September 11, 2001 and the first response

Grade 11 Social Studies Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Use this

   Cards A to H. Card A, exact: "Today dozens of Federal departments and agencies, as well as State and local governments, have responsibilities affecting homeland security. These efforts must be coordinated at the highest level. So tonight I announce the creation of a Cabinet-level position reporting directly to me, the Office of Homeland Security." (the President, to a joint session of Congress, September 20, 2001). Card B, exact: "I hereby establish within the Executive Office of the President an Office of Homeland Security (the "Office") to be headed by the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security. Sec. 2. Mission. The mission of the Office shall be to develop and coordinate the implementation of a comprehensive national strategy to secure the United States from terrorist threats or attacks." (Executive Order 13228, October 8, 2001). Card C, a summary in our words: on September 12, 2001, the White House gave Congress leaders a draft resolution. It would also have let the President act to deter and pre-empt future acts of terrorism or aggression against the United States. Congress leaders objected, and the final text, passed on September 14, covers only those nations, organizations or persons tied to the September 11 attacks. A line about the President's power to deter and prevent terrorism was moved to a preamble clause. Card D, exact: "Consistent with section 8(a)(1) of the War Powers Resolution, the Congress declares that this section is intended to constitute specific statutory authorization within the meaning of section 5(b) of the War Powers Resolution. … Nothing in this resolution supercedes any requirement of the War Powers Resolution." (Public Law 107-40, section 2(b)). Card E, exact: "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." (Public Law 107-296, section 101(b)(2), November 25, 2002). Card F, a summary in our words from the Department of Homeland Security list: the agencies that joined it include the U.S. Customs Service, the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the Transportation Security Administration, the Coast Guard and the Secret Service. From the FBI, the list names two units, the National Infrastructure Protection Center and the National Domestic Preparedness Office. The FBI as a whole is not on the list. Card G, exact: "While no emergency response is flawless, the response to the 9/11 terrorist attack on the Pentagon was mainly a success for three reasons: first, the strong professional relationships and trust established among emergency responders; second, the adoption of the Incident Command System; and third, the pursuit of a regional approach to response. Many fire and police agencies that responded had extensive prior experience working together on regional events and training exercises." (The 9/11 Commission Report, 2004, page 314). Card H, a summary in our words: Title VI of the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003, signed on November 27, 2002, set up the 9/11 Commission. It was to give a complete account of the attacks and to report its findings and recommendations to the President and Congress. The independent, bipartisan commission delivered its report on July 22, 2004, and closed on August 21, 2004.

2. 1.

   Suppose a terrorism plot is found in 2003. Using cards E, F and B, who has primary responsibility to investigate it, Bo asks?

   • Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies with jurisdiction, not the Department or the Office
   • The FBI alone, since two FBI units joined the Department but the FBI as a whole did not
   • The Office of Homeland Security, since its order says it coordinates the national strategy
   • The Department of Homeland Security, since preventing attacks is its mission and prevention needs investigation
3. 2.

   Card D calls the resolution "specific statutory authorization" and says nothing in it "supercedes" the War Powers Resolution. What follows, Esme asks?

   • The authority reaches groups unconnected to the attacks, if the President reports to Congress
   • This use of force is exempt from the War Powers Resolution's requirements
   • The resolution becomes a declaration of war under the War Powers Resolution
   • War Powers requirements stay in force, and Congress chose "authorization" over "declaration"
4. 3.

   Cards C and D together: what do the White House draft and the final text show Jun about the two branches?

   • Congress narrowed the grant to the attacks and kept the War Powers Resolution in force
   • Congress gave the President what the draft asked for in full and added the clause to confirm it
   • Congress refused to authorize force, and the War Powers clause confirms the refusal
   • Congress moved the deterrence language to the preamble, where it became a binding limit
5. 4.

   Card G says the Pentagon response was "mainly a success." Which reading of card G is supported, Kira asks?

   • The response succeeded because federal agencies led it, as the Pentagon is a federal site
   • Earlier joint training helped, though the Commission calls the response mainly, not entirely, a success
   • A single national command directed the response, since the Commission praises the Incident Command System
   • The Incident Command System was the main reason, because it comes second in the list
6. 5.

   Card F names two FBI units among the agencies that joined. Read with card E, what does that support, Luz asks?

   • Two FBI units moved, the FBI stayed outside, and investigation stayed with law enforcement
   • Two units moved so the Department could take over terrorism cases from the FBI
   • No FBI unit moved, since card E keeps investigation outside the Department
   • The FBI as a whole moved, which is why the Department could not investigate cases
7. 6.

   Card E opens: "Except as specifically provided by law with respect to entities transferred." What does that allow, Milo asks?

   • The FBI as a whole lost its investigative duties when two of its units moved
   • States could take over investigations when federal agencies were transferred
   • Any investigation involving a transferred entity moved to the Department
   • A transferred entity could keep investigative duties a law gave it earlier
8. 7.

   Cards B and E: an Office by order in October 2001, a Department by law in November 2002. Which change was more lasting, Pia asks?

   • The Office, since the President acted first and the Department merely repeated its mission
   • The Office, since an order can be as lasting as a law when Congress does not object
   • The Department, since a law made it and an order can be changed by the President
   • Neither, since the Department also answers to the President and could change as easily
9. 8.

   Ren's note says the resolution "declared war on those who attacked," and a classmate says force and war are the same. Which reply uses the cards best?

   • Congress called the text "specific statutory authorization," not a declaration
   • The note is wrong just because the text names no country, so it cannot be a declaration
   • The note is right if the War Powers Resolution treats any authorization as a declaration
   • The classmate is right, since force against an attacker is what a declaration of war allows
10. 9.

    Tala wants two cards that together show the White House meant the Office to coordinate. Which pair is best?

    • Cards A and B, since the speech announces a coordinating post and the order sets its mission
    • Cards A and F, since the speech calls for coordination and the list shows who would be coordinated
    • Cards G and H, since the report and the Commission's creation show coordination was found lacking
    • Cards B and E, since the order and the law each assign duties to a federal body
11. 10.

    A student says the Commission worked quickly. What can card H alone support, Zee asks?

    • It closed a month after reporting, which shows its work was rushed
    • It met its deadline, since it reported within two years
    • It reported in under a year, so it worked quickly
    • It took about 20 months; "quickly" needs a comparison the card lacks