Government Coordinating Councils

Government Coordinating Councils (GCCs) are formed as the government counterpart for each Sector Coordinating Council (SCC) to enable interagency and cross-jurisdictional coordination. The GCCs are comprised of representatives from across various levels of government (federal, state, local, or tribal), as appropriate to the operating landscape of each individual sector.

Each GCC is chaired by a representative from the designated sector risk management agency with responsibility for ensuring appropriate representation on the council and providing cross-sector coordination with state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments. The Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Protection or a designee co-chairs all GCCs. The GCC coordinates strategies, activities, policy, and communications across governmental entities within each sector. The primary functions of a GCC include the following:

• Provide interagency strategic communications and coordination at the sector level through partnership with DHS, the sector risk management agency, and other supporting agencies across various levels of government.
• Participate in planning efforts related to the development, implementation, update, and revision of the National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP) and the Sector-Specific Plans (SSPs).
• Coordinate strategic communications, discussion, and resolution of issues among government entities within the sector.
• Coordinate with and support the efforts of the SCC to plan, implement, and execute the nation's critical infrastructure protection mission.