Congress created the Department of Homeland Security in the wake of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, to provide a more coordinated defense of the U.S. against terrorist threats. But since its 2002 creation, which stitched together disparate parts of government like the Coast Guard, the Secret Service and immigration agencies, Congress hasn’t been able to pass a bill authorizing the operations of the agency.
Part of the problem is the way DHS oversight functions in Congress. While the Homeland Security Committee is the primary authorizing agency, big chunks of oversight and authority are dispersed over multiple committees. Judiciary is responsible for immigration. The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee oversees the Coast Guard and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
