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Reviewing the Department of Homeland Security's Intelligence Enterprise
"The attacks of September 11, 2001 (9/11) spurred Congress to create the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Its purpose, in part, was to help unify 'the many participants in the counterterrorism effort and their knowledge in a network-based information sharing system that transcends traditional government boundaries,' which would become one of the key recommendations of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (9/11 Commission). In pursuit of this goal, the DHS Intelligence Enterprise (IE) gradually evolved out of the relevant offices and functions of the 22 previously independent entities that eventually formed DHS. Although the IE has made progress unifying the U.S. government's efforts to prevent terrorist attacks against the homeland, a 2014 RAND Corporation report accurately surmised that, despite an 'intense focus on information sharing, the ability to fairly and accurately measure the value of these -- sometimes expensive -- efforts remains limited.' Partly as a result, the Majority Staff of the House Homeland Security Committee conducted a review of terrorism-related intelligence sharing throughout the DHS IE[.]"
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
2016-12
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Streamlining the Department of Homeland Security's Overhead Will Make the Homeland Safer
"The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security (Committee) has long been committed to ensuring that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) runs as efficiently as possible. Given the Department's immense real property portfolio, and the enormous costs associated with it, a comprehensive, detailed review is certainly warranted. As such, beginning in July 2014, the Committee launched an in-depth investigation into DHS field efficiencies. As part of the investigation, Committee staff has reviewed relevant DHS testimony and real property data, examined more than twenty Government Accountability Office (GAO) and Office of the Inspector General (OIG) reports, and met with former government officials, industry executives, and various other stakeholder groups. Additionally, the Committee has received regular briefings from DHS and met with other Federal stakeholders, including the General Services Administration (GSA), GAO and the DHS OIG. In December of 2014, as part of the investigation, Committee staff conducted site visits to both Philadelphia and New York City to see DHS real estate holdings in these cities. In addition to those site visits, Committee staff has also incorporated field efficiencies examinations into its other visits to DHS components in the field."
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
2016-08
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Misconduct at TSA Threatens the Security of the Flying Public
"The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was created in the immediate aftermath of
9/11. Today, it has roughly 60,000 employees working at about 450 airports. For years, news
media outlets have reported on serious instances of misconduct by TSA employees across
the country, ranging from assaulting passengers to participating in large-scale criminal
conspiracies. Although TSA has taken some steps to address employee misconduct,
sadly, these stories continue to be in the news and in the mind of the public. Given these
seemingly continuous scandals, the House Homeland Security Committee conducted an
investigation to review TSA's efforts to identify, adjudicate, and address misconduct."
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
2016-07
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Going Dark, Going Forward: A Primer on the Encryption Debate
"Public engagement on encryption issues surged following the 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, particularly when it was suspected that the attackers used encrypted communications before, and possibly during, the attacks in order to evade detection--a phenomenon known as 'going dark.' While encryption provides important benefits to society and the individual, it also makes it more difficult for law enforcement and intelligence professionals to keep us safe. Some have framed the debate surrounding encryption as a battle between privacy and security. Our extensive discussions with stakeholders, however, have led us to conclude that the issue is really about security versus security: encryption protects critical infrastructure, trade secrets, financial transactions, and personal communications and information. Yet encryption also limits law enforcement's ability to track criminals, collect evidence, prevent attacks, and ensure public safety. Initially, lawmakers and some among law enforcement personnel believed the solution was simple: statutorily authorize law enforcement access to obtain encrypted data with a court order. Unfortunately, this proposal was riddled with unintended consequences, particularly if redesigning encryption tools to incorporate vulnerabilities--creating what some refer to as 'backdoors'--actually weakened data security. Indeed those vulnerabilities would naturally be exploited by the bad guys -- and not just benefit the good guys."
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
2016-06
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Oversight of Federal Efforts to Address Electromagnetic Risks, United States House of Representatives, Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Oversight and Management Efficiency, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, Second Session, May 17, 2016
This testimony compilation is from the May 17, 2016, hearing, "Oversight of Federal Efforts to Address Electromagnetic Risks" before the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security. From the opening statement of Scott Perry: " America's energy infrastructure is the heart that pumps the American economy. Long term power outages resulting from an attack on our critical infrastructure could cripple our nation's economy and put Americans' health and safety in jeopardy. Because the nation's critical infrastructure is so vital to Americans' way of life, the Federal government has recognized the necessity of securing our infrastructure from an array of risks, including the threat of an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack. The most serious EMP risk would come in the form of an EMP resulting from a nuclear detonation at high altitude. Such an attack could cause long-term damage to the power grid. While many believe the likelihood of such an attack is low, the damage and economic aftershocks that would follow demand that we address these risks. We cannot discount that other nation-states, such as North Korea, or sophisticated terror groups might want to utilize an EMP to wreak havoc on our economy. Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Scott Perry, Chris P. Currie, Brandon Wales, Joseph McClelland, and Judson Freed.
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
2016-05-17
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Ensuring Safe and Effective Housing Programs in the Wake of Disasters, Hearing before the Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives, One Hundred Tenth Congress, Second Session, January 29, 2008 [webcast]
This is a webcast of the House Homeland Security Committee hearing "Ensuring Safe and Effective Housing Programs in the Wake of Disasters" held on January 29, 2008. From the opening statement of Bennie G. Thompson: "The purpose of this hearing is to examine the broad range of issues surrounding how our Nation provides housing for disaster victims. Specifically, this hearing will provide Members of the committee with the opportunity to discuss the unprecedented challenges facing Federal, State and local governments in their efforts to house the victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, access to safety and effectiveness of current emergency housing programs, and examining the plans being developed to ensure that our Nation will better prepare to meet the future housing needs of disaster victims. Nearly 2 and 1/2 years after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck, the people along the Gulf Coast are still coping with its aftermath and struggling to recover. In order for our Nation to truly be resilient, the lessons we have learned from this catastrophe cannot be ignored. One of the most striking lessons we learned was this country was ill-prepared to provide emergency housing to victims of a major catastrophe. To house the number of individuals who lost their homes during Katrina and Rita, FEMA was forced to immediately purchase thousands of travel trailers. By the time the dust settled, FEMA had purchased over 100,000 of these units." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Bennie G. Thompson, Peter T. King, Sheila Jackson Lee, Carlos J. Castillo, Henry Falk, Nelson R. Bregon, David F. Tipson, Michael G. Gerber, Christopher DeRosa, Alcee L. Hastings, and Mark E. Souder.
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
2008-01-29
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America's Airports: The Threat From Within, House Homeland Security Committee Majority Staff Report
"Approximately 900,000 people work at these airports, and many are able to bypass traditional screening requirements that travelers visiting the airports must endure. While the overwhelming majority of these airport workers take the inherent responsibility seriously, there are increasing concerns that insider threats to aviation security are on the rise. Recent insider threat examples discussed in this report include an attempt to detonate a bomb at an airport, gun and drug smuggling, an expressed willingness to smuggle explosives as well as employees who became involved in terrorist activities overseas. In all of these instances, the employees in question had access to secure areas of the airport. These insider threats, and the lack of adequate access controls at airports nationwide, are of particular concern given the rise of terrorist groups bent on penetrating U.S. airport security to commit terrorist acts and 'lone wolf' attacks being inspired by terrorist groups like ISIS [Islamic State of Iraq and Syria."
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
2017-02
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[October 26, 2019 Letter to Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin K. McAleenan]
From the Letter: "I was disappointed, but unfortunately not surprised, to receive your letter yesterday. I write to set the record straight and to urge you to comply with the Committee's subpoena. Let me be clear - the issuance of a subpoena was neither precipitous nor without warning, and any assertion to the contrary is disingenuous at best. As you know, the Committee has attempted since July 24, 2019, on a bipartisan basis, to secure your participation at its annual hearing examining worldwide terrorism threats to the homeland. The Committee had planned to hold the hearing on September 10, 2019, to coincide with the 9/11 anniversary. The Department declined. On August 28, 2019, Ranking Member Mike Rogers and I sent you a letter urging your participation at the hearing the following month. The Department again declined. After extensive negotiations, the Committee agreed to the Department's request to hold the hearing on October 30, 2019. Then, the very week before the hearing, the Department reneged on its agreement. Further efforts in recent days to urge the Department to reconsider were not constructive. Only after those efforts failed, three months after the Committee began trying to secure your testimony at this important hearing, was a subpoena issued."
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
Thompson, Bennie, 1948-
2019-10-26
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[Letter from Bennie Thompson to Michael C. Stenger Regarding President Trump's Continued Attacks on Four Members of Congress], July 18, 2019
From the Letter: "I am following up on my July 15th letter given President Trump's continued attacks on four Members of Congress. Last night at a campaign rally, the President once again used inflammatory rhetoric about the four Congresswomen, spurring the crowd to chant "send her back" in reference to Somali-born Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-5). In my earlier letter, I urged you, as Chairman, to convene an emergency meeting of the United States Capitol Police Board. I requested that the meeting occur within 48 hours of the letter and that I receive a classified readout of the meeting."
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
Thompson, Bennie, 1948-
2019-07-18
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[October 23, 2019 Letter to the Sergeant at Arms of the U.S. House of Representatives Paul D. Irving]
From the Letter: "Today, a group of Minority Members of the House of Representatives, including Minority Members of the Committee of Homeland Security, intentionally brought their electronic devices into a SCIF (Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility). Such action is a blatant breach of security, violates the Oath all Members of Congress sign to gain access to classified information, and contravenes security controls established be the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency for the protection of classified information."
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
Thompson, Bennie, 1948-
2019-10-23
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'Assessing the Threat from Accelerationists and Far-Right Militia Extremists': Testimony of Heidi L. Beirich, Ph.D., Before the Congress of the United States, House of Representatives, Committee on Homeland Security, Intelligence and Counterterrorism Subcommittee, July 16, 2020
This is the July 16, 2020 testimony of Heidi L. Beirich, Ph.D., Co-Founder and Executive Vice President of Global Project Against Hate and Extremism on "Assessing the Threat from Accelerationists and Far-Right Militia Extremists" before the Congress of the United States, House of Representatives, Committee on Homeland Security, Intelligence and Counterterrorism Subcommittee. From the Document: "The subject of this hearing is critical. All evidence, by government agencies in the US and abroad, and by other experts, points to far-right extremism as a metastasizing problem that this country and many others will be dealing with for the long term. In June, the bipartisan Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) analyzed a data set of terrorist attacks in the United States occurring between January 1994 and May 2020. CSIS concluded that 'far-right terrorism has significantly outpaced terrorism from other types of perpetrators, including from far-left networks and individuals inspired by the Islamic State and al-Qaeda. Right-wing extremists perpetrated two-thirds of the attacks and plots in 2019 and over 90 percent between January 1 and May 8, 2020.' Looking to the future, CSIS advises 'terrorism in the United States will likely increase over the next year' in particular because of the November presidential election."
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
Beirich, Heidi
2020-07-16
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'Confronting the Coronavirus: Perspectives on the COVID-19 Pandemic One Year Later', Testimony of Crystal R. Watson Before the United States House of Representatives, Committee on Homeland Security, One Hundred and Seventeenth Congress, First Session, February 24th, 2021
This is from the February 24, 2021 testimony of Crystal R. Watson on "Confronting the Coronavirus: Perspectives on the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Pandemic One Year Later," before the United States House of Representatives, Committee on Homeland Security. From the testimony: "I am a Senior Scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and an Assistant Professor in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The opinions expressed herein are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Johns Hopkins University. Today, I will provide comments on the status of the COVID-19 pandemic and the US government's response efforts to date, as well as the major successes and failures of the last year, and what we should look forward to, and prepare for in the coming weeks and months."
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
Watson, Crystal R.
2021-02-24
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Assessing the Threat from Accelerationists and Militia Extremists, [Testimony of JJ MacNab,] Before the Subcommittee on Intelligence and Counterterrorism Committee on Homeland Security, July 16, 2020
From the Summary: "Between gun control issues, civil unrest, the stresses placed on the country by a deadly pandemic, conspiracy theories, anti-press sentiments, and a highly divisive election cycle, the nation is one large event away from violence. In the past, the Ruby Ridge and Waco standoffs were the catalysts that drove Timothy McVeigh to terrorism. Such catalysts today could include heavy handed use of the American military on civilians/protesters, a street war that turned lethal, or the government using excessive force against what turned out to be an imaginary or exaggerated enemy. Anti-government extremists are aware that their plans for a revolution or 'Civil War 2' require that catalyst. Most are waiting for that big event, but some will do what they have to force its occurrence."
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
MacNab, JJ
2020-07-16
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Final Report from the Republican Members of the Task Force on Denying Terrorists Entry to the United States
"Given the terrorism threat currently facing the United States, the House Homeland Security Committee established the Task Force on Denying Terrorists Entry into the United States (the Task Force) in February 2017. Chairman McCaul (R-TX) and Ranking Member Thompson (D-MS) appointed Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) to lead a bipartisan group of lawmakers. In addition to following up on the work done by the Committee's previous bipartisan Task Force, this new Task Force was charged with: examining how terrorists might infiltrate the homeland; identifying challenges with current U.S. government information sharing and vetting procedures; reviewing the screening agencies' structure and bureaucracy; and providing substantive recommendations to fix any weaknesses in these systems. [...] The Task Force identified seven challenges in America's screening and vetting framework prior to an individual's arrival in the homeland [...] Therefore, as a result of its investigation, the Task Force has seven recommendations designed to close gaps in our defenses."
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
McCaul, Michael T.; Gallagher, Michael J.; Higgins, Clay . . .
2017-12
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Business Opporunities at DHS, October 2008: Focus on DHS Headquarters
This newsletter from the House Committee on Homeland Security "will focus on the many opportunities that exist in the Department's contracting authorities--from headquarters to FEMA. Providing some idea of how the authorities work and how to get your company's foot in the door with each of them is the goal for this series. As we prepare for the Department's first ever presidential transition, it is essential that all companies whether small, medium, or large have a keen understanding of the Department's procurement practices. This newsletter is a testament to my commitment to the ideal that the necessary ingredients to create the American dream are work, optimism, and fairness."
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
2008-10
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Report Card on Homeland Security Information Sharing: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Intelligence, Information Sharing and Terrorism Risk Assessment, September 24, 2008 [audio/video]
This U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Intelligence, Information Sharing & Terrorism Risk Assessment video presentation of the hearing on "A Report Card on Homeland Security Information Sharing" discusses the current status of homeland security and information sharing.
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
2008-09-24
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Influenza Facts and Resources
This information sheet was prepared by the House Committee on Homeland Security to provide the facts and answer questions about the current swine flu. It contains background on the virus, the domestic situation, the international situation, and a question and answer section. Questions address the definition of public health emergency, the role of the Department of Homeland Security, the relevant government agencies, precautions at the Southern border, travel, symptoms of the virus, preventing infection, vaccines, and where to find updates on the number of people affected.
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
2009-04
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[Letter from Congressman Bennie G. Thompson to Federal Emergency Management Agency Acting Administrator Nancy Ward Regarding the State of Mississippi's Use of Disaster Funds after Hurricane Katrina]
In this February 6, 2009, letter from House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie G. Thompson to the acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Thompson expresses his concern about the delay in expending disaster funds post Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi. He briefly reviews the status of federal funding for Mississippi, and asks for an explanation of why "less than 20% of available funds have been expended well over three years later." The letter closes with a request for FEMA Acting Administrator Nancy Ward to provide the Homeland Security Committee with "a full report of Mississippi's use of Public Assistance and [Hazard Mitigation Grant Program] funds by February 23, 2009."
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
Thompson, Bennie, 1948-
2009-02-06
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United States House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security [website]
"Welcome to the website of the House Committee on Homeland Security. This website will provide you with a range of resources, including the Committee's priorities, reports, news and other pertinent information throughout the year. The Committee's website will also serve as a portal for updates on our Membership, hearings, markups, and legislation." (From the Welcome statement by Chairman Thompson).
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
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Giving a Voice to Open Source Stakeholders: A Survey of State, Local and Tribal Law Enforcement
This report from the House Homeland Security Committee investigates the use and dissemination of open source intelligence information by the Department of Homeland Security. The report "finds that the Department has not yet effectively disseminated timely and actionable open source intelligence products. […] In today's complex and dangerous world, U.S. law enforcement officials, first responders, and the private sector need timely, relevant, and actionable intelligence to secure the Nation against potential threats. Some of this intelligence can be produced with open source information-publicly-available information that can be disseminated quickly to an appropriate audience to meet a specific intelligence requirement. These unclassified intelligence products, derived from aggregated and analyzed information available from sources such as newspapers, periodicals, the Internet, scientific journals, and others can provide law enforcement with the actionable intelligence they need to enhance their capabilities and make tactical decisions about where to deploy their limited resources. Congress and the President established the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in part, to improve the sharing of information among Federal, State, and local government agencies and the private sector. Effective information sharing can enhance our Nation's ability to detect, identify, understand, and assess terrorist threats; to better protect our Nation's critical infrastructure; to integrate our emergency response networks; and to link the Federal and State governments. Yet, seven years after the attacks of September 11, 2001, information sharing remains a major homeland security challenge."
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
2008-09
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Boston Marathon Bombings, One Year On: A Look Back to Look Forward, Hearing Before U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, Second Session, April 9, 2014
This is a compilation of the April 9, 2014 hearing on "Boston Marathon Bombings, One Year On" held before the House Committee on Homeland Security. From the opening statement of Michael McCaul: "This is a powerful and emotional day for the witnesses, for me, and this Committee. It's a time to remember the Anniversary of the Boston Marathon Bombings, and it's a time to remember the victims. I, personally, remember walking down Boylston Street with Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis, who is with us here today. I remember him pointing out to me the trash cans where the bombs went off, injuring 260 innocent people and killing three including a little 8 year old boy, in cold blood. In the middle of chaos, we also witnesses exceptional bravery. If not for the heroic acts of the first responders and Boston citizens who ran towards danger instead of away, many more could have died. I remember after the attack, the marathoners tying their shoes together in the hundreds in a memorial out of respect and dedication. I remember the Watertown Police Chief, who is before us today. I remember him taking Congressman Keating and me on a tour of their once-quiet neighborhood and seeing the aftermath of the gunfight to take down two of the biggest terrorists since 9/11." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Michael McCaul, Edward F. Davis, III, Edward P. Deveau, Jeffrey J. Pugliese, and Herman "Dutch" B. Leonard.
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
2014-04-09
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Stopping the Next Attack: How to Keep Our City Streets from Becoming the Battleground, Hearing Before the Committee on Homeland Security, United States House of Representatives, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, Second Session, September 21, 2016
This testimony compilation is from the September 21, 2016 hearing, "Stopping the Next Attack: How to Keep Our City Streets from Becoming the Battleground" before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security. From the Committee website: "The purpose of the hearing is to highlight the importance of strengthening preparedness, prevention, and response efforts, from the perspective of local law enforcement officials, and their experiences in preventing terrorist or lone wolf attacks in their communities. Their perspective will provide valuable best practices and lessons learned about how to build a more resilient nation." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: John Miller, Art Acevedo, Michael J. Bouchard, and Jerry L. Demings.
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
2016-09-21
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State and Local Perspectives on Federal Information Sharing, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence of the Committee on Homeland Security, United States House of Representatives, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, Second Session, September 8, 2016
This testimony compilation is from the September 8, 2016 hearing, "State and Local Perspectives on Federal Information Sharing," before the House Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence. From the opening statement of Subcommittee Chairman Peter King: "While carrying out critical security and public safety missions, U.S. law enforcement is facing an increased threat environment. Since September 11, 2001, there have been 166 plots within the United States linked to Islamist terror groups with the vast majority occurring since 2009. In May, FBI Director Comey stated that the Bureau has over 800 open cases related to individuals in the U.S. with links to ISIS [Islamic State of Iraq and Syria]. The terror group has called for attacks against law enforcement directly. In January 2015, a statement from the now deceased spokesman for ISIS, Abu Mohammad al-Adnani, called on supporters to 'rise up and kill intelligence officers, police officers, soldiers, and civilians.' [...] Also troubling is the increase in domestic threats against law enforcement. In some tragic instances, these threats have turned into violence. The National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund website reports there have been 11 shooting ambush attacks on law enforcement in 2016 to date." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Richard Beary, Mike Sena, and Cedric Alexander.
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
2016-09-08
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State of Emergency: The Disaster of Cutting Preparedness Grants, Hearing Before the Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications, United Sates House of Representatives, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, Second Session, March 15, 2016
This testimony compilation is from the March 15, 2016 hearing "State of Emergency: The Disaster of Cutting Preparedness Grants" before the Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications held on March 15, 2016. From the opening statement of Chairman Donovan: "As Chairman of the subcommittee on emergency preparedness, response, and communications, one of my fundamental responsibilities is to ensure our nation's first responders have the tools that they need to protect this country and God forbid, respond to the next terrorist attack. That is why my first hearing is focusing on the dangerous cuts to homeland security grants proposed in the president's fiscal year 2017 budget request. The president's budget cuts more than five hundred million dollars from programs that support states, cities, ports, transit systems, and fire services. This funding helps provide the training and equipment so critical to enabling our first responders to meet threats as varied as active shooters scenarios, mass causality events from a nuclear, chemical, or biological attack, and bomb plots targeting civilians in high traffic areas. "Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Bill de Blasio, Jim Butterworth, Rhoda Mae Kerr, George Turner, Mike Sena, and W. Greg Kierce.
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
2016-03-15
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Lost in the Shuffle: Examining TSA's Management of Surface Transportation Security Inspectors, Hearing before the U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Transportion Security and Infrastructure Protection, One Hundred Eleventh Congress, Second Session, July 28, 2010
This testimony compilation is from the July 28, 2010 hearing, "Lost in the Shuffle: Examining TSA's Management of Surface Transportation Security Inspector," before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security. From the opening statement of Bennie G. Thompson, "Today, we will evaluate TSA's management of the Surface Transportation Security Inspection Program and discuss the role of surface transportation security inspectors. We want to understand how effective this program is in securing our Nation's transit systems, highways, and rail lines against terrorist attacks." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Lee Kair, Carlton Mann, Thomas Lambert, and Clyde Hart.
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
2010-07-28
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Counterterrorism Efforts to Combat a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Attack on the Homeland: Hearing Before the United States House of Representatives, Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, First Session, April 25, 2013
This testimony compilation is from the April 25, 2013 hearing, "Counterterrorism Efforts to Combat a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Attack on the Homeland," before the United States House of Representatives, Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence. From the statement of Scott McAllister and Huban A. Gowadia: "We are pleased to testify today about the efforts of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) and the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) to enhance information sharing efforts with our state and local partners and protect against radiological and nuclear threats to the homeland. Our testimony today focuses on DHS' work and the ways we have sought to strengthen our collaboration with our state and local partners who are on the front lines protecting our communities. In the ten years since DHS was created, we have significantly improved our information sharing and operational collaboration as we work together to confront an evolving range of threats." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Richard Daddario, Huban Gowadia, Scott McAllister, and Leonard Cole.
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
2013-04-25
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Examining the President's Cybersecurity Information Sharing Proposal, Hearing Before the Committee on Homeland Security, U.S. House of Representatives, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, First Session, February 25,2015
This is a testimony compilation from the February 25, 2015 hearing "Examining the President's Cybersecurity Information Proposal," held before the House Committee on Homeland Security. From the opening statement of Mike McCaul: "Every day our country faces digital intrusions from criminals, hacktivists, terrorists, and nation-states like Russia, China and Iran. The impacts of those intrusions are felt everywhere--from our national security secrets to the personal information of Americans. We cannot tolerate acts of cyber vandalism, cyber theft, and cyber warfare especially when they put our nation's critical infrastructure at risk and when they steal American intellectual property and innovation. Accordingly, our government must play a leading role in combating threats in the digital domain. […] These new statutes lay out the rules of the road on how cyber information will be shared between government and the private sector so that the two can work together to combat this persistent threat. The laws also provide important protections to ensure Americans' information and civil liberties are not compromised. But now, we must build on that success. And, we can start by creating a 'safe harbor' where legal barriers to sharing cyber threat information are removed and the private sector is encouraged to collaborate. This will allow us to respond to cyber incidents more quickly and effectively--and will give government and private entities the ability to see the threat landscape in real-time. I am pleased the president has come forward with a proposal on this important issue. Our solutions must transcend partisan boundaries if we are going to tackle this challenge. The American people are counting on us." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Suzanne Spaulding, Phyllis Schneck, and Eric Fischer.
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
2015-02-25
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Protecting the Homeland from Nuclear and Radiological Threats, Hearing Before the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies, One Hundred and Thirteenth Congress, Second Session, July 29, 2014
This testimony compilation is from the July 29, 2014 hearing entitled "Protecting the Homeland from Nuclear and Radiological Threats." From the opening statement of Patrick Meehan: "The Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) is the entity within the Department of Homeland Security responsible for preventing a nuclear attack, and is the lead agency within the U.S government for coordinating efforts to detect and intercept radiological and nuclear devices coming into the United States. DNDO coordinates these efforts through an interagency systems and collaborative framework known as the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture (GNDA), and DNDO is responsible for implementing the GNDA domestically. DNDO works with other DHS components, including Customs and Border Protection, as well as state and local law enforcement, to provide these entities with the equipment and training needed to interdict radiological or nuclear material before it can enter the U.S. DNDO works closely with these components to install radiation portal monitors at ports of entry and supply officers with portable radiation monitors. Currently 100% of all containerized cargo coming is scanned at land and sea ports of entry in the U.S." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Patrick Meehan, Huban Gowadia, and David C. Trimble.
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
2014-07-29
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Open Borders: The Impact of Presidential Amnesty on Border Security, Hearing before the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, Second Session, December 2, 2014
This testimony compilation is from the December 2, 2014 hearing, "Open Borders: the Impact of Presidential Amnesty on Border Security," held before the House Committee on Homeland Security. From the Opening Statement of Michael McCaul: "Today, we're here to talk about illegal immigration and the grave consequences of the administration's recent actions to bypass Congress. Immigration reform is an emotional and divisive issue; there is no doubt about that. But the president's unilateral actions to bypass Congress undermine the constitution and threaten our democracy. Let me be clear: our immigration system is broken, and we need to fix it. America has always stood proudly as a beacon of hope for millions who are seeking a better life. And we should work hard to keep it that way. But regardless of where you stand on this issue, there is a right way to do this, and there is a wrong way. And unfortunately the president has taken the wrong way. In addition, the president has risked breaking something much more fundamental: our democratic process. We are a nation of laws. Yet this unprecedented executive power grab undermines the principle that the people--not just one man--should be the ultimate decision makers on our country's most important political matters. This action has also 'poisoned the well' here in Washington at a time when Americans desperately want their government to work together." Statements, letters and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Michael McCaul and Jeh Johnson.
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
2014-12-02
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Safeguarding Privacy and Civil Liberties While Keeping Our Skies Safe, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Transportation Security of the Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representative, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, Second Session, September 18, 2014
This is a testimony compilation of the September 18, 2014 hearing on "Safeguarding Privacy and Civil Liberties While Keeping Our Skies Safe," held before the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security. From the opening statement of Richard Hudson: "Last week, our nation observed the 13th anniversary of 9/11. Together, we remembered both the cowardly acts that took the lives of over 3,000 innocent people and the bravery of our first responders on that tragic day. 9/11 is the very reason our Committee was created, and we must do everything we can to protect the homeland and prevent other attacks. The fact remains that our enemies still view the U.S. aviation sector as a highly attractive target, as evidenced by several thwarted plots and attempted attacks. In addition to the threats posed by al-Qaeda and its affiliates, the thousands of foreign fighters, including U.S. citizens, affiliated with terrorist groups like ISIS [Islamic State of Iraq and Syria] are a growing and serious threat to the security of U.S. aviation and the homeland. It is critical that we accurately identify individuals who pose this threat and prevent them from boarding flights to the United States. TSA relies on a multi-layered approach to aviation security with everything from Federal Air Marshals, to canines, to the latest explosives detection technology. […] In two comprehensive reports issued today, GAO [U.S. Government Accountability Office] found that TSA could improve Secure Flight by measuring and tracking errors that occur within the system and at the security-screening checkpoint. GAO also found that TSA generally does a good job of protecting passenger data but could strengthen privacy awareness training among Secure Flight employees. I thank GAO for its thorough approach to examining this program and I look forward to hearing from TSA how the agency plans to implement GAO's recommendations." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Stephen Sadler, Christopher M. Piehota, and Jennifer A. Grover.
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security
2014-09-18
