(a) Establishment.--There is established a Department of
Homeland Security, as an executive department of the United
States within the meaning of title 5, United States Code.
(b) Mission.--
(1) In general.--The primary mission of the
Department is to--
(A) prevent terrorist attacks within the
United States;
(B) reduce the vulnerability of the United
States to terrorism;
(C) minimize the damage, and assist in the
recovery, from terrorist attacks that do occur
within the United States;
(D) carry out all functions of entities
transferred to the Department, including by
acting as a focal point regarding natural and
manmade crises and emergency planning;
(E) ensure that the functions of the
agencies and subdivisions within the Department
that are not related directly to securing the
homeland are not diminished or neglected except
by a specific explicit Act of Congress;
(F) ensure that the overall economic
security of the United States is not diminished
by efforts, activities, and programs aimed at
securing the homeland;
(G) ensure that the civil rights and civil
liberties of persons are not diminished by
efforts, activities, and programs aimed at
securing the homeland; and
(H) monitor connections between illegal
drug trafficking and terrorism, coordinate
efforts to sever such connections, and
otherwise contribute to efforts to interdict
illegal drug trafficking.
(2) Responsibility for investigating and
prosecuting terrorism.--Except as specifically provided
by law with respect to entities transferred to the
Department under this Act, primary responsibility for
investigating and prosecuting acts of terrorism shall
be vested not in the Department, but rather in Federal,
State, and local law enforcement agencies with
jurisdiction over the acts in question.