National Security Council

The National Security Council (NSC) was created in 1947 by statute law for coordinating and implementing national security and foreign policy. Its members are the president, vice president, the secretaries of defense and state and other cabinet department and agency heads.

The NSC now consists of a Principals Committee of decision makers, known as policymakers, and a Deputies Committee charged with analysis, recommendations, and implementation.

National Security staff

The National Security Council should not be confused with the National Security Council staff, which is a group of personal working inside the White House complex on the President's personal staff, each working as a laison with department and agency heads or specialized areas represented on the National Security Council. Staff members hold meetings round the clock, recieving real time information, bulletins, and analysis globally. The National Security Advisor is the head of the NSC staff. Staff members, because of their close proximity to the president, often take a more active part in formulating and shaping US strategic foreign and defense policy than the outside department and agency heads they represent.