- 5/21/2025
On Wednesday, the House Homeland Security Committee held a hearing to assess security coordination of mass gathering events.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00:00Technology will come to order. Without objection, the chair may declare the subcommittee in recess
00:00:05at any point. The purpose of this hearing is to assess security, best practices, highlight
00:00:11challenges, and understand how the federal government, state government, local law enforcement,
00:00:17and the private sector coordinate with one another for mass gathering events.
00:00:23Without objection, the gentleman from California, Mr. Correa, and the gentlewoman from New Jersey,
00:00:28Ms. Poe, are permitted to sit on the dais and ask questions to the witnesses.
00:00:33I now recognize myself for an opening statement. Good afternoon and thank you for joining us today.
00:00:40Also, I would like to take the time to thank the staff for their hard work
00:00:45on this hearing. Today, we will discuss the important and timely topic of security,
00:00:50preparedness, and coordination for mass gathering events. By their very nature,
00:00:57these events draw large crowds in concentrated areas, making them attractive targets for
00:01:03malicious actors. Ensuring their safety requires complex coordination among federal, state,
00:01:09and local authorities, including law enforcement and emergency services. It also requires close
00:01:16collaboration with partners in the sports and entertainment industries. I witnessed the scale
00:01:22of these challenges firsthand when I led a congressional delegation to New Orleans to
00:01:27survey security preparation for the Super Bowl following the New Year's Eve attack on Bourbon
00:01:33Street. That instant and others like it serve as a stark reminder that terrorist threats persist
00:01:39and underscore our responsibility to safeguard such gatherings. These events will only continue
00:01:46to grow in prominence and frequency. In the year ahead, the United States will host several major
00:01:52international sporting events, including the 2025 FIFA World Cup, the 2026 FIFA World Cup,
00:02:01and the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Los Angeles. These events present enormous
00:02:08opportunities, delivering economic benefits while also showcasing our great nation on the
00:02:14international stage, but they also bring significant security challenges. Take the 2026 World Cup, for
00:02:22example. 76 matches will be played in 11 U.S. cities with an estimated 6.5 million fans traveling
00:02:29to the United States. Not to mention, it will also be played in the midst of the celebration of
00:02:37America's 250th anniversary. To meet these unprecedented demands, DHS has convened an
00:02:46all-hands-on-deck approach to ensure they are safe and secure. CISA is working to secure
00:02:54critical infrastructure. The Office of Intelligence and Analysis is sharing threat information,
00:03:00and CBP and CIS are carefully vetting and processing international travelers.
00:03:08I'm also proud of this committee's leadership in addressing this topic. Three weeks ago,
00:03:13the committee passed its budget reconciliation recommendation, including $625 million in
00:03:19additional preparedness funding for the 2026 World Cup and $1 billion for the 2028 Olympics.
00:03:27I support these measures and I hope funds can be distributed as quickly and effectively as
00:03:32possible. Additionally, following President Trump's executive order convening a White House
00:03:38task force on the FIFA World Cup, this committee established its own bipartisan task force
00:03:45on enhancing security for special events in the United States. I applaud Vice Chairman
00:03:52McCaul, who will be chairing the task force, and Chairman Greene for their leadership
00:03:58on this issue. I'm honored to have been selected to join this task force. I hope
00:04:04today's hearing will offer valuable insight and inform future task force discussions.
00:04:10Many challenges must be addressed to improve security preparedness for these major events.
00:04:16As we discussed last month, unmanned aerial aircraft systems can act as a
00:04:22force multiplier for DHS's mission. However, they can also be used for evil and unlawful purposes.
00:04:31You may remember in 2017, a drone dropped leaflets over two sporting stadiums
00:04:36in violation of temporary flight restrictions. It doesn't take very much to imagine
00:04:42to see how the same technology could have been used for a much deadlier purpose.
00:04:49As I previously mentioned, the New Orleans attack demonstrated the danger that vehicles
00:04:54pose to mass gatherings and the need to ensure effective countermeasures are in place.
00:05:02Additionally, the fan behavior of these events can be erratic and seen during the 2024
00:05:09Copa America match when thousands of fans breach physical security barriers
00:05:14and overwhelm law enforcement. These examples reflect the importance of robust security,
00:05:22planning to ensure events are conducted peacefully, that all spectators remain safe,
00:05:27and everyone has a good time. I'm thankful for the participation of our witnesses today.
00:05:33I look forward to their perspective as well as what Congress and the federal government can do
00:05:38to support these events. Again, thank you all for being here and I hope we can have a productive
00:05:44and bipartisan discussion as we seek to improve security ahead of these mass gathering events.
00:05:51I now recognize the ranking member of the subcommittee, Mr. Kennedy, for his opening
00:05:56statements. Thank you very much, Chairman, and good afternoon, everyone. It's great to see you
00:06:02all here today this afternoon. I'd like to start on a somber note by remembering our colleague
00:06:11and good friend, Congressman Jerry Connolly, who passed away earlier this morning.
00:06:18Jerry was a passionate public servant, a tireless champion for working families,
00:06:24and a defender of democracy. His loss will certainly be felt deeply in Congress and in
00:06:30Virginia's 11th district. He was actually one of the first members that I met when I came here
00:06:40to Washington, D.C. I believe he was the first member to stop by my office before I was sworn in
00:06:47last year to say hello. He welcomed me as a fellow Irishman and offered me kindness that
00:06:55I'll never forget. We all knew him as a consummate gentleman and certainly a leader and again a dear
00:07:01friend. So our thoughts are certainly with his wife, Kathy, their daughter, Caitlin, and the
00:07:07entire Connolly family on this difficult day. Now turning to today's emergency management and
00:07:15technology subcommittee hearing on mass gatherings, I want to thank all the witnesses for
00:07:19joining us here today. I also want to extend my gratitude to the staff for their efforts
00:07:26in making today's hearing come together. My thoughts and I believe all of our thoughts and
00:07:36concerns are with those in Kentucky, Missouri, Indiana, Virginia, and everyone who was impacted
00:07:42by the tornadoes and storms that hit just over this past weekend. Nearly 30 lives were lost in
00:07:49the devastation. We know far too often natural disasters are continually posing significant
00:07:57threats to our nation and we have to ensure that we are as prepared as possible to respond and meet
00:08:02the moment. Shortly after the storm, it became clear that the local National Weather Service
00:08:08office in Kentucky is one of four offices nationwide without enough staff. National
00:08:14Weather Service offices in part are the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration offices as
00:08:23well and those are the offices that provide critical tornado forecasting that is then
00:08:28transmitted into emergency alerts so that communities can prepare. The future of
00:08:34emergency management in this country is dependent on the kinds of investments we make in these
00:08:40missions and the staff that keep them running so I am certainly concerned that the president's
00:08:46budget request cuts to NOAA by at least 27 percent and I fear that this will only increase the level
00:08:54of devastation that we saw this past weekend when it comes to future emergencies. Additionally,
00:09:00we are days away from the start of hurricane season and the chaos at the Federal Emergency
00:09:06Management Agency continues to hinder our ability to support communities.
00:09:11So this won't just affect responses to natural disasters. FEMA's preparedness and grants
00:09:16administration will have a direct impact on the security of mass gatherings like the
00:09:202026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympics. We know that mass gatherings don't happen in a vacuum.
00:09:31Having strong emergency management infrastructure that can respond is going to be essential to
00:09:37ensuring that the two premier once-in-a-generation sporting events that we're discussing today
00:09:44among other mass gathering events are as seamless as possible. In preparing for these mass gathering
00:09:53events, state and local first responders across the country are scaling up and in some cases like
00:10:01the two major events, the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup, these are historic visitations,
00:10:08record investments for the communities and states and potential high security risks.
00:10:15The Department of Homeland Security's Office of Intelligence and Analysis conducts the annual
00:10:19Homeland Threat Assessment and its publication for 2025 warned that the terrorism threat
00:10:26environment throughout our country remains high. Given this, it's critical that the federal
00:10:33government make good on its promise to provide states and local communities with FEMA preparedness
00:10:37grant funding so we're ready to respond and mitigate any threats during these high-profile
00:10:42events. Again, I'm concerned that President Trump's budget proposes a $646 million cut
00:10:51to FEMA's non-disaster grant programs. Cuts like these severely undermine our ability to detect
00:10:59threats, support our local law enforcement partners and prepare for major events
00:11:06and mass gatherings. Now it's time to shore up the FEMA grant program like the Homeland Security
00:11:12grant program which includes a state Homeland Security program, the Urban Area Security
00:11:17Initiative and Operation Stone Garden. I look forward to hearing about the importance of these
00:11:22programs from our witnesses as well as ways that we can continue to partner with each and every
00:11:27one of you, supporting law enforcement, supporting the private sector and federal agencies in a
00:11:34collaborative, collective way so that we can secure these mass gathering events and make them
00:11:41as safe as possible for those in attendance and those in the vicinity. Again, thank you all for
00:11:48your service to our country, to your respective communities and I look forward to our conversation.
00:11:53Thank you, Chairman. Thank you, Ranking Member Kennedy. Other members of the subcommittee are
00:11:58reminded that opening statements may be submitted for the record. I'm very pleased to have such an
00:12:04important panel of witnesses before us today. I ask that the witnesses please rise and raise the right hand.
00:12:14Do you solemnly swear that the testimony you will give before this committee on Homeland Security
00:12:18of the United States of Representatives, House of Representatives, will be the truth, the whole truth
00:12:24and nothing but the truth, so help you God. Thank you. Please be seated. Let the record reflect that
00:12:32all witnesses have answered in the affirmative. I'd like, I would like now to formally introduce
00:12:38our witnesses. Sheriff Donald Barnes is the Sheriff-Coroner of the Orange County Sheriff's
00:12:44Department. He has served the Orange County for over 35 years, having started in 1989.
00:12:51At the national level, he is the Major County Sheriff of America's Vice President for Homeland
00:12:57Security and also Chair of their Intelligence Committee. Mr. John Jonel is the Chief Security
00:13:04Officer at Live Nation Entertainment, where he leads their corporate security program that helps
00:13:10keep employees, guests and artists safe. Prior to his work at Live Nation, Mr. Juno served as a
00:13:18Special Agent with the United States Secret Service, where he served as the agency's Presidential
00:13:23Protective Division. Mr. Jeremy Hammond is the Assistant Commissioner of the Southeastern
00:13:30Conference, where he plays a pivotal role in some of the nation's most high-profile collegiate
00:13:36sporting events, ensuring a seamless experience for fans, athletes and stakeholders alike. Before
00:13:42joining the Southeastern Conference, Mr. Hammond's held senior roles with organizations such as
00:13:48Ingress Events, WWE and the Georgia Dome, developing deep expertise in event management,
00:13:56public safety, planning and venue operation. I thank the witnesses again for being here today.
00:14:02I now recognize Sheriff Barnes for five minutes to summarize his opening statement.
00:14:09Thank you Chairman Strong and Ranking Member Kennedy for holding today's hearing. I'm here
00:14:14today representing the major county sheriffs of America, the professional law enforcement
00:14:18association of the largest sheriff's offices across the country. Our members serve more than
00:14:23one-third of the United States population. As Sheriff of Orange County, I lead an agency of
00:14:28more than 4,000 people who provide exceptional public safety services to the 3.1 million
00:14:32residents in Orange County. As a major population center and popular tourist destination on the
00:14:39Southern California region, mass gathering events are a regular occurrence in our AOR.
00:14:45Nationwide, managing the security for mass gathering events and addressing associated
00:14:49public safety impacts largely fall on the shoulders of sheriffs and our partners in
00:14:54city municipal police departments. Today's focus is on the once-in-a-generation events,
00:14:59the FIFA World Cup, the Olympics and other events, as mentioned, that will be coming
00:15:03to our country. It's been three decades since our nation hosted these events so close to each
00:15:10other. The FIFA World Cup of 1994 and the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta were significant moments
00:15:16for our country. 30 years later, we will host these events in Southern California and a dozen
00:15:22other regions under a much more complex, rapidly evolving threat environment. We have greater
00:15:28technology available to assist us with our security efforts, but risks associated with
00:15:32cyber attack are ever-present. Our border is more secure since the beginning of the year,
00:15:37but many of the nefarious actors who entered our country over the last four years remain
00:15:42and their locations are unknown. An event that hosts visitors from all corners of the world
00:15:49brings with it tensions from the multitude of conflicts occurring around the globe.
00:15:55We must always remember that we have no national security or homeland security without local
00:16:02law enforcement efforts. We can be successful in our goal of a safe World Cup and Olympics if
00:16:07we use proven strategies and we are properly resourced with the right mix of people and
00:16:12technology. Strategies that are most worthy of this committee's focus and efforts include, one,
00:16:19communication among law enforcement partners. Sharing intelligence information across levels
00:16:25of government is critical. This type of communication can best occur through the
00:16:30network of fusion centers across our country. In Orange County, the Orange County Intelligence
00:16:34Assessment Center responds to college protests, concern and conflicts in the Middle East. Fusion
00:16:42centers play a central role in communicating intelligence to personnel on the ground,
00:16:46resulting in safe conclusions of these events. Continued and enhanced federal funding is
00:16:52essential to preparedness, providing support for strategic planning, and maintaining operational
00:16:58and situational awareness. The UASI and SHISCAP grants mentioned in Operation Stone Garden provide
00:17:04funding that supports intelligence sharing through fusion centers, builds critical incident response
00:17:09capabilities, and creates federal-local partnerships that strengthen national security.
00:17:14Second is the use of the Incident Command System. The Orange County Sheriff's Department's long-used
00:17:19ICS, known as NIMS, SIMS, or whatever it might be at other levels, for emergent events and planning
00:17:25for special events. It's a standardized protocol that creates command, control, communication,
00:17:31coordination at all levels of government. It's been improved in a scalable model that can be
00:17:36applied to a variety of public safety incidents and events, and my department has used it across
00:17:42our operational platform. Law enforcement across multiple jurisdictions needs to be on the same
00:17:48page, particularly with regard to events like the Olympics and World Cup. Also, adaptation by
00:17:54federal agencies will ensure better integration when they work with state and local agencies
00:17:59during these mass gathering events. Briefly, unmanned aerial systems will also be part of any
00:18:04security strategy. Drones have proven to be a successful beneficial tool for public safety
00:18:10and emergency response, and we anticipate the drone capabilities will be leveraged extensively
00:18:14to help the World Cup and Olympic sites. Congressional support through legislation like
00:18:19H.R. 1058, the Drone Act, co-sponsored by Representatives Correa and Nels, can help.
00:18:25At the same time, the unauthorized misuse of drones represents a significant security
00:18:29concern for mass events and the public's safety. Lawmakers must establish a legal framework that
00:18:35provides broad-based but carefully regulated authority for locals to deploy and operate
00:18:40counter-UA systems. This framework must be supported by funding, training, oversight,
00:18:44and transparency. And finally, I ask for your support in alleviating resource impacts on local
00:18:49law enforcement. The number of simultaneous events in multiple cities will put tremendous stress
00:18:55on resources across the country. Federal grant funding to help offset these costs,
00:19:00which has been provided during previous Olympics, will help us maintain operations
00:19:05associated with these events while also fulfilling our day-to-day law enforcement
00:19:09responsibilities to our communities. I thank you for the opportunity to be here today,
00:19:12and I'm looking forward to your questions. Thank you, Sheriff Barnes. I now recognize
00:19:18Mr. Junell for five minutes to summarize his opening statements. Mr. Junell.
00:19:24Chairman Strong, Ranking Member Kennedy, and other members of the subcommittee,
00:19:28I'm John Junell, Chief Security Officer at Live Nation Entertainment. Thank you for the opportunity
00:19:33to appear before you today to discuss critical safety issues facing the live entertainment
00:19:38industry. 2024 marked a historic milestone for live music. Live Nation hosted more than
00:19:4354,000 events, including 137 festivals, welcoming more than 151 million fans. And 2025 is already
00:19:52on track to surpass those benchmarks with more stadium shows scheduled than ever before and
00:19:57record demand for both concerts and festivals. As the scale and complexity of live events grow,
00:20:03we know security measures need to enhance as well. I oversee the development and implementation
00:20:08of security protocols and lead the efforts to collaborate with local and federal authorities
00:20:13to help keep fans, artists, and workers safe. Our commitment to safety is unwavering. We've
00:20:19continuously advanced our protocols and technologies, a dedication that earned us
00:20:23the Safety Act Designation Award from DHS, but we recognize there are limits to what we can do,
00:20:30especially when it comes to the emerging threats posed by drones.
00:20:33As a private entity, we lack the authority to counter drone activity,
00:20:37and law enforcement often lacks necessary capabilities and authority to respond.
00:20:42This is why it's essential that more events are covered by FAA-issued Temporary Flight
00:20:46Restrictions, or TFRs, and counter UAS authority be expanded to local law enforcement.
00:20:53Drone use continues to grow rapidly. The FAA recently reported that more than 1 million
00:20:57drones are now registered in the U.S., a 160% increase since 2019. Given the rise in usage
00:21:04and high-profile drone-related incidents, expanding TFR authority is needed. With the
00:21:10context in mind, I'd like to highlight several key areas where we believe Congress can
00:21:16take further action. We commend Congress for passing Section 935 of the FAA Reauthorization
00:21:22Act last year, which expands FAA authority to issue drone-related TFRs for certain large-scale
00:21:28events. The provision allows TFR coverage for stadium concerts with at least 30,000 attendees
00:21:34and festivals with at least 100,000. Live Nation was supportive of this provision,
00:21:39but knows more work must be done to mitigate the airborne threats at live events.
00:21:44To maximize the impact of Section 935, it's essential that the FAA, state and local law
00:21:50enforcement agencies, and other stakeholders are fully aware of this new authority and equipped
00:21:54to utilize it. Ultimately, success depends on the venue or local law enforcement reaching out to
00:22:00federal law enforcement agencies, federal law enforcement's willingness to request the TFR,
00:22:05and the FAA's readiness to approve it. Without coordination and follow-through,
00:22:10this new provision falls short of its intention to create more secure live events. Further
00:22:16recognition of this provision enhancement is needed, including a clear, prominent online
00:22:21process for submitting a TFR request for all live events, including concerts and festivals,
00:22:27and the addition of a dedicated submission form to streamline the process for law enforcement
00:22:33officials. Additionally, we ask Congress to consider lowering the current thresholds to
00:22:39ensure that more events can benefit from the protective coverage of TFRs. Last year alone,
00:22:45we had more than 1,000 shows in venues with a capacity of 10,000. We ask Congress to lower the
00:22:50attendance threshold to 10,000 for events taking place outdoors. These proposed adjustments would
00:22:57significantly expand safety coverage for high-density events that are currently excluded,
00:23:03despite facing comparable security risk. We also urge Congress to build on the progress made in
00:23:09last year's FAA bill by strengthening airspace protections to include not only unmanned aircraft
00:23:17systems, but also small manned aircrafts. We appreciate the bicameral and bipartisan attention
00:23:24this issue has received and appreciate members for recognizing these evolving threats. Finally,
00:23:31we urge Congress to grant mitigation authority to qualified local law enforcement agencies.
00:23:36When a drone enters restricted airspace, rapid response is critical, but federal authorities
00:23:43may not always be possessed to act quickly. Allowing trained local agencies to respond
00:23:48to their federal guidance would significantly enhance real-time capabilities and strengthen
00:23:54the effectiveness of TFRs. Similarly, we appreciate the bicameral and bipartisan attention to this issue
00:24:01and commend members for their efforts. On behalf of Live Nation Entertainment,
00:24:06thank you all for your leadership on these important issues and I look forward to answering
00:24:10your questions. Thank you, Mr. Juneau. I now recognize Mr. Hammond from the Southeastern
00:24:16Conference for five minutes to summarize his opening statement. Thank you, Chairman Strong
00:24:21and Ranking Member Kennedy and the honorable members of this subcommittee for the opportunity
00:24:25to participate in today's hearing. My name is Jeremy Hammond and I have the honor of serving
00:24:29the 16 member institutions of the Southeastern Conference as Assistant Commissioner.
00:24:34In my role, I lead our efforts to produce world-class championship events,
00:24:38including the SEC Football Championship, and I work with our member institutions to develop
00:24:43event management policies and procedures, including public safety best practices.
00:24:48I come to you today not only as somebody that is involved in the day-to-day management
00:24:52of public events, but as someone who's deeply invested in safeguarding the
00:24:56environments where friends and families come together to celebrate traditions, community,
00:25:01and competition, because that's really what we all seek together. However, we cannot share those
00:25:07experiences without the assurance that we can enjoy them in safe, well-managed environments.
00:25:13Just as the rapid advancement of technology and weaponry has evolved global conflicts,
00:25:18the same can be said for the threats we must protect against at our favorite sporting event,
00:25:22concert, festival, or convention. As cities across the United States prepare to host the
00:25:28World Cup and the Olympics over the coming years, there is no group of professionals better
00:25:33positioned or prepared to plan for, manage, and mitigate challenges than those we call friends
00:25:39and colleagues here in this country. The World Cup and the Olympics obviously are the two largest
00:25:44international events in existence. They present a provocative and highly visible target for bad
00:25:50actors. However, as my counterparts here today may agree, large public events with high threat
00:25:55profiles are produced 365 days a year in this country. Whether in metropolitan cities or small
00:26:02college towns, college athletics welcomes fans week after week from kickoff in late August to
00:26:07the last out in May. Chairman Strong from Alabama can attest, and the SEC, we like to say it just
00:26:13means more. During Saturdays in the fall, our campuses grow to the populations of a mid-sized
00:26:18city. In 2024, five SEC schools averaged 100,000 fans in their venues at home football games.
00:26:25Accounting for schools and other leagues, that number grows to eight nationwide. It's also
00:26:30routine that campuses host 50 to 75,000 additional fans who take part in the fanfare around the
00:26:36stadium with tailgating and other activities. Nowhere else in the world do you see that volume
00:26:41of fans in such consistency. If you follow college athletics, you know we love top 25 rankings.
00:26:47In a list of the largest sport venues by capacity, college football in America accounts for eight of
00:26:52the top 10 globally. Yet rarely do any of these events register on the SEER rating system higher
00:26:58than a four or five, meaning they have limited national importance to require federal interagency
00:27:04support. I can just pause on that note for a second. The largest events that are hosted in
00:27:11this country on a consistent basis currently do not qualify for federal interagency support.
00:27:16I work with my colleagues at our member institutions to identify emerging challenges
00:27:20to their operations and I'd like to share a few of those with you today.
00:27:24These topics fall in the category of what keeps you up at night. Vehicle mitigation. Campus
00:27:30environments are full of soft targets with tailgates and team walks surrounding the stadium.
00:27:35A bad actor with a vehicle has become a hallmark of modern crowd attacks. Unfortunately, we saw
00:27:40that play out on January 1st in New Orleans as fans prepared to enjoy the sugar bowl.
00:27:45As has been mentioned multiple times today already, the UAS or drone threat.
00:27:50Proliferation of drones and modern warfare has exacerbated that concern and for that threat at
00:27:55full stadiums across the country. As it stands, our schools can spend upwards of $500,000 on drone
00:28:01tracking technology. They have no legal authority to intervene or mitigate a hostile drone.
00:28:06We're encouraged by the efforts of both the Senate and the House to introduce legislation
00:28:10that would allow federal agencies to deputize local officials with the authority to mitigate
00:28:15drone threats with the proper training and the access to the advanced technology.
00:28:20And finally, access to intelligence, staffing, equipment, and funding resources that modernize
00:28:26public safety posture at our events. In closing, to put it simply, the key to public safety is
00:28:31communication, transparency among agencies, and access to the appropriate resources.
00:28:37As this committee evaluates the role of the federal government in supporting the host efforts
00:28:41for large public gatherings, please remember the schools, venues, promoters, and local officials
00:28:47hosting large gatherings on a nightly and weekly basis throughout the calendar year.
00:28:51And please consider a review of the methodology of establishing a SEER rating. We're encouraged
00:28:55by the work of this committee and the collaboration and communication that will
00:28:59usher in some progress. Thank you. Mr. Hammond, thank you for your opening statement. We're
00:29:04honored to have you here and each of our people here before us. Doesn't matter if you're a cat,
00:29:10a tiger, a dog, a volunteer, whether you scream War Eagle or Roll Tide, every one of our conferences
00:29:15definitely have a task to provide safety for America. Members will be recognized by order
00:29:21of seniority for their five minutes of questioning. An additional round of questioning may be called
00:29:26after all members have been recognized. I now recognize myself for five minutes for questioning.
00:29:31I'd like to begin by asking each of you, starting with Sheriff Barnes, what can Congress and the
00:29:37federal government do to better support security preparedness at mass gathering events going
00:29:43forward? Thank you, Congressman. First, the collaboration among federal partners is key.
00:29:50The fusion centers and the funding that drive them, I think, is necessary to maintain that,
00:29:54and I would even argue probably argue for an increase. Counter UAS capabilities, I think,
00:30:00is going to be an imperative going forward, as mentioned before. Currently, we can probably speak
00:30:06for an hour about the risk that we have experienced by drones in our different areas of responsibility.
00:30:12For example, in Orange County, we had an individual flying drones within hundreds of feet from
00:30:18departing aircraft in John Wayne Airport. Any one of those impacts would have undoubtedly placed
00:30:22that jet at risk and all its passengers. Fortunately, that was adopted by the U.S.
00:30:27Attorney's Office. He was prosecuted, but we had no way to mitigate that drone or locate it.
00:30:31We found him through social media as he's posting his footage online. If not for that, we probably
00:30:36would not know where that person was. We've had narcotics trafficking with drones into our jails.
00:30:41We had them intervene with emergency response during wildland fires, and sadly, if you followed
00:30:46the recent news, the cartels, a foreign terrorist organization, are using drones and counter drone
00:30:51technology against the United States. The cartels have advanced forward of local law
00:30:57enforcement capabilities, and we should anticipate that those technologies will make their way
00:31:02against us inside the United States and probably be a significant factor in any one of these events
00:31:07as bad actors use these technologies against us for legal law enforcement overwatch efforts
00:31:14during any of these venues. And lastly, I would say that funding is critical.
00:31:19Uashi, Shish Gap, Operation Stone Garden, which I do on behalf of the federal government's western
00:31:24border of the United States, which is being impacted by maritime traffic again as a result
00:31:28of the lockdown of the border, all of those have a significant issue. But interagency collaboration,
00:31:33I think, is most important. We all have to be at the table, and we have to be operating on the
00:31:36same common operating platform, whether it's NEMS, CEMS, or ICS, and make sure we have defined roles
00:31:42in a unified command, working with our private sector partners, I would add, to make sure we
00:31:46put all this in a good place. And we are ahead of the planning stage now, and that needs to start
00:31:50today. We can't do these things, you know, a year from now. We're already behind the curve
00:31:55when it comes to countering these technologies and other planning. Thank you, Mr. Janil.
00:32:02Thank you, Chairman. I agree with the Sheriff on intelligence sharing, fusion centers,
00:32:08collaboration, any support to streamline the efforts would be greatly appreciated from the
00:32:14private sector as well as the government sectors. But streamlining, particularly the response
00:32:22capabilities to UAS threats, if we could streamline the process, understand
00:32:29who is eligible, lower the thresholds to where we can cover more events, anything to do to
00:32:35streamline the process would be greatly appreciated amongst all the shareholders.
00:32:41Thank you. Mr. Hammond.
00:32:44Yes, I think two priorities from our perspective. One, a reevaluation of the SEER rating system,
00:32:50developing some additional consistency there in those directives. And then, as my counterparts
00:32:57here have stated, streamlining that process to allow local authorities to mitigate the drone
00:33:02threat. I think those are the two most pressing issues on the minds of our public safety officials
00:33:06on campus. As we prepare for high, to host these high profile events in summer every weekend,
00:33:12each of you, you're involved in this. Is it essential that the federal government
00:33:16double down on planning and collaboration with state, local law enforcement?
00:33:25I would say triple down, Congressman. We are already behind the curve. These investments
00:33:30need to take place now. And keep in mind that all these things are happening. FIFA World Cup,
00:33:35for example, you mentioned at 11 locations, seven events over a prolonged period of time.
00:33:41The one other aspect we have is a drain on resources. We still have con ops,
00:33:45continued operations still has to happen within all of our agents to do the everyday job
00:33:50that we're expected to do. So, yes, it is it needs to happen now and we need to get ahead of it
00:33:54today. Thank you, Mr. Juneau. We have seen too many concerts and sporting events become
00:34:00the target of terrorist attacks. Can you describe Live Nation's role in working with law enforcement
00:34:06and host venues to ensure adequate security for event attendees and artists and athletes?
00:34:13Yes, Chairman Strong. We work very closely with our law enforcement partners on a nationwide basis.
00:34:20Everything from the planning, communication, coordination, joint understanding of risk,
00:34:26shared situational awareness, highly encouraged co-location during the events,
00:34:32sharing intelligence, fusion centers, as the Sheriff mentioned earlier, the incident command
00:34:37system to make sure that we're all on the same page and able to plan for the foreseeable risk
00:34:43and be resilient to those risks that may not be foreseen. Thank you. I now recognize Ranking
00:34:49Member Kennedy for five minutes for any questions he may have. Yeah, thank you, Chairman. Sheriff
00:34:54Barnes, thank you again for being here today. In your testimony, you make the case for sustained
00:34:59federal investment in Homeland Security funding. As you've mentioned already, you know, that funding
00:35:06is critical, including $61 million through State Homeland Security Program, $156 million to the
00:35:15Urban Area Security Initiative, and $2 million through Operation Stone Garden in fiscal year
00:35:222024 in order to prepare for FIFA World Cup and the Olympics around the corner.
00:35:31Can you just discuss how the threat prevention and response capabilities enabled by these FEMA
00:35:38programs have helped your community proactively prepare for these mass events, and separately,
00:35:44how that funding, in such a robust manner, helps these programs in California and New York
00:35:53prepare for these upcoming mass gatherings? Yes, thank you, Congressman. First, the funds that are
00:36:00being provided through those three initiatives specifically are essential in maintaining our
00:36:06posture of the AD Fusion Centers nationally. Our HIDTA programs are different funding, but that's
00:36:12been stagnant, has a significant risk. Operation Stone Garden already mentioned what would happen,
00:36:17but I'm going to turn the corner. Without those funds, this is what will happen. We have to step
00:36:22back from our posture in our fusion centers, which I think has been the most beneficial
00:36:27national security initiative that we've maintained over the last 24 years, or 22 years since 2003 when
00:36:32they were stood up. Operation Stone Garden stops. We don't protect our borders and other initiatives
00:36:38that we have with those funds. Without those funds, for example, I fund the majority of my
00:36:43fusion center out of local taxpayer dollars. It subsidizes some of that program, but the Northern
00:36:48California Regional Intelligence Center is 100% funded through FEMA grant opportunities. That
00:36:55means that program stops, and they have a major initiative happening throughout the FIFA World Cup.
00:37:00That means no intelligence, no vetting, no collaboration that would happen in that area
00:37:05and other areas like it. So we've taken a huge step back of keeping our nation safe, and I'll tell
00:37:11you these have worked well because nothing bad has happened. We've intervened, interdicted, acted,
00:37:15left a bang in numerous circumstances that has kept our country safe. This is not the time to
00:37:20step away from those programs. Thank you very much. Sheriff, again, a critical part of preparing for
00:37:27these mass events is ensuring that first responders have what they need in the event of an emergency.
00:37:32DHS programs train first responders so they can respond more efficiently and effectively.
00:37:38Troublingly, the Trump administration has closed the National Fire Academy in Maryland, one of the
00:37:46nation's premier training facilities for first responders, and his proposed budget would eliminate
00:37:51the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium, a group of seven nationally recognized organizations
00:37:58that provide training for FEMA and first responders. So Sheriff, this program is hosting
00:38:04several trainings in the greater Orange County area next month dedicated to sport and special
00:38:09event evacuation and protective actions. As you prepare for the 2028 Olympics, how might these
00:38:14expert trainings help the first responder and law enforcement community in Orange County?
00:38:21Thank you again. I will tell you that I would not speak how they would prospectively,
00:38:24retrospectively, they have been beneficial in our response platforms and protocols.
00:38:31The American public never sees what we do behind the scenes, and if we do it well,
00:38:34they never do see what we do behind the scenes because we invested in these infrastructures
00:38:39and planning and logistics and resources and training, and all that happens in the shadows.
00:38:44But you can't step up or stand up a team to be responsive on the fly. It has to happen in real
00:38:50time, multi-agency collaboration, which we do routinely with our partners in firefighting and
00:38:56other venues and platforms. So it is an investment to be ready to respond, hopefully that we don't
00:39:02need to, but this is also a huge investment on resources and personnel that have to be on the
00:39:07ready, standing in reserve in response to these venues, and it's been that way for decades.
00:39:12Thank you, Sheriff. And as you likely know, we have a Department of Homeland Security
00:39:18secretary who stated that this administration's intent is to eliminate FEMA. Are you concerned
00:39:25about the impact that that might have on Orange County that you represent, and the state of
00:39:30California, as well as our responsiveness across the nation? Yes, and once again, that is a great
00:39:38question. Obviously, I'm going to hypothesize, but if we start to draw back on these investments,
00:39:43whether it be in Orange County, California, nationally, we're turning a corner and we're
00:39:48I would say inviting something bad to happen without our ability to be responsive or
00:39:52to interdict prior to that act happening. So I would say this is not the time that we should
00:39:58be backing away from these investments. We need to maintain our posture of readiness across the
00:40:02nation. Thank you, Chairman. I yield back. The Ranking Member yields back. I now recognize the
00:40:07gentleman from Colorado, Mr. Evans. Thank you, Chairman, Ranking Member. Thank you, of course,
00:40:11to all of our witnesses for coming. Mr. Chairman, I'd like to enter into the record this statement
00:40:15from the Association of Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International that includes some
00:40:19security recommendations for mass gathering events that empower local law enforcement.
00:40:25Without objection. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Again, thank you to the witnesses. My first
00:40:30question will be to Mr. Barnes. I spent a combined total of a little over two decades
00:40:34in between both military and law enforcement on the Army side. I was a Black Hawk helicopter pilot,
00:40:38so operating in the same airspace as a lot of the new and emerging UAS threats that we're facing,
00:40:44both overseas and also fighting fires and all of the things that we use in the domestic
00:40:48operations space here in the United States. And then as a police officer, I got to lead our mobile
00:40:54field force. And so I've been that user level boots on the ground individual that's operating
00:40:59and having to make real time decisions whenever we have either mass gathering events that were
00:41:04anticipated or if you have contingencies that emerge in mass gathering events. And so my first
00:41:09question to you, I think we've talked a little bit about fusion centers and a lot of the pre
00:41:13planning and intelligence that comes out of facilities like that. Can you talk a little
00:41:18bit more about the tactical level? You've done your pre planning. The event is now in full swing.
00:41:24What are those critical shortcomings at the tactical level, specifically focusing on
00:41:29either equipment shortfalls, training shortfalls, communication shortfalls during an event that
00:41:36would potentially impact your ability to operate efficiently with other federal, state and local
00:41:42partners? Thank you. And first of all, thank you for your service. Your question is a good one.
00:41:47You look at preparedness and from a tactical perspective, you mentioned mobile field force.
00:41:52Mobile field force should be a national standard for crowd control and maintaining order within
00:41:57our communities. We've heavily invested in mobile field force in the county of Orange and trained
00:42:01all the municipal agencies on mobile field force tactics and response protocols. And it's worked
00:42:06very well for us from tactics. First starts with intelligence, getting good information. We know
00:42:11there's missed dis and malinformation campaigns we should expect over the next several years. So
00:42:16getting good information in and being able to be responsive to that. There's a huge drain on
00:42:21resources when you have a tactical element in reserve for a prolonged period of time, I think
00:42:25we agree. And there's other resources like bomb detection canines and others that work in tandem
00:42:29with them that have a limited utility that you have to replicate at a much larger platform. So
00:42:37tactics, rapid response models, I think are very key ability to have them ready to go out. But
00:42:44we just don't have the depth. So I think investing in that now ahead of time and making sure as a
00:42:50national standard, we have these protocols in place. I stress for a long time through FEMA to
00:42:54have resource tasking for law enforcement. It's not as deep as it should be. Look at all the
00:42:59critical issues we have to face on a broad risk environment that we have to be prepared for.
00:43:05Thank you. And continuing down that train, I've done a lot of the federal training in
00:43:10places like Anniston, Alabama, to make sure that we have that interoperability at the federal,
00:43:13state and local level. What do you see as far as communication shortfalls with folks in your
00:43:18sheriff's office potentially having to work and collaborate in real time with folks from other
00:43:22agencies, particularly with regard to the communication equipment?
00:43:27Well, thank you for that question again, Congressman. I'll start with. Orange County
00:43:30has had an interoperable radio system for decades. 3.1 million people, all the law enforcement
00:43:35agents can communicate at the same time or a dedicated channel. That technology should be
00:43:40at least strive to advance it nationally or minimally have our federal partners in the
00:43:44same room on the same communications conduit. So we're sharing information in real time for
00:43:48the benefit of everybody. That has not always been the case. We saw that happen in Parkland
00:43:52High School, in Evaldi, recently in Butler. We have learned a lot about what we need to do. We
00:43:58set to make sure we solve that problem before we go forward and make sure we're on the same
00:44:01communication platform. Thank you. And I got one minute
00:44:04and five seconds left. So final question again will be to you, Sheriff, but drawing on some of
00:44:08the comments from from others about UASs and TFRs. So flying flying on wildfires, of course,
00:44:15you have a TFR that's going to be dropped over the wildfire area so that crews like myself can
00:44:20go out and do our jobs. And you still have drones that come through. You got to shut down the fire
00:44:24TFR, ground all of the aircraft until we can chase the drone out. On that again, tactical
00:44:28user level, what do you think are the most critical shortcomings to be able to actually
00:44:34kinetically intervene in real time in the event that you have malicious drone activity occurring?
00:44:40I'll start with the FAA Reauthorization Act or legislation that would give local law enforcement
00:44:45or public safety the authority to have that. If you look forward into FIFA, there's not a depth
00:44:51for counter UAS that can manage this at a national scale. I would say task force operators
00:44:56and locals that have dual designation and training technology and access to the platforms are most
00:45:02critical. You look at what happened with the Palisades fire that took one of the most
00:45:06beneficial firefighting apparatus out of the sky because of an impact with the drone for three days
00:45:11that could have contributed to a lot of structures being saved. So we have to invest now. We can't
00:45:16wait a year or two years or when FIFA is on our doorstep. That has to happen now in my belief.
00:45:21And I think we have the ability to spread that out responsibly through good policy and protocols
00:45:27and have that shared. We have to do it now because the cartel is already ahead of us and
00:45:31we're going to be dealing with this domestically if we don't prepare for it. Not to mention if
00:45:35there's a mass drone attack, a mass weaponized drone attack, we cannot be responsive to that.
00:45:40I'm sorry I went long, but the threat arises much broader and it's advancing beyond our
00:45:45capabilities if we don't get in this game today. Thank you. Yield back. Thank you. The gentleman
00:45:49from Colorado yields. The gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. McKenzie, is recognized
00:45:53for five minutes of questioning. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate everybody being here today
00:45:59to discuss such a serious topic about how we can protect our communities and individuals who are
00:46:05attending mass gatherings from terrorist attacks and other threats. My first question, I'd like to
00:46:12go to Mr. Junell from Live Nation Entertainment. We are fortunate to have a venue that is being
00:46:19operated in coordination with Live Nation in our local community. Now it's a mid-sized venue, I
00:46:24would characterize it. So can you please talk to what in particular you are doing for events like
00:46:32that, that maybe not the high profile events of the World Cup or anything like that, but communities
00:46:38like mine are hosting music events and gatherings on a regular basis. Tell me about what you're
00:46:43doing at mid-sized events like that. Yes. Sir, regardless of the size of the event, the concern
00:46:50is the same. We want to make sure that we're prepared as can be. We're trained, facilitating
00:46:58all the intelligence sharing and everything else through our federal, state, and local law
00:47:02enforcement partners and working highly in a collaborative process to make sure that we have
00:47:08the standards, we have a clear picture of the issues that we're dealing with, understanding what
00:47:14our rules and responsibilities are, and then what our partners will be bringing to the table as well
00:47:20so that we have that robust resilience around the event, regardless of the size.
00:47:29Thank you. And for all of our test fires, then obviously the attention of our country is going
00:47:34to shift next year to the America 250, the World Cup, other big events like that that are taking
00:47:40place all across our country. So for anybody on the panel, do you feel that we are prepared at this
00:47:46point, or is there more work that needs to be done? And if so, is it resources, training, what can we
00:47:52assist with from a federal level and as members of Congress? I think we're working towards being
00:47:59prepared. Those plannings are being put, committees are in place, and the collaboration started,
00:48:04especially on FIFA and also the Olympics. Club Cup is coming next year. That brings a different
00:48:10clientele to the country that's different than the FIFA World Cup, and they have a tendency to
00:48:15operate outside social norms that we might consider in America, taking to the streets, levels of
00:48:20intoxication, celebrations, fan fest, what might be problematic. So yes, we are in the planning stages,
00:48:26but it takes resources. I look at that not as a cost, it's an investment into the planning,
00:48:32the preparedness, the logistics, the training, the tactics, the equipment. All of those things need
00:48:37to start happening now, or else we'll be behind the curve when the time comes to be responsive and
00:48:40keeping our public safe. And do you feel at this point in time that we are on track to be ready for
00:48:45those events? I think we are in the planning stage, which for the Olympics, I think we're on track.
00:48:50I think there's already been some pre-planning on the Olympics with the Los Angeles City and County
00:48:55that has had advanced teams look at what's happening in Paris and others. The threat
00:48:59environment has changed and it's ever-evolving, so we have to be dynamic, and we look at mitigating
00:49:05the threats as they change over time, and they will change between now and 2028. And we have to
00:49:09stay ahead of the curve and make sure that we are well-planned and well-prepared to take whatever
00:49:13threat comes next, especially in the area of cyber. We should anticipate the cyber threat advancing
00:49:18well beyond our capabilities. I'm not picking on the administration, but stepping away from cyber
00:49:24at this time and put it on the shoulders of locals, we're going to have different response
00:49:28capabilities across the country who can interdict, intervene, and be responsive to cyber attacks, DDoS
00:49:33attacks, whatever it might be that's going to change, not to mention traditional attacks like
00:49:39bomb threats and swatting incidents, and then intentional attacks and the normal crime that
00:49:43comes with these events. All of these things make this a very complex solution that needs to be
00:49:49implemented over a prolonged period of time. It's not doing any one thing, it's doing 100
00:49:54things simultaneously that's going to put us in a position of preparedness, and that has started,
00:49:58but I think we have a long way to go. Well, again, I'd like to thank all of you. All law
00:50:04enforcement across the country put themselves in harm's way every single day. We appreciate that
00:50:08work that you do, and the preparedness that we are looking for as a country. I think we are in
00:50:15many ways on track. I know there are some things that we want to continue to work on. As you
00:50:19mentioned, threats evolve, and the nature of those threats change
00:50:23with time, and so we've got to continue to stay on top of those as we prepare
00:50:27for an incredible year next year, again, celebrating America's 250 and also welcoming
00:50:32people from around the world for the World Cup. So, thank you again, and with that, I yield back.
00:50:36The gentleman from Pennsylvania yields back. I now recognize the gentleman from California, Mr. Correa,
00:50:41for five minutes of questioning. Chairman Strong, thank you very much, and for our ranking member,
00:50:46Mr. Kennedy, thank you for this hearing, and I want to welcome our witnesses today, Sheriff Barnes
00:50:51from our good Orange County, Mr. Janelle, Mr. Hammond. Sheriff Barnes, let me turn to you first.
00:50:58Orange County vibe, Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, the Olympics, the World Cup, the Angels.
00:51:07You've got a lot to defend, sir, and so far, I think you've been, the other guys have scored
00:51:13zero on you, so good job. How serious is the threat of international terrorism to you?
00:51:22Congressman Correa, thank you very much, and I appreciate your partnership over the years.
00:51:27Not just international terrorism, foreign terrorist organizations, CT, domestic terrorism,
00:51:34homegrown violent extremists, extremist groups are ever present. Again, going back to the Fusion
00:51:40Center, I have a Fusion Center committed to Orange County, the Orange County Intelligence
00:51:44Assessment Center, one of the 80 nationally routinely recognized for our product and
00:51:48intervention strategies. All those things are happening in real time, and not to say that bad
00:51:53things have been mitigated, but the last four years, unfortunately, through the border have
00:51:58undoubtedly led bad actors into our country. Without getting into any classified information,
00:52:04we know that we are looking for people, CONUS, who may be accelerating their plans because of
00:52:11actions on immigration, trying to locate them. It is a completely different threat horizon that
00:52:15we've ever faced, and so, yes, there are a lot of... Sheriff Barnes, if I may interrupt you,
00:52:20you talk about this Fusion Center, and I've had the opportunity to go tour it. That's a center
00:52:27where you take information from all sources, international, domestic, state, local, and you
00:52:32put that together, and it gives you a picture of the threat environment. Is that correct? Yes,
00:52:38and I would say when Fusion Centers stood up post 9-11, they were focused on foreign terrorism
00:52:44abroad. They are all crimes, all hazards now. Our Fusion Center is focused on domestic terrorism,
00:52:50bad actors, extremist groups, narcotics trafficking, sex trafficking, human trafficking.
00:52:56It's looking at everything, and so... And now you've got on top of that,
00:53:00unmanned aerial, small aircraft. You said propaganda, misinformation, artificial
00:53:08intelligence. Those are on top of the other things you're doing. That's what the Fusion Centers have
00:53:13to challenge to deal with? Yes, yes, Congressman. It is an all-inclusive risk mitigation center,
00:53:20and for the benefit of not just the region, the state, but the nation, we're putting product out
00:53:23for everybody, and sharing that information among Fusion Centers with our partners to make sure
00:53:27everybody's well-informed of what the threats are and how they're evolving. So if we want to play
00:53:31linebacker for you, make sure nobody scores, what is it that you would see from us? More funding,
00:53:38legislative action to give you more authority, for example, maybe to control, take down aerial
00:53:45drones? Exactly that, Congressman. Maintaining the funding for the Fusion Centers through Shishkab,
00:53:50UASI, Stone Garden, and other avenues for funding. HIDAS, which is a different funding source,
00:53:56is not sufficient, dealing with the worst time in our nation's history,
00:53:59narcotics trafficking, which does have a direct threat to these venues,
00:54:03through users consuming products that are clandestine produced and probably fentanyl.
00:54:08And also the technology. The technology needs to keep up with the times, and I think we're
00:54:13playing defense, and I don't like playing defense. I want to be in the offense. So giving us the
00:54:16technology that we can intervene appropriately if any of these things do happen through counter-UAS
00:54:22or other venues, we need to be prepared for that. You mentioned earlier that you would want us to
00:54:27triple down on federal funding for your Fusion Centers, is that correct? I think we need to not
00:54:32step away, but I think there's opportunities to invest larger. If I lose those funding,
00:54:37my Fusion Center is going to take a significant hit on some of the all crimes, all hazards. And
00:54:41this is not just for Orange County, this is across the nation, there's benefits. So you're speaking
00:54:45for the nation as a whole when you talk about funding, Fusion Centers, coordination with the
00:54:50federal government, all that takes resources that you need and other sheriffs across the country need
00:54:56to keep Americans safe. Not just sheriffs. If you look at the Fusion Center network as it operates,
00:55:01there isn't any major city chief that operates outside of a major county based on definition.
00:55:06All the venues that are being proposed are happening in major counties or major cities
00:55:11that are represented and supported by the Fusion Center network, especially for the FIFA World Cup
00:55:15and Club Cup. The connectivity and sharing of real-time information among that venue, which we
00:55:20did through the elections recently, has to happen in real time as these threats present themselves
00:55:25because they're likely to be replicated in other areas as bad actors share their tactics to try to
00:55:30bring this country down and do harm. Sheriff, I want to thank you for your time, for your efforts
00:55:37in being here, informing us here in Congress about the needs that you have on Main Street,
00:55:42makes us better policy makers. Thank you very much. Hope to talk to you soon again. Thank you
00:55:47very much. Thank you, Congressman Correia. The gentleman from California yields back. I now
00:55:51recognize the gentlelady from New Jersey, Ms. Poe, for five minutes of questioning.
00:55:57Thank you so very much, Mr. Chairman. It's wonderful to be back on this committee. Thank
00:56:01you. And thank you to our ranking member, Kennedy, for also holding this meeting. I'd like to begin
00:56:08by certainly indicating that, you know, mass gatherings are unique opportunities to connect
00:56:16with others and feel like we are a part of something bigger than ourselves. Especially
00:56:21after the pandemic, there has been a renewed appreciation for the value of a sold-out ball
00:56:29game or concert. The FIFA World Cup will bring together hundreds of thousands of fans.
00:56:36It is a time for friendship and celebration, and I am so proud that the final
00:56:43match will be played in my district in New Jersey. I was recently named the co-chair of a new
00:56:50bipartisan task force focused on enhancing security for special events like the World Cup,
00:56:56and I look forward to the chairman calling our first official meeting and beginning our work.
00:57:02With that being said, I'd like to begin my questioning and indicate that, you know, as
00:57:09my district, as I've just mentioned, ratchets up for security preparation for the World Cup,
00:57:15our first responders and municipalities need resources today to plan for next year.
00:57:23I am deeply concerned by the Trump administration's illegal withholding or otherwise
00:57:27delaying critical FEMA and anti-terror grants. These delays seriously undermine the ability of
00:57:36state and local government to protect our communities and ensure that large sporting
00:57:42events like the World Cup are safe and secure. Last week, I pressed Secretary Nome on when our
00:57:51communities would will receive guidance on the Homeland Security Grant Program. Unfortunately,
00:57:58she did not give me an answer. So, Sheriff Barnes, how do delays in critical grant funding like the
00:58:06home the State Homeland Security Grant Program or the Urban Area Security Initiative impacts
00:58:12your department's ability to keep communities safe, especially as they prepare for high-profile
00:58:20events like the World Cup that I've just mentioned? Yes, thank you for the question. First, as an
00:58:25adage in anything we do, you fail to plan, you plan to fail. So, planning is everything and
00:58:30preparedness goes into many facets of equipment, tactics, training, tools, tabletop exercises, red
00:58:38teaming these events so we make sure that we're thinking like our adversaries. That's all very
00:58:42critical and that planning needs to start today. Regarding the FIFA World Cup, there's one
00:58:47aspect and I love the partnerships we have with our private sector representatives here, but a lot
00:58:52of the response protocols are beyond the venue itself. There's practice sites, hotels, other things
00:58:58and areas that grow beyond that that are contemporaneous to the actual event but spill
00:59:02over into local neighborhoods, communities, maybe even those beyond your congressional district that
00:59:07need to be protected and the planning that goes into that as well and those take resources. Funding
00:59:12is essential. If we don't have the offset, this is a planned event. It doesn't qualify for most
00:59:17mutual aid plans, which means no reimbursement unless it's financed or funded up front for the
00:59:22ability to recover costs in planning. That needs to take place, in my opinion, today to put those
00:59:27funds and make those funds available for the planning. Thank you. I can't agree with you more.
00:59:31Thank you so very much for your answer. You know, I also would want to speak about the home-grown
00:59:37violent extremists and domestic terrorists that preys on events like the World Cup that brings
00:59:44together different communities. That is why our New Jersey Office of Homeland Security identified
00:59:50attacks from these groups as the highest threat to New Jersey. Earlier this year, I traveled to
00:59:57New Orleans with the chairman and with some of our other colleagues here to learn about the
01:00:03devastating attack on Bourbon Street carried out by a homeland extremist. During this trip,
01:00:09we heard from local law enforcement about the threats our nation faces from home-grown
01:00:15terrorism at highly attended events. Sheriff Barnes, if you would please, what are the unique
01:00:22threats posed by the home-grown extremists and domestic terrorists to mass gatherings,
01:00:31events, and how are you working to combat these threats? Yes, I think you mentioned several of
01:00:37those already vehicle rammings. They're mostly spontaneous actors that are not even on the grid
01:00:41or even known to either federal authorities or locals. So spontaneous bad actors are an evolving
01:00:47trend that we're seeing. Some of these people weren't even had a case open or even had any
01:00:51threats. Open source information is important. That's why the Houston Centers play such a critical
01:00:56role. There are oftentimes tripwire events that we see immediately prior to postings or some things
01:01:01happen on open source information like social media. And going back after 9-11 reinvigorated
01:01:07the See Something, Say Something campaign that worked so well several decades ago. So people who
01:01:12do have information of individuals can be brought to the attention of law enforcement.
01:01:17But I'd preface all of this with, first and foremost, the protection of First Amendment
01:01:21rights when people do decide to take to the streets and protest responsibly or have actions.
01:01:26We are always focused on constitutional rights of our citizenry first, but have to be prepared
01:01:31and when it crosses over into legal activities to keep our nation safe. Thank you. Thank you,
01:01:36Mr. Chairman. I yield back. The gentlewoman yields back. I now recognize the gentlelady
01:01:40from Texas, Ms. Johnson, for five minutes of questioning. Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman.
01:01:47As a member of Congress serving the city of Dallas, you can see I'm very interested in the
01:01:52FIFA World Cup and this will bring in millions of dollars of revenue for small businesses and
01:01:58surrounding communities and millions of new visitors to the North Texas area and from around
01:02:03the world. We are thrilled to be hosting nine matches, which is the largest amount of matches
01:02:09in the country. We're also the broadcast hub for the FIFA World Cup. And so it's going to become
01:02:15not only a unique, it's a sustained security need that we have because we're going to have
01:02:21media professionals throughout the world in the city for a prolonged period of time,
01:02:25not just for the unique timelines of the matches themselves. I was thrilled to have the opportunity
01:02:32to travel with you, Mr. Chairman, to New Orleans and with some of my colleagues on this committee
01:02:36and advance the Super Bowl. And we saw an immense amount of planning that goes into these events to
01:02:41keep attendees safe. Meanwhile, Secretary Noem and President Trump are expected to propose
01:02:47significant cuts to the FEMA preparedness grants and funding that is critical for major events
01:02:52security. The proposed budget also eliminates the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium,
01:02:58which has trained thousands of emergency response teams. In just my district alone,
01:03:02they have trained almost 12,000 participants. These programs not only train our local first
01:03:07responders at no cost to them or our cities, but also partner with the City for Domestic
01:03:12Preparedness, FEMA and other governmental agencies. When we do not have adequate funding to keep these
01:03:17programs afloat, we will not have the workforce to keep the public safe. By cutting funding to
01:03:24these programs, this administration is setting our cities up for failure and putting the lives
01:03:29of attendees and our security personnel at risk. The World Cup is anticipated to bring in more than
01:03:366 million visitors from around the world in a time where cybersecurity workforce is significantly
01:03:42understaffed and cyber attacks are on the rise. Illegal freezes on grant funding and TSA agents
01:03:48are being terminated, and we need to take a serious look at how prepared we actually are
01:03:53just one year before the event takes place. I look forward to working alongside my colleagues
01:03:58to ensure every step of the way. Mr. Chairman, I'm just really concerned that this Congress
01:04:07right now, while having this hearing, is fabulous, we need to focus on the security of our country.
01:04:14We want to have a successful Olympics. We want to have a successful World Cup. We had the chance
01:04:20to see up close and personal just how much goes into the planning of the Super Bowl. It was an
01:04:26enlightening experience to see just the effort, the expense, and the coordination that's required
01:04:32amongst so many agencies. And while we're shining that, we're talking about it, which is fabulous.
01:04:37But on the other hand, in this very building, in the rules debate, in our capital, we're having
01:04:42a budget that guts all the funding for it. So how can we do that? How can we gut all the funding
01:04:50and then still say we are prioritizing this security? So, you know, gentlemen, my question for
01:04:57you is, you know, what potential threats do you see? And do you have enough resources? Are you,
01:05:03do you think that we have allocated enough resources for this country and the
01:05:10visitors to come here to be safe when they come for World Cup?
01:05:13Congresswoman, whether it's the World Cup, the Super Bowl, a large festival, or a smaller festival,
01:05:23we all share the same concerns. What's concerning at this moment is the threat persists from UAS.
01:05:30And at this time, the thresholds are too high. The authority to act upon the threats are very limited.
01:05:43And we just need a streamlined process to help facilitate the protection that is warranted.
01:05:50You know, I want to ask you a question about that. So at a different hearing, or actually maybe when
01:05:54we were in New Orleans, one of the things that was brought up to us was the lack of local law
01:06:00enforcement's ability to actually deal with the drones. You had to go through just this crazy
01:06:05red tape in order to take down a potential threat. Is that still in place? Has that been
01:06:12corrected? And are you aware of efforts on the table to correct that? So the FAA Reauthorization
01:06:19Act was a step in the right direction, but it is implemented inconsistently across all the different
01:06:26events. And having the ability to work with venues, to work with our law enforcement partners,
01:06:32to be able to successfully apply for a TFR is challenging. And then whether or not the
01:06:40federal resources are available from the agencies, and then whether or not FAA approves, it's a
01:06:46complicated process that really needs some attention to streamline and make more consistent
01:06:53across all the events. Do you feel, what, and it's Live Nation, you see lots of stuff, I can only
01:07:03imagine, and you see all the things. So besides, you know, drones, and besides this lack of
01:07:10coordination between the agencies to give the men on the ground the ability to deal with an immediate
01:07:19threat, besides that issue, what other security threat issues are you concerned with, in particular
01:07:25to these large-scale events that are coming up? Of course, it's homegrown violent extremists, it's
01:07:33terrorism, it's just crime in general, managing large crowds, it's all the things that my colleagues
01:07:40have spoken about today, and making sure that we have coordinated, collaborated plans in partnership
01:07:46with all of our stakeholders, to include federal, state, and local partnerships, and we're all
01:07:51singing from the same sheet of music with planning, operations, and response. Yes, and then at the same
01:08:00time, we're laying off record numbers of FBI agents, and we're going to make our country
01:08:04left safe. Gentlemen, I think my time has expired, and thank you very much. Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
01:08:09The gentlewoman from Texas yields back. I thank Sheriff Barnes, Mr. Juneau, and Mr. Hammond for
01:08:14their valuable testimony, and the members for their questions. The members of the subcommittee
01:08:19may have some additional questions for the witnesses, and we would ask the witnesses to
01:08:23respond to these in writing. Pursuant to Committee Rule 7d, the hearing record will be held open for
01:08:2910 days. Without objection, this subcommittee stands adjourned.