State Homeland Security Offices

Counterterrorism Reports

These are the major reports from commissions, think tanks, and other nonprofits that cover terrorism and bioterrorism. PDF files and/or URLs are provided for the complete text. Links to items below may become inactive over time. Please contact Jeffrey Michaels for questions about the content of this page.

On the Brink: Re-Engineering the Nation's Disaster Response Processes

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Business Civic Leadership Center, July 1, 2008

http://www.uschamber.com/bclc/programs/disaster/2008_disasterreport_home.htm
This report includes 26 essays by emergency-response experts representing corporations, local chambers of commerce, federal and local government, academe, and humanitarian-aid organization seeking to redefine the goals of disaster management.

"Protecting Americans in the 21st Century: Imperatives for the Homeland"

The National Homeland Security Consortium (NHSC), April 2008

The NHSC, created in 2006 as a forum for the 55 advisors appointed by the governors of each state and territory, has outlined a vision for how the nation should address homeland security in the modern era in a new white paper.
http://www.subnet.nga.org/downloads/NHSCProtectingAmericans.pdf

Department of Homeland Security: Progress Report on Implementation of Mission and Management Functions

GAO-07-454 August 17, 2007

http://www.gao.gov/docsearch/abstract.php?rptno=GAO-07-454
The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) recent 4 year anniversary provides an opportunity to reflect on the progress DHS has made since its establishment.

A Line in the Sand: Confronting the Threat at the Southwest Border

Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Investigations, October 17, 2006

http://www.house.gov/mccaul/pdf/Investigaions-Border-Report.pdf

The report examines the alarming rise in the level of criminal cartel activity, including drug and human smuggling, along the Texas-Mexico border and its effects on Federal, State and local law enforcement agencies. The report also looks at what steps are being taken to counter the threat, and the significance of these issues pertaining to the overall security of the United States

Hurricane Katrina: A Nation Still Unprepared

U.S. Senate Homeland Security Committee, April 2006

http://hsgac.senate.gov/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Links.Katrina

A Failure of Initiative: The Final Report of the Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina

U.S. House of Representatives, February 15, 2006

http://katrina.house.gov/

Final Report on 9/11 Commission Recommendations

9/11 Public Discourse Project, December 5, 2005

http://www.9-11pdp.org/

Report on the Status of 9/11 Recommendations Part III: Foreign Policy, Public Diplomacy, and Nonproliferation

9/11 Public Discourse Project, November 14, 2005

http://www.9-11pdp.org/

Report on the Status of 9/11 Recommendations

Part II: Reforming the Institutions of Government

9/11 Public Discourse Project, October 20, 2005

http://www.9-11pdp.org/

Report on the Status of 9/11 Recommendations

Part 1 Homeland Security, Emergency Preparedness and Response

9/11 Public Discourse Project, September 14, 2005

http://www.9-11pdp.org/press/2005-09-14_report.pdf

Report to the President of the United States Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction,

March 31, 2005

http://www.wmd.gov/report/index.html
The Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction was established by Executive Order 13328, which was signed by the President on February 6, 2004. The Commission is charged with assessing whether the Intelligence Community is sufficiently authorized, organized, equipped, trained, and resourced to identify and warn in a timely manner of, and to support United States Government efforts to respond to, the development and transfer of knowledge, expertise, technologies, materials, and resources associated with the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction, related means of delivery, and other related threats of the 21st Century and their employment by foreign powers (including terrorists, terrorist organizations, and private networks).

9-11 Commission Final Report

Released July 22, 2004 [585 pages]

http://www.9-11commission.gov/

Law Enforcement, Counterterrorism, and Intelligence Collection in the United States Prior to 9/11

National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the U.S. Staff Statement No. 9, April 13, 2004

http://www.9-11commission.gov/hearings/hearing10/staff_statement_9.pdf

Forging America’s New Normalcy: Securing Our Homeland, Protecting Our Liberty [Gilmore Commission Fifth and Final Annual Report]

Advisory Panel to Assess Domestic Response Capabilities for Terrorism Involving Weapons of Mass Destruction, December 15, 2003

http://www.rand.org/nsrd/terrpanel/
The United States needs an improved homeland security strategy to strengthen security in communities facing the greatest risk, improve the use of intelligence, increase the role of state and local officials, and sharpen disaster response capabilities.

Creating a Trusted Network for Homeland Security

Markle Foundation, December 2, 2003

http://www.markletaskforce.org/
The Markle Foundation Task Force on National Security in the Information Age today released its second report, concluding that the U.S. government has not yet taken advantage of America's technology expertise to fight the war on terrorism.

Protecting Emergency Responders, Volume 2: Community Views of Health and Safety Risks and Personal Protection Needs, 2003.

RAND, August 2003

The news release on the report is at: http://www.rand.org/hot/press.03/08.20.html
the full report is at:

http://www.rand.org/publications/MR/MR1646/

Congressional Reports: Joint Inquiry into Intelligence Community Activities before and after the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001

Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, December 2002 [released July 24, 2003]

http://www.gpoaccess.gov/serialset/creports/911.html

Emergency Responders: Drastically Underfunded, Dangerously Unprepared

Council of Foreign Relations, June 29, 2003

http://www.cfr.org/pdf/Responders_TF.pdf
The Independent Task Force on Emergency Responders, a panel sponsored by the Council of Foreign Relations and led by former Senator Warren B. Rudman, has released a report on the needs of first responders across the nation. See the press release for a link to download the report, "Emergency Responders: Drastically Underfunded, Dangerously Unprepared."

Responders_TF.pdf

If Disaster Strikes Today, Are you Ready to Lead? The Governor’s Primer on All-Hazards Emergency Management

National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), May 15, 2003

http://www.nemaweb.org/docs/Gov_Primer.pdf

Protecting the American Homeland: One Year On

Brookings Analysis, January 2003

by Ivo H. Daalder, I.M. Destler, David L. Gunter, James M. Lindsay, Michael E. O'Hanlon, Peter R. Orszag, and James B. Steinberg.
http://www.brookings.edu/dybdocroot/views/papers/daalder/20030101.pdf

Implementing the National Strategy; Advisory Panel to Assess Domestic Response Capabilities for Terrorism Involving Weapons of Mass Destruction [The Gilmore Commission] Fourth Annual Report

December 16, 2002

Go to the Commission Web site: http://www.rand.org/nsrd/terrpanel/

America Still Unprepared - America Still in Danger; Report of an Independent Task Force Sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations

Gary Hart and Warren B. Rudman, Co-Chairs; October 24, 2002

http://www.cfr.org/pdf/Homeland_Security_TF.pdf
The United States remains "dangerously unprepared" to deal with another major terrorist attack, said a report by former top government officials, academics and business leaders. "In all likelihood, the next attack will result in even greater casualties and widespread disruption to American lives and the economy" than the Sept. 11 attacks.

Protecting America's Freedom in an Information Age

Markle Group, October 7, 2002

http://www.markletaskforce.org/documents/Markle_Full_Report.pdf

A Review of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Counterterrorism Program: Threat Assessment, Strategic Planning, and Resource Management (Report No. 02-38)

Office of the DOJ Inspector General, September 2002 [released 10/1/02] - executive summary

http://www.usdoj.gov/oig/reports/FBI/a0238.htm

Response to the DOJ-OIG Report titled: A Review of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Counterterrorism Program: Threat Assessment, Strategic Planning, and Resource Management (Report No. 02-38)

[10/1/02]

http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/pressrel02/dojoig100102.htm
FBI's response to the Inspector General's report.

A Governor's Guide to Emergency Management, Volume Two: Homeland Security

National Governors Association, September 19, 2002 [133 pages]
http://www.nga.org/cda/files/GOVSGUIDEHS2.pdf

[Congressional reports investigating 9/11/Joint Inquiry Staff Statements]

The FBI's handling of the Phoneix Electronic Communication...

Joint Inquiry Staff Statement part 3 September 24, 2002

hill092402.pdf

The Intelligence Community's Knowledge of the September 11 Hijackers Prior to September 11, 2002

[Joint Inquiry statement part 2] September 20, 2002
http://intelligence.house.gov/PDF/hill092002.pdf

hill092002.pdf

Joint Inquiry Staff Statement, Part I

September 18, 2002 [31 pages]
http://intelligence.house.gov/PDF/hill.pdf

hill.pdf

Training Technology Against Terror: Using Advanced Technology to Prepare America's Emergency Personnel and First Responders for a WMD Attack

Federation of American Scientists, September 9, 2002

A press release on the study is at: http://www.fas.org/press/020909-wmd_trg.htm
The full study is at:

http://www.fas.org/terrorism/wmd/docs/wmd_resp.pdf

Planning to Win: The Report of the Aspen Strategy Group on Homeland Security

Aspen Strategy Group, July 22, 2002

http://www.aspeninstitute.org/aspeninstitute/files/Img/pdf/planning_to_win.pdf

Counterterrorism Intelligence Capabilities and Performance Prior to 9-11: A Report to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Minority Leader

Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security, House Permanent Select Committee On Intelligence, July 2002

[released 7/17/02]
THSReport0717202.doc

Making the Nation Safer: The Role of Science and Technology in Countering Terrorism

Committee on Science and Technology for Countering Terrorism, National Research Council

382 pages (approximate), 8 1/2 x 11, June 2002. [released 6/25/02]
http://books.nap.edu/html/stct/index.html
The United States should take advantage of its scientific and engineering strengths to detect, thwart and respond to terrorist attacks more effectively, says a new National Academies report. An independent homeland security institute should be established to help the government make crucial technical decisions and devise technical strategies for combating terrorism.

State Organizational Structures for Homeland Security

NEMA, June 2002 [155 pages]

http://www.nemaweb.org/docs/Homeland_Security_Report.rtf
The survey was sent to homeland security coordinators from all fifty states and the District of Columbia and to twenty state emergency management directors. Information was sought on organizational structures prior to and new since September 11, including levels of authority, interagency cooperation, and the resulting effects on other state agencies with roles in homeland security.

Security in the Information Age: New Challenges, New Strategies

Senate Joint Economic Committee, May 2002

http://www.house.gov/jec/security.pdf
On May 29, 2002, the U.S. Senate Joint Economic Committee released a report on new security challenges and strategies. It includes papers on various homeland security and infrastructure protection topics.

security.pdf

Protecting the American Homeland: A Preliminary Analysis

Brookings Institution, April 30, 2002 [182 pages]

The report is online at:
http://www.brookings.org/dybdocroot/fp/projects/homeland/fullhomeland.pdf

Defending the American Homeland: A Report of The Heritage Foundation Homeland Security Task Force,

Chaired by L. Paul Bremer III and Edwin Meese III. January 8, 2002.

http://www.heritage.org/research/homelanddefense/project.cfm

Advisory Panel to Assess Domestic Response Capabilities for Terrorism Involving Weapons of Mass Destruction

[The Gilmore Commission's Third Annual Report]

December 15, 2001
http://www.rand.org/nsrd/terrpanel/terror3-print.pdf

terror3-print.pdf

Third annual report to the President and the Congress of the Advisory Panel to Assess Domestic Response Capabilities for Terrorism Involving Weapons of Mass Destruction

Gilmore Commission Releases Advance Executive Summary to Forthcoming Third Annual WMD Terrorism Report, (November 2001)
http://www.rand.org/nsrd/terrpanel/terror3execsumprint.pdf

terror3execsumprint.pdf

Combating Terrorism: Selected Challenges and Related Recommendations

GAO-01-822, September 20, 2001 [218-page report full of recommendations]

d01822.pdf

Annual Report to Congress on Combating Terrorism, 2002

OMB funding report, released September 2001

nsd_annual_report2001.pdf

Protecting the Homeland: Report of the Defense Science Board

(2000 Summer Study, Executive Summary volume 1)

Defense Science Board, February 2001
http://www.acq.osd.mil/dsb/protecting.pdf

protecting.pdf

Protecting the Homeland: Report of the Defense Science Board on Defensive Information Operations

(2000 Summer Study, Executive Summary volume II)

Defense Science Board, March 2001 [181 pages]
http://www.acq.osd.mil/dsb/dio.pdf

dio.pdf

The Interagency Domestic Terrorism Concept of Operations Plan

[Clinton administration plan, released February 2001]

conplan.pdf

Roadmap for National Security: Imperative for Change

The U.S. Commission on National Security Phase III report, Jan. 31, 2001
[also called the Hart-Rudman Commission]

phase_III_report.pdf

Toward a National Strategy for Combating Terrorism

2nd Annual Report of the Advisory Panel to Assess Domestic Response
Capabilities for Terrorism Involving Weapons of Mass Destruction
(also known as The Gilmore Commission)
December 14, 2000
http://www.rand.org/organization/nsrd/terrpanel/terror2.pdf

terror2.pdf

Bioterrorism in the United States: Threat, Preparedness and Response

Chemical and Biological Arms Control Institute (CBACI), November 2000 [339 pages]

http://www.cbaci.org/PDFCDCFinalReport.pdf

PDFCDCFinalReport.pdf

Ataxia: The Chemical and Biological Terrorism Threat and the US Response

Stimson Center, Oct. 25, 2000
http://www.stimson.org/cwc/ataxia.htm

Countering the Changing Threat Of International Terrorism

Report of the National Commission on Terrorism (June 2000)
[also called the Bremer Commission]
http://www.gpo.gov/nct/

Seeking a National Strategy: A Concert for Preserving Security and Promoting Freedom

National Security Study Group Phase II report (April 2000)
also called U.S. Commission on National Security [Hart-Rudman Commission]

phase_II.pdf

First annual report to the President and the Congress of the Advisory Panel to Assess Domestic Response Capabilities for Terrorism Involving Weapons of Mass Destruction

[Gilmore Commission report on WMD]
Prepared by RAND, December 15, 1999
http://www.rand.org/organization/nsrd/terrpanel/terror.pdf

terror.pdf

New World Coming: American Security in the 21st Century (Phase I report)

[Hart/Rudman Commission]
September 15, 1999
http://www.homelandsecurity.org/sugg_reading/Phase_I_Report.pdf

phase_I_report.pdf

Combating the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction

Commission to Assess the Organization of the Federal Government to Combat the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (The Deutch -Specter Commission), July 14, 1999

11910book.pdf