Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson has said the fiscal year 2017 defense policy bill signed by President Barack Obama includes provisions to codify components of DHS’ Unity of Effort initiative.

Johnson said in a statement posted Tuesday the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act authorizes DHS’ efforts to unify the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection under the Joint Task Forces.

“I am particularly pleased that Congress has now authorized this approach, not just for border and maritime security, but also for purposes of homeland security crises and other regionally-based operations,” said Johnson.

Obama signed the 2017 NDAA that authorizes $618.7 billion in base funds and includes $67 billion for overseas contingency operations.

Johnson added the bill also authorizes joint duty training and DHS’ proposal to create a new office of strategy, policy and plans that will be led by a presidentially-appointed and Senate-confirmed undersecretary.

He noted Joint Task Forces is the “centerpiece” of the Unity of Effort initiative, which works to provide a centralized approach to budget making, acquisitions, employment and realignment of headquarters functions.

Johnson said he established the Joint Task Forces based on the combatant command structure in the Defense Department.

The Naval History and Heritage Command has outlined the U.S. Navy’s roles in defense reform and changes in a summary published on NHHC’s website.

NHHC historians Justin Eldridge, Ryan Peeks and Greg Bereiter wrote the 20-page paper and its accompanying 60-page chronology to provide insight into the impact of defense reforms on the military branch, the Navy said Thursday.

The paper also puts in perspective how the defense and Navy organizational and institutional reform went by major historical challenges and examines the Chief of Naval Operations’ role as well as the relationship between the Navy and the Defense Department after 1947.

NHHC suggests in the paper that most calls for change relate to themes such as civilian control over the military when new warfighting systems arise; business management, acquisition, efficiency, effectiveness and cost savings; joint operations and changes in national policy and strategy.

Eldridge said the paper comes in a time that the country and DoD are preparing for an executive branch transition.

“Understanding how past attempts at reform have worked out, and how they are often accompanied by unintended consequences may give Navy and defense leaders insight into what works and what doesn’t” said Eldridge.

President-elect Donald Trump has appointed Thomas Bossert, president of risk management consulting firm CDS Consulting and senior fellow of the U.S. Atlantic Council’s Cyber Statecraft Initiative, to be his assistant for homeland security and counterterrorism.

The transition team said Tuesday Bossert will advise the incoming U.S. president and coordinate the cabinet’s process to create policy on homeland security, counterterrorism and cybersecurity matters.

“Tom brings enormous depth and breadth of knowledge and experience to protecting the homeland to our senior White House team,” Trump said.

Bossert previously served in the White House as deputy homeland security adviser to former President George W. Bush; special assistant to the president for homeland security; senior director for preparedness policy; and director of infrastructure protection policy under the Bush administration.

His government career also includes time as deputy director of the office of legislative affairs at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, counselor to the deputy administrator and special assistant to the general counsel at the Small Business Administration, evidence specialist at the Office of the Independent Counsel and assistant to the chief counsel at the House of Representatives.

The Government Accountability Office has called on the Employment and Training Administration, Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers and Environmental Protection Agency to take additional steps to maintain their ability to fulfill mission goals.

GAO said Dec. 20 that the three agencies managed to handle their declining resources through workforce restructuring in the ETA’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification, EPA’s use of the Lean Six Sigma process-improvement methodology to assess agency processes and the reduction of nonessential services at FLETCs to save costs.

Auditors found further opportunities for the top management at those agencies to reduce costs and continue to achieve their missions.

GAO cited FLETC’s work on the Online Campus initiative meant to provide law enforcement training and ETA’s Unemployment Insurance program as examples of areas where improvement is needed.

GAO recommends FLETC finalize its plan for the Online Campus and ETA systematically identify lessons learned by the UI program to help respond to future downturns.