A Look Ahead: House Committee on Homeland Security
Press Release
Today, U.S. Rep. Peter T. King (R-NY), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, announced the following Committee events:
Tuesday, July 10
Subcommittee Hearing: Building a Secure Community: How Can DHS Better Leverage State and Local Partnerships?
10 a.m. on July 10 in 311 Cannon House Office Building
Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security
Rep. Candice Miller (R-MI), Chairman
Invited Witnesses Include:
The Honorable John Morton
Director
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Chairman Miller on the hearing: "For years, our border security has been based on a layered approach that began at the border. However, it is clear that the scale and scope of maintaining operational control of our border requires the Department of Homeland Security to leverage willing state and local partners. In many ways, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are the last line of defense in our layered approach to securing the border. They are responsible for enforcing our Nation's immigration and customs laws, including detaining and removing aliens who successfully cross the border illegally, or violate the terms of a visa.
"As a Nation, we must be fully committed to enforcing our Nation's immigration laws, as well as remove criminal aliens and those who pose a public safety threat. Secure Communities, the program where everyone who is fingerprinted has those prints cross-checked against our immigration databases to determine if they are in the country lawfully, has been a key to successfully deporting hundreds of thousands of criminal aliens. This program is on track to be fully implemented nationwide this Fall. The purpose of my hearing will be to hear from ICE Director Morton on how ICE is cultivating and leveraging local law enforcement through programs, like Secure Communities, and other efforts they are conducting to curb illegal immigration and effectively securing our borders."
Subcommittee Hearing: Challenging the Status Quo at TSA: Perspectives on the Future of Transportation Security
12:30 p.m. on July 10 in 311 Cannon House Office Building
Subcommittee on Transportation Security
Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL), Chairman
Invited Witnesses Include:
Dr. Richard Bloom
Associate Vice President for Academics
Director of Terrorism, Espionage, and Security Studies
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Mr. Robert Poole
Searle Freedom Trust Transportation Fellow
Director of Transportation Policy
Reason Foundation
Mr. Rick "Ozzie" Nelson
Senior Fellow and Director
Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Program
Center for Strategic and International Studies
Mr. Tom Blank
Executive Vice President
Gephardt Government Affairs
Chairman Rogers on the hearing: "The purpose of this hearing is to identify effective new ways to secure critical transportation infrastructure. Terrorists remain intent on attacking our transportation systems and are constantly evolving their tactics based on our security measures. Unfortunately, TSA has become a slow-moving, oversized bureaucratic agency in need of reform. During the hearing, outside experts will offer ideas on how to better protect aviation and surface systems, streamline the security process, and reform TSA to become the leaner, smarter, intelligence-driven, professional entity its mission requires."
Wednesday, July 11
Subcommittee Hearing: Has TSA Met the Deadline to Provide Expedited Screening to Military Service Members?
2 p.m. on July 11 in 311 Cannon House Office Building
Subcommittee on Transportation Security
Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL), Chairman
Invited Witnesses Include:
Mr. Christopher McLaughlin
Assistant Administrator for Security Operations
Transportation Security Administration
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Mr. Todd Rosenblum
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas' Security Affairs
U.S. Department of Defense
Chairman Rogers on the hearing: "The Risk-Based Security Screening for Members of the Armed Forces Act, authored by Congressman Cravaack and signed into law by the President in January, requires TSA to implement expedited screening procedures for military service members traveling through commercial airports. TSA was given six months to make the necessary changes to its screening procedures to better accommodate military service members. This hearing is an opportunity to hear from TSA and the Department of Defense on what actions have been taken to meet the six-month deadline. I applaud Congressman Cravaack for his leadership in ensuring our military heroes receive proper treatment when traveling through commercial airports. This Act constitutes an important step not only toward giving military service members the recognition they deserve but also toward implementing a risk-based approach to aviation security overall."
Thursday, July 12
CLOSED Subcommittee Hearing: Securing Ammonium Nitrate: Using Lessons Learned in Afghanistan to Protect the Homeland from IEDs
10 a.m. on July 12 in 311 Cannon House Office Building (Subcommittee intends to move directly to a CLOSED hearing)
Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies
Rep. Dan Lungren (R-CA), Chairman
Invited Witnesses Include:
Mr. John P. Woods
Assistant Director
Homeland Security Investigations
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Ms. Caitlin Durkovich
Assistant Secretary
Office of Infrastructure Protection
National Protection and Programs Directorate
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
LTG Michael D. Barbero
Director
Joint IED Defeat Organization
U.S. Department of Defense
Chairman Lungren on the hearing: "The IED is still one of the greatest threats to our troops in Afghanistan, and it remains a global threat. Just days ago, a blast went off in Mexico right before the Presidential elections. Earlier this year a potential attack on the U.S. Capitol was thwarted. Next week's hearing will focus on the lessons learned from our wartime experiences to combat this global threat and to protect the Homeland."
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