Office of Homeland Security

The United States Office of Homeland Security was established after the events of September 11, 2001 and was subsequently reformed as the Cabinet level Department of Homeland Security.

Although officially formed post 9-11, the agency was likely planned prior to the attacks, as the integration of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and local emergency response activities was well under way in Summer 2001 under the supervision of U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney.

Upon the formation of the agency, Tom Ridge resigned his position as Governor of Pennsylvania to become Director of the new agency. The agency was criticized for having no clear role, no clear budgetary control, and for having difficulties establishing control over the FBI, BATF, DEA and other traditionally independent agencies.

Initial Appointments

 * Admiral Steve Abbot to be Deputy Director of the Office of Homeland Security.


 * Mark A. Holman to be Deputy Assistant to the President; served as Chief of Staff and Administrative Assistant to Governor Ridge while he was in the U.S. Congress (1983-1991) and in the Governor's Office as Chief of Staff until December 2000. Holman joins the White House from Blank, Rome, Comisky and McCauley in Washington, D.C.


 * Becky Halkias to be Deputy Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs; served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Federal Affairs in Governor Ridge's Washington Office.


 * Carl M. Buckholz to be Special Assistant to the President and Executive Secretary for the Office of Homeland Security; previously, Special Assistant to U.S. Senator John Heinz; joins the White House from Blank, Rome, Comisky and McCauley in Philadelphia.


 * Barbara Chaffee to be Special Assistant to the President and Public Liaison for the Office of Homeland Security; served Governor Ridge since 1995, most recently as Deputy Secretary at Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.


 * Susan Neely to be Special Assistant to President and Director of Communications for Homeland Security.

Related SourceWatch Resources

 * Department of Homeland Security
 * Homeland defense
 * Homeland Security