A Look Ahead: House Committee on Homeland Security
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Peter T. King (R-NY), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, announced the following upcoming Committee events:
Tuesday, May 8
10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 8, in 311 Cannon House Office Building
Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security
Rep. Candice Miller (R-MI), Chairman
Invited Witnesses Include:
Chief Michael J. Fisher
Border Patrol
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Ms. Rebecca Gambler
Acting Director
Homeland Security and Justice
U.S. Government Accountability Office
Chairman Miller on the hearing:
“The U.S. Border Patrol recently released their updated five year strategic plan, which is intended to shift in focus from being ‘resource’ based to ‘risk’ based, applying resources based on the greatest border threats. During our hearing, we will examine how the new strategy addresses the evolution of border security threats. The border today is a vastly different place than it was in 2004, because Congress invested in additional personnel, technology and infrastructure, and one of the goals of this hearing is to ensure that this strategy aligns with the goal of securing the nation’s border. I am troubled, however, that this new strategy is not predicated on gaining or maintaining operational control of the border which was a key metric used for gauging success of the 2004 plan. No replacement measure has been produced by the Department of Homeland Security, so determining actual progress on securing the border has been problematic. Members will have the opportunity to question the Chief of the Border Patrol, and leading experts from the Government Accountability Office and the Congressional Research Service on this new plan, how to best measure border security and the implications for our border security efforts.”
12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 8, in 311 Cannon House Office Building
Subcommittee on Transportation Security
Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL), Chairman
Invited Witnesses Include:
Panel I
Mr. John Halinski
Assistant Administrator
Office of Global Strategies
Transportation Security Administration
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Mr. Mark Koumans
Deputy Assistant Secretary
Office of International Affairs
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Hon. Hans G. Klemm
U.S. Senior Official for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs
U.S. Department of State
Panel II
Mr. Gary Wade
Vice President, Security
Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc.
Testifying on behalf of the Cargo Airline Association (CAA)
Ms. Dorothy Reimold
Assistant Director
Security and Travel Facilitation
International Air Transport Association (IATA)
Mr. Roger Dow
President and Chief Executive Officer
U.S. Travel Association
Chairman Rogers on the hearing:
"The Asia-Pacific region is an important partner to achieving U.S. economic growth and ensuring security of the global supply chain. The hearing is an opportunity to discuss with public and private sector witnesses how the U.S. can strengthen its ties with the Asia-Pacific region to help spur U.S. job growth, while improving security of travel and commerce."
Wednesday, May 9
Full Committee Markup: H.R. 3857, H.R. 4005, H.R. 3173, H.R. 2356
9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 9 in 311 Cannon House Office Building
Committee on Homeland Security
Rep. Peter T. King (R-NY), Chairman
H.R. 3857, (Mr. Turner) To amend the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to include as an eligible use the sustainment of specialized operational teams used by local law enforcement under the Transit Security Grant Program, and for other purposes. The “Public Transit Security and Local Law Enforcement Support Act.”
H.R. 4005, (Ms. Hahn) To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a study and report to Congress on gaps in port security in the United States and a plan to address them. The “Gauging American Port Security Act” or the “GAPS Act.”
H.R. 3173, (Mr. Scalise) To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to reform the process for the enrollment, activation, issuance, and renewal of a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) to require, in total, not more than one in-person visit to a designated enrollment center.
H.R. 2356, (Mr. Pascrell) To enhance homeland security by improving efforts to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from an attack with a weapon of mass destruction, and for other purposes. The “WMD Prevention and Preparedness Act of 2011.” An Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute expected to be offered by Mr. King.
11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 9, in 311 Cannon House Office Building
Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications and Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies
Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Chairman
Rep. Dan Lungren (R-CA), Chairman
Invited Witnesses Include:
Dr. Robert Griffin
Director of First Responder Programs
Science and Technology Directorate
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Ms. Mary H. Saunders
Director
Standards Coordination Office
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Chief Edward Kilduff
Chief of Department
New York City Fire Department
Ms. Annette Doying
Director
Office of Emergency Management
Pasco County, FL
Chairman Bilirakis on the hearing:
"We must work in a collaborative way at all levels of government and with the private sector to ensure that first responders have the tools and technology they need to achieve their missions. This hearing will provide Members with an opportunity to assess efforts at the Federal level to work with the first responder community to research, develop, and deploy these vital technologies."
Chairman Lungren on the hearing:
“First responders are an integral part of the Homeland Security Enterprise. These personnel rush to scenes of emergency and disaster, and deserve the best technologies when responding to such situations. In the homeland security context, the need for reliable equipment that will function in hazardous environments and support mass casualty events is paramount. We are holding this hearing to ensure that, ten years since the response to 9/11, the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate is effectively incorporating first responder priorities into its research and development efforts, and that first responders are equipped with the tools they need to be successful.”
Thursday, May 17
Subcommittee Hearing: Department of Homeland Security: An Examination of Ethical Standards
9:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 17, in 311 Cannon House Office Building
Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Management
Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), Chairman
Expected witnesses include representatives from the Transportation Security Administration, Customs and Border Protection, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
***See www.homeland.house.gov for updates.
***Coverage note: All Committee on Homeland Security proceedings are webcast live at www.homeland.house.gov/live-video-feed.
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