Lawmakers question DHS consolidation

House members on both sides of the aisle pushed officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to explain the reasoning behind a departmental consolidation on Tuesday.

Hours after the President Obama announced an international accord aiming to limit Iran’s nuclear capability, lawmakers worried about any restructuring that could imperil U.S. national security. 

Agency officials say that a proposal to combine DHS’s nuclear and health offices will streamline its operations. 

{mosads}But it could also weaken American defenses just when they are needed most, lawmakers claimed. 

“Today’s threat comes from Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear weapon, as well as the rise of ISIS [the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria] and other terrorist organizations,” stated Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas), the chairman of the House Homeland Security subcommittee on Infrastructure Protection and Security Technologies. “The current nuclear deal being negotiated with Iran could increase the amount of nuclear material throughout the volatile Middle East.”

Ranking member Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (D-N.J.) also voiced his concerns about the plan.

“There is a lack of national leadership in biodefense,” he feared.

The Department of Homeland Security is attempting to merge its Domestic Nuclear Detection Office — which stays on guard for radiation and nuclear threats — with the Office of Health Affairs — which is responsible for biological and chemical threats. 

Domestic Nuclear Detection Office Director Huban Gowadia testified to lawmakers that the consolidation will improve efficiency within the department and strengthen both offices.

“In these days of hard fiscal times, we can hardly afford the redundancy,” she claimed. 

Yet Payne urged caution, and questioned the need for the merger. 

“There is always a concern with these realignments about what the outcome is going to be and how it will affect morale,” he warned.

Kathryn Brinsfield, the head of the DHS’s Office of Health Affairs, was also optimistic about the merged offices’ ability to counteract terrorist threats. 

 “It is our hope that it will be a one-stop shop for state and local officials countering threats,” she said.