President Biden has signed Executive Order 14111 to reinforce and strengthen the security of Executive Branch federal facilities in response to both persistent and emerging threats. The Interagency Security Committee (ISC), established in 1995 following the Oklahoma City bombing, plays a central role in enhancing the security of federal facilities.
Despite significant progress over the past 28 years, the increase in ideologically motivated violent extremists targeting government facilities underscores the critical function of the ISC in establishing policies and monitoring compliance. The updated executive order reaffirms and strengthens the government’s commitment to protecting all federal facilities. The ISC, created by Executive Order 12977 in 1995, emerged in the aftermath of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building bombing to enhance the security and protection of federal facilities. While substantial progress has been made since its inception, the recent rise in violence from ideologically motivated extremists highlights the ongoing importance of the ISC’s role. Executive Order 14111 serves as a testament to the administration’s commitment to making federal facility security a national priority.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), as the chair of the ISC, is dedicated to implementing and upholding the requirements defined within the order to advance the administration’s priority and safeguard federal facilities nationwide. The focus of the executive order is on countering ideologically motivated, violent extremists who target government facilities. By reinforcing the roles and responsibilities of the ISC, the order aims to establish robust policies, monitor compliance, and further enhance the security and protection measures for federal facilities. This initiative comes at a crucial time when the nature of threats is evolving, requiring a comprehensive and updated approach to ensure the safety and resilience of Executive Branch federal facilities.
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