August Pfluger Demands DHS Oversight: ‘So That We Don’t Have Another Incident Like 9/11 Again’

3 months ago

During a House Homeland Security Committee hearing last week, Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX) gave opening remarks about the DHS Office of Intelligence & Analysis.

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Transcript

00:00The Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence will come

00:03to order.

00:04Without objection, the subcommittee may recess at any point.

00:08The purpose of this hearing is to conduct oversight of the Department of Homeland Security's

00:13Office of Intelligence and Analysis, referred to as INA, and hear from Undersecretary for

00:18INA, Mr. Kenneth Weinstein.

00:20I now recognize myself for an opening statement.

00:23We're holding this important hearing to examine and discuss the role of DHS's Office of INA

00:29that helps play a role in safeguarding our nation.

00:32The United States faces a myriad of threats from state and non-state actors.

00:37We're seeing authoritarian regimes such as China, Russia, and Iran expand their reach

00:42across the globe and challenge the sovereignty of the United States and our allies.

00:47Our adversaries are not only working to achieve these objectives through conventional military

00:51means but are also masterfully accomplishing these goals through cyberspace and by using

00:56asymmetric tactics that fall just below the threshold of traditional conflict, more commonly

01:01known as gray zone aggression.

01:03We've seen malign actors utilize state-owned companies and their technological products

01:08to spy on our nation and gather sensitive data that advances their strategic goals.

01:13Further, the threats posed by violent extremist groups like ISIS, al-Shabaab, al-Qaeda, and

01:18others that continue to operate throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast

01:24Asia present consistent challenges.

01:26Overall, the threats posed by state and non-state actors, paired with the Department's failure

01:31to secure our borders, have led our nation down a precarious path that presents a clear

01:36and present danger.

01:37Our nation has almost certainly not seen this level of instability since World War II, and

01:42these threats will only continue to metastasize if we don't do something about it and stop

01:49the aggression from our adversaries.

01:52I highlight the troubling developments because they show why now more than ever our nation

01:56needs an effective and efficient intelligence enterprise to keep the homeland safe, secure,

02:01and resilient while not abusing its authorities or violating the constitutional rights of

02:06Americans.

02:07The men and women that work within INA are charged with disseminating intelligence to

02:10state, local, tribal, and territorial enforcement agencies and other partners and develop intelligence

02:16from those partners for DHS and the IC to ensure our communities stay safe.

02:22Over the years and across administrations, INA has struggled at times to complete its

02:27mission to equip the homeland security enterprise with timely intelligence and information needed

02:31to keep the homeland safe.

02:34Systematic and documented failures, as detailed by various reports by the DHS Inspector Generals,

02:41have led to breakdowns in identifying specific threat streams or have undermined public trust.

02:48For instance, INA's overt Human Intelligence Collection Program has raised serious questions

02:53and concerns related to the Department's overreach of its statutory mandate and to potential

02:57violations of the fundamental civil liberties of all Americans.

03:01In fact, part of the program was paused after a number of DHS officials raised concern about

03:05its legality.

03:07These issues have led to high turnover, no clear leadership or effective oversight, and

03:12significant training gaps for its employees.

03:15These incidents within DHS are unacceptable and erode trust in keeping our nation safe

03:20at a time when our country faces an elevated threat.

03:24It did not help when DHS unilaterally decided to establish a now disbanded Homeland Intelligence

03:31Expert Group, an action that continues to raise concerns about DHS's impartiality and

03:38objectivity in furthering its homeland security mission amidst ever-evolving threats.

03:44These concerns were further exacerbated when DHS then decided to rebrand the discredited

03:49experts group as an advisory board, claiming that the new board builds upon the experts

03:54group and will represent diverse perspectives without regard for political affiliation.

03:59In an effort to address some of these shortcomings within INA, members of this committee have

04:05not only conducted oversight of INA's operations, but also passed various bipartisan legislative

04:11measures designed to improve training and transparency of INA's activities.

04:16Today, I've asked Undersecretary Weinstein to provide us with an update on the steps

04:20that the Department has taken to address the longstanding issues associated with INA that

04:25cannot be fixed with surface-level patches.

04:28I'm encouraged to hear that INA has been undergoing an internal review, and we thank Mr. Weinstein

04:34for doing that, and a reorganization as well.

04:38But it simply can't be a reshuffling of leadership roles or just to give the appearance of progress.

04:46We have talked several times throughout the last year about some of these issues.

04:51I've worked with the Ranking Member, Mr. Magaziner.

04:55This subcommittee has worked on truly identifying and having a conversation that highlights

05:02some of the past, what I would call, failures, but also looks forward to what can be done

05:09to keep our nation safe.

05:12As we approach the anniversary of 9-11, the 23rd anniversary of 9-11, I think it's important

05:19for all of us to keep in mind that in the days leading up to 9-11, the word, the phrase,

05:29the system was blinking red, was brought up.

05:33That was part of the 9-11 Commission, it was part of the findings, and it's part of what

05:36I want to frame this subcommittee hearing today, is that I am fearful and concerned

05:42today that the system is blinking red in a number of ways.

05:47And I think that even if our intention is to keep this country safe, we have to look

05:52under the hood and get to an organization, and I appreciate you being here doing that

05:57so that if it is blinking red, which I think it is, that we can get the oversight done,

06:02provide DHS with the appropriate resources to keep the country safe so that we don't

06:07have another incident like 9-11 again.

06:10And I appreciate you being here, I look forward to hearing your testimony, and I now recognize

06:15the gentleman from Rhode Island, the Ranking Member, Mr. Magaziner.

August Pfluger Demands DHS Oversight: ‘So That We Don’t Have Another Incident Like 9/11 Again’

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