Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 116 Part 3.djvu/550

 116 STAT. 2142 PUBLIC LAW 107-296—NOV. 25, 2002 law, unless such holding shall be one of utter invalidity or unenforceability, in which event such provision shall be deemed severable from this Act and shall not affect the remainder thereof, or the application of such provision to other persons not similarly situated or to other, dissimilar circumstances. 6 USC 101 note. SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act shall take effect 60 days after the date of enactment. TITLE I—DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY 6 USC 111. SEC. 101. EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT; MISSION. (a) ESTABLISHMENT. —T here 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; and (G) monitor connections between illegal drug traf- ficking 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. 6 USC 112. SEC. 102. SECRETARY; FUNCTIONS. (a) SECRETARY.— (1) IN GENERAL.—T here is a Secretary of Homeland Security, appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. (2) HEAD OF DEPARTMENT.—The Secretary is the head of the Department and shall have direction, authority, and control over it.

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