Which statement accurately describes Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources (CI/KR) sectors and the role of Sector-Specific Agencies (SSAs)?

• A. Sectors include energy, water, transportation, and communications; SSAs coordinate protection, preparedness, and response for their sectors.
• B. Sectors include banking, fashion, entertainment, and agriculture; SSAs set international trade policies.
• C. Sectors include health care, education, tourism, and housing; SSAs fund all critical infrastructure projects.
• D. Sectors include energy and agriculture only; SSAs have no coordinated role.

Answer: (A)

Sectors are led by Sector-Specific Agencies that coordinate protection, preparedness, and response within their domain. Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources are organized into these sectors—examples include energy, water, transportation, and communications—and each sector has an SSA responsible for guiding how that sector reduces risk, shares information, and recovers from incidents. The SSA works with federal partners, state and local authorities, and private sector stakeholders to develop sector-specific protection measures, run exercises, and align actions with national risk-management strategies. In a major disruption targeting the energy sector, the energy SSA would lead sector-wide coordination, ensuring utilities and other partners implement protective steps, share timely threat information, and restore services efficiently. The other options misstate either what sectors exist or how SSAs operate—SSAs coordinate and guide activities within their sector, not set broad international policies or fund all projects, and the sectors extend beyond just a few areas.