Department of Homeland Security Established

President Bush signs the Homeland Security Act, creating the Department of Homeland Security — the largest reorganization of the federal government since 1947. The new department merges 22 federal agencies and 170,000 employees, including FEMA, the Secret Service, Coast Guard, and Border Patrol. Tom Ridge is named the first Secretary of Homeland Security. The creation reflects a central 9/11 Commission finding that the U.S. had failed to coordinate domestic security.