
about accomplishments and priorities at the directorate, especially since we concluded our authorization hearings last year.

Dr. O'Toole, it is good to see you back before this Subcommittee, and Mr. Maurer, thank you for agreeing to give us your perspective, and we are pleased to have you here today. In 2009, spurred by the findings of several reports, this Committee and Subcommittee initiated a comprehensive review of the directorate. Our purpose was to identify areas within the Directorate that could use a fresh set of eyes and additional oversight or modifications to legislative authorities. In doing so, we reviewed the Homeland Security Act and the Department's use of the authorities the Congress has vested in it.

With such a large and complex portfolio, the Directorate has found it difficult to craft a cohesive strategy, and we found that the insularity that defines its culture was reflected in the lack of mechanisms necessary to assess its performance in a systematic way. Our analysis suggested that the Department had not developed a clear risk-based methodology to determine what research projects to fund, how much to fund, and how to evaluate a project's effectiveness or usefulness.

Without clearly defined metrics, it becomes problematic for Congress to justify increases in programmatic funding. In my opinion, the directorate will never achieve success unless research rules and metrics are more fully established, and I am anxious to hear of any strides that the Under Secretary may have made in these areas of concern. However, we have additional challenges facing the directorate today.

Earlier this year, the Majority in the House passed a proposed DHS budget - H.R. 2017 - which radically cuts the department's S&T budget from $827 million to $398 million, and the S&T reductions are part of a $1.1 billion reduction in DHS's overall budget. The proposed DHS budget is $1 billion lower than the FY 2011 funding level, and $3 billion lower than the President's request.

I have read that DHS officials say the decrease in S&T's budget will wipe out dozens of programs, stalling the development of technologies for border protection, detection of bio-hazards, cargo screening; and leaving in doubt research on IED detection, affecting our ability to assess vulnerabilities for mass transit. Striving to do more with less is always the hallmark of an efficiently run effort - of any type - but trying to protect our citizens and nation with programs that are backed by underfunded and depleted science and technology research assets is another matter.

There are serious concerns about what the directorate would have to give up as a result of the budget voted for by the Majority. I look forward to the testimony of the Under Secretary and Mr. Maurer, especially to hear what strides she has made since our efforts last year, and I expect we'll have questions on how she will work to keep the Directorate moving forward during these challenging times.

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