Subcommittee Hearing: Is DHS Effectively Implementing a Strategy to Counter Emerging Threats?

On Friday, February 3, 2012, the Committee on Homeland Security’s Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Management held a hearing entitled “Is DHS Effectively Implementing a Strategy to Counter Emerging Threats?”  The Subcommittee met at 10:00 a.m. in 311 Cannon House Office Building.

Chairman McCaul on the hearing:

“Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said, ‘I see One DHS as a strong, efficient and focused Department—one where all the talents and skills that we possess as individuals and as components come together… in new and exciting ways to serve our missions.’  This is a necessary goal, however the agency continues to be criticized for excessive bureaucracy, waste, ineffectiveness and lack of transparency that have hindered its operations and wasted taxpayer dollars.  Unless we fix these types of problems, we will continue to see failures in DHS programs such as the Secure Border Initiative virtual fence, where in the end taxpayers received little, if any, return on a $1 billion investment.  Tomorrow, we begin a series of hearings addressing the challenges DHS faces.  This first hearing examines the DHS strategy and its implementation to counter emerging threats.”