The Project on National Security Reform (PNSR) is a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization working to modernize and improve the U.S. national security system to better protect the American people against 21^st century dangers.

The National Security Act of 1947, developed under President Truman, set up the current system in the aftermath of World War II. The State and Defense Departments, National Security Council, intelligence community, Homeland Security Department and Homeland Security Council are central players in the current national security system.

Other cabinet departments such as Energy, Treasury and Commerce have more recently become important players in the national security system as well.

The world for which the national security system was designed no longer exists. Instead, the United States is confronted with a globalized, more unpredictable world with multidimensional threats. To provide for American security in this new world, the president and Congress require a more agile system.

Led by a 24-member Guiding Coalition that includes former senior federal officials with extensive national security experience, PNSR has issued its Preliminary Findings report, which identifies numerous problems plaguing the current national security system.

More than 300 national security experts from think tanks, universities, federal agencies, law firms and corporations are contributing to the PNSR study.

PNSR is preparing a final report due out in October 2008 that will make recommendations to Congress and the next president designed to solve those problems. The project expects to prepare draft presidential directives and a new National Security Act to replace many of the provisions of the one enacted in 1947.

Following release of its recommendations, PNSR plans to work with Congress and the next presidential administration to support implementation of its proposals.