Combating Terrorism: Observations on Federal Spending to Combat Terrorism

• NCJ Number: 190357
• Author(s): Henry L. Hinton Jr.
• Date Published: March 1999
• Length: 22 pages
• Corporate Author: US Government Accountability Office
• Sale Source: US Government Accountability Office; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Legislative Hearing/Committee Report
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Downloaded September 19, 2001

Annotation

This document addresses the threat of domestic terrorism, program growth in combating terrorism, and steps taken to improve management and coordination of agencies.

Abstract

The intelligence community in the United States continuously assesses both the foreign-born and the domestic threat to the country and notes that conventional explosives and firearms continue to be the weapons of choice for terrorists. Terrorists are less likely to use chemical and biological weapons than conventional explosives, although this possibility may increase over the next decade. Since 1996, the number and cost of various programs and initiatives to combat terrorism have grown significantly. Key agencies involved in activities to combat terrorism reported that they spent $5.7 billion in fiscal year 1996. The President’s fiscal year 2000 budget requested $10 billion, a $3-billion increase over the $6.7 billion originally requested for fiscal year 1999. The executive branch has taken some important steps and made progress toward improving the way it manages and coordinates the growing, complex array of agencies, offices, programs, activities, and capabilities. Some of these include performing two government-wide reviews of funding levels and programs, and a plan to resolve interagency problems and issues. Also, a National Domestic Preparedness Office at the Federal Bureau of Investigation is being established to reduce State and local confusion over the many Federal training and equipment programs to prepare for terrorist incidents involving weapons of mass destruction. A National Coordinator for Security, Infrastructure Protection and Counter-Terrorism within the National Security Council has also been established. Recommendations include taking additional steps to ensure that government wide priorities to combat terrorism are established, agencies’ programs and requirements are analyzed in relation to the priorities, and resources are allocated based on the priorities and assessments of threat and risk of terrorist attack. Also recommended is ensuring that programs are based on analytically sound threat and risk assessments and avoiding unnecessary duplication. 4 figures, 1 table, 12 footnotes