Bennie Thompson

I am pleased to see the subcommittee examining the security of our maritime borders as well.

This wastes time, puts strain on an already challenged workforce and reduces the reliability of the information provided.

Unfortunately, this has not been the case at the Department of Homeland Security.

We owe it to taxpayers to ensure that these funds are appropriately used, fully accounted for, and auditable.

I want to make sure that we are on the same wavelength with that.

If an incident occurs, do our TSOs have radios at checkpoints?

I have been a critic of the SPOT program since its inception and expansion prior to being validated.

I hope this incident will result in less rhetoric about, and demonizing of, Transportation Security Officers.

We cannot continue to fund programs with the hope that they will work.

I have real concerns about it. There are people who talk about other models, but you talk about countries where civil rights and civil liberties are not a part of the protocol.

The shooting that took place at LAX was a tragic and senseless act of violence.

Today, I will be joining Chairman McCaul, Chairman Hudson, Ranking Member Richmond, and Congresswoman Waters in introducing a resolution condemning the shooting at LAX and expressing condolences to Officer Hernandez's family.

I think the timeline can clear up a lot of that.

I think I am concerned with how we are presently handling situations, too.

It has taken us some time to fill those vacancies.

I think some of us are concerned that the culture of the facility allowed certain things to go on.

So 138,000 attempts is a big number.

Mr. Chairman, the people deserve a Government that stays open, works together, solves problems, and spends money wisely.

My years in leadership on this committee have given me great insight into the American public's evolving interest in homeland security.

That is why I am pleased that Rep. Payne, Jr. introduced H.R. 2962, the SMART Grid Study Act.

Mr. Chairman, I think that we should all have concern about cyber attacks on critical infrastructure--especially attacks that could disable the electric grid.

While I applaud the President's efforts, I must point out that an Executive Order cannot expand existing legal authorities.

In 2010, former White House Counterterrorism Advisor Richard Clarke stated that this country's lack of preparation for a cyber attack could lead to a breakdown in our critical infrastructure system that would be like an 'electronic Pearl…

My legislation seeks to move FPS away from its over-reliance on contract security guards, and to instead build up the agency's internal capacity.

The purpose of this hearing is to review the security protocols in place to safeguard Federal facilities and the Federal personnel who work within them, and the visitors to those buildings.