Events Detail

 Homeland Security and U.S. Federalism:

What is the Proper Role for the States?

November 12
3:00 – 4:30PM

The creation of the federal Department of Homeland Security fueled the centralization of decision-making authority in Washington, leading to taxpayer funding of an array of projects for new protection, preparedness, and disaster relief managed by state and local governments. The fiscal federalism of homeland security has followed the pattern often observed in other areas, with good intentions abetting a Washington power grab and pork barrel spending.

A panel of experts discussed the role that states can and should play in protecting citizens in terrorism preparedness, disaster management, illegal immigration, community resiliency, border security and combating drug trafficking.

Matt Mayer, author of the new book Homeland Security and federalism: Protecting America from Outside the Beltway (Praeger Security International, 2009), is President and CEO of Provisum Strategies LLC and a Visiting Fellow at the Heritage Foundation. Christopher Sands is a Senior Fellow at Hudson and author of the report, Toward a New Frontier: Improving the U.S.-Canadian Border. John Walters is Executive Vice President at Hudson and the former Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) during the George W. Bush administration.

Betsy and Walter Stern Conference Center
Hudson Institute
1015 15th St, NW, 6th Floor
Washington, DC 20005