The establishment of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was driven by the urgent need to protect the United States against a wide array of threats. Sparked by the attacks of September 11, 2001, and reinforced just weeks later by the anthrax attacks, President George W. Bush prioritized the creation of DHS with biological threats included in its mandate.
Early Programs and Ongoing Challenges
One of the earliest biodefense initiatives, the BioWatch program, was launched to detect the use of biological agents. While it employed the best available technology in 2003, little progress has been made to modernize the system. Today, the program still struggles to provide actionable and reliable results. As the Administration reexamines homeland security priorities, improving biodefense technology must be central to its agenda.
Each DHS component carries unique biodefense responsibilities. For example, the U.S. Secret Service continues to guard against assassination attempts using toxins. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigates counterfeit medicines and contaminated food. The Transportation Security Administration issues guidance during biological events to reduce the spread of disease through global travel. The U.S. Coast Guard works to keep infectious threats from reaching our shores. FEMA addresses pandemics and large-scale biological crises through its emergency support functions, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection plays a key role in protecting food and agriculture from foreign biological threats.
Rising Risks and Underinvestment
Despite this broad mission, the Nation remains at biological risk. Federal biodefense programs face uncertainty in scope and direction, even as biological threats grow more complex, vulnerabilities deepen, and potential consequences expand. While the Trump Administration released the first-ever National Biodefense Strategy in 2018—a milestone rooted in earlier recommendations by the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense—the current trajectory is undercut by persistent underfunding. Budget cuts across discretionary, mandatory, and personnel allocations erode readiness, creating inefficiencies rather than strengthening defenses.
Seizing the Moment
This moment of disruption presents an opportunity for the Administration to:
- Strengthen biological intelligence capabilities.
- Advance comprehensive deterrence strategies.
- Develop innovative approaches to managing biological events.
- Confront disease directly to make America healthier and more resilient.
- Enhance the response and recovery capacity of federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial partners.
- Leverage and refine existing institutions to identify actors behind biological threats.
- Ensure full recovery from biological events before the next outbreak takes hold.
- Invest in mitigation strategies that lessen the impact of future events.
- Recruit and retain talented public servants to advance biodefense efforts.
A Call to Action
Protecting Americans from biological threats is not optional—it is a national imperative. By anticipating risks and strengthening our biodefense, we can safeguard health, security, and resilience. With wisdom, innovation, and courage, the United States can rise to the challenge of biodefense. We are Americans. We are strong. And together, we will prevail.