Interagency Security Committee

Interagency Security Committee
Name	Interagency Security Committee
Formation	1985
Type	Federal advisory committee
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Parent organization	United States Department of Homeland Security
Jurisdiction	United States

Contents

Interagency Security Committee The Interagency Security Committee advises federal facility security for the United States federal executive branch and develops standards for federal workplace protection, coordinating across agencies such as the Department of Defense, Department of Justice, Department of the Treasury, Department of State, and Department of Energy. Its work intersects with national security entities including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, and infrastructure stakeholders like the General Services Administration and Federal Protective Service. The Committee issues guidance used by agencies, bureaus, and components located in metropolitan centers such as Washington, D.C., New York City, Los Angeles, and by installations in regions like Hawaii, Guam, and territories adjacent to Puerto Rico.

History

Formed in 1985 under the aegis of the United States Department of Justice and later realigned under the Department of Homeland Security after 2001 reforms, the Committee arose amid shifts following events including the Iran hostage crisis, the 1983 Beirut barracks bombings, and the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. Early participants included representatives from the Department of State, Department of Treasury, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the United States Postal Service. Its evolution paralleled legislative landmarks such as the Homeland Security Act of 2002 and was influenced by investigations like those by the 9/11 Commission and oversight from the Government Accountability Office. The Committee expanded membership in response to incidents involving diplomatic posts like attacks in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, and responded to guidance from international partners including the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and standards bodies such as the International Organization for Standardization.

The Committee establishes risk-based security standards for executive branch facilities, balancing protective measures recommended by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, threat assessments from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and asset management practices from the General Services Administration. It synthesizes inputs from interagency partners such as the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Health and Human Services, National Park Service, United States Mint, and the United States Capitol Police to produce facility security criteria addressing threats similar to those studied by the Transportation Security Administration and emergency response doctrines advanced by Federal Emergency Management Agency. The Committee’s functions reflect statutory frameworks connected to the Privacy Act of 1974 and compliance expectations articulated by the Office of Management and Budget.

Members include senior security officials from departments and agencies such as the Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of the Interior, Department of Labor, Department of Transportation, and the Department of Education, alongside representatives from the Social Security Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the Library of Congress. Governance mechanisms involve chairs appointed from principal agencies, consultation with Congressional committees including the House Committee on Homeland Security and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and coordination with Inspector General offices like the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General. The Committee liaises with federal labor unions including the American Federation of Government Employees and interacts with professional associations such as the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the American Society for Industrial Security.

The Committee produces standards and best practices covering topics referenced by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, including publications analogous to NIST Special Publication 800-series guidance, and works in concert with building codes from the International Code Council and design guidance from the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board. Key outputs include risk assessment tools, perimeter security criteria, and continuity guidance used alongside plans from the Federal Continuity Directive series and federal emergency plans like the National Response Framework. Publications inform compliance with regulations overseen by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and align with records management policies from the National Archives and Records Administration. The Committee’s documents are cited in facility design projects involving firms that engage with the General Services Administration Public Buildings Service and in security planning for major events like the Presidential Inauguration and United Nations General Assembly sessions.

Implementation responsibilities rest with component agencies, asset managers such as the Public Buildings Service, and security personnel from units including the Federal Protective Service, United States Secret Service, and agency security officers drawn from entities like the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Compliance is monitored through internal assessments, audits by the Government Accountability Office, and oversight from Congressional oversight bodies. The Committee’s standards inform contract requirements for private security contractors retained by agencies and intersect with procurement regulations administered by the Federal Acquisition Regulation Council and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs.

The Committee coordinates training curricula used by security professionals from agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United States Geological Survey, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Smithsonian Institution. Outreach includes engagement with state counterparts like the California Office of Emergency Services, local law enforcement such as the New York City Police Department, and international partners including diplomatic security offices at the United States Mission to the United Nations. It supports exercises involving the National Guard Bureau and emergency medical systems like Americares and the American Red Cross, and contributes to professional development through conferences hosted by organizations like the International Facility Management Association and publications referenced by academic programs at institutions such as Georgetown University and George Washington University.