Which agency's mandate includes preventing terrorist attacks and protecting the nation against threats?

• A. US Department of Homeland Security
• B. National Security Agency
• C. Federal Bureau of Investigation
• D. Department of State

Answer: (A)

Preventing terrorist attacks and protecting the nation against threats is the central mission of the Department of Homeland Security. Created after 9/11, DHS brings together many security and emergency-management functions to coordinate prevention, protection of infrastructure, border security, immigration enforcement, and disaster response. This unified mandate makes DHS the federal agency most directly responsible for safeguarding the homeland from a wide range of threats.

The other agencies operate in related areas but with different primary focuses. The National Security Agency concentrates on signals intelligence and cybersecurity rather than broad homeland protection. The Federal Bureau of Investigation focuses on investigative and enforcement duties, including counterterrorism, but its primary role is law enforcement rather than the comprehensive national-homeland-security mandate. The Department of State handles international diplomacy and policy, not domestic homeland protection.