[Presidential Directive that] Aims to clarify roles and responsibilities across the Federal Government and establish a more effective partnership with owners and operators and State, local, tribal and territorial entities to enhance the security and resilience of critical infrastructure. (Source: PPD-21, 2013)
What is Presidential Policy Directive 21 (PPD-21)?
Presidential Policy Directive 21 was a 2013 U.S. policy directive that established federal roles and a sector-based framework for critical-infrastructure security and resilience. It shaped federal coordination for more than a decade. National Security Memorandum 22, issued on April 30, 2024, superseded PPD-21 while retaining and updating several elements of that framework.
What does PPD-21 say about critical infrastructure?
PPD-21 organized federal critical-infrastructure security and resilience around designated sectors, assigned coordination responsibilities, and emphasized information sharing, risk management, and public-private partnership. It is now a historical policy reference because National Security Memorandum 22 superseded it in April 2024 and updated the federal framework for critical-infrastructure risk management and resilience.
How does PPD-21 relate to election infrastructure?
PPD-21 is relevant historically because it established the sector-based critical-infrastructure framework within which election infrastructure was later designated as part of the Government Facilities Sector. For current federal critical-infrastructure policy, PPD-21 should be read alongside its successor: National Security Memorandum 22, which superseded PPD-21 in April 2024.
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[Presidential Directive that] Aims to clarify roles and responsibilities across the Federal Government and establish a more effective partnership with owners and operators and State, local, tribal and territorial entities to enhance the security and resilience of critical infrastructure. (Source: PPD-21, 2013)
Cite this term
Election Security Glossary. (2026). Presidential Policy Directive 21 (ppd 21). In Election Security Glossary. Retrieved August 20, 2026, from https://electionsecurityglossary.com/glossary/presidential-policy-directive-21-ppd-21
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