Kathleen Rice

The Honorable Kathleen M. Rice, a Representative in Congress From the State of New York, and Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence:

I believe it is critically important for the new administration to craft and implement real strategies for countering the resurgence of al-Qaeda, as well as ISIS and other groups that still pose a real, evolving threat to our homeland and…

We have got to come up with a plan. But one of the overwhelming themes that, you know, I hear from this panel is that it is clear that terrorist organizations are able to flourish in areas that lack strong governmental institutions.

We have made real, significant progress in this fight. In the 16 years since 9/11, the United States, together with our allies and partners around the world, have severely weakened al-Qaeda's leadership.

I think it is important to recognize that under the Obama administration we saw the creation, evolution, and implementation of effective counterterrorism policies that help lead to the deaths of several key al-Qaeda leaders.

That is just continuing with this administration, so this is not a Republican or Democratic thing.

But we also know that we have made real, significant progress in this fight the 16 years since 9/11.

What we need is a serious, focused, long-term counterterrorism strategy that builds on all that we have learned over the past 16 years and guides us forward as we take on the evolving threats that we face right now and in the years ahead.

What we have to do up here in my humble opinion, and I think that, I feel very confident that if there is any Committee in Washington, D.C. that has the political courage to do what is necessary it is this one.

OIG obviously acknowledged that the actions such as these obviously harm the public trust, that the VA is actually properly executing their duties.

So I just want to talk about the Accountability Act that we are discussing here.

Representative Mike Coffman and I requested that the VA OIG review allegations that a supervisor at a VA facility in the Bronx... made unauthorized contract purchases for prosthetics totaling more than $50 million.

criminals could not act with impunity, and that if they were harmed by criminals they could obtain justice.

Back in 2013, when Representative Rice was district attorney, we were attempting to obtain a Title III wiretap with the FBI but could not reach our legal threshold until we discovered two YouTube videos, Puppies on Deck and In the Trap…

We are here today to examine a very real and serious threat to public safety on Long Island.

I have met with many immigrants in my district over the past 6 months--documented and undocumented--and there is a very real and palpable sense of fear right now in Long Island's immigrant communities.

I believe that dismantling violent criminal organizations like MS-13 must be a priority for law enforcement officials and lawmakers at all levels.

I want to offer my condolences to Ms. Rodriguez and Mr. Mickens and thank you for having the courage to testify today.

if they think that people do not know there is a gang problem in their local school, then they have their head in the sand.

I could not agree with you more. Commissioner, I have spent some time, obviously--we have immigrant communities in my district, and what I hear very often is desperation on the part of people living in immigrant communities, some…

I would appreciate any thoughts or insight our witnesses can provide about those concerns.

So I think if I can just make this one point, Mr. Chairman, I think that if we require schools to have that process, we should make sure they get those transcripts, right?

I was dumbfounded at their response. I had never gotten anything like that . . . The administration has installed loyalists at every agency to keep tabs on what information people can get.

But losing the UASI funding would result in--and this is according to Commissioner O'Neill, they would have to cut 600 officers who play a vital role in protecting New York City.

I have yet to get a response. It was about a specific provision within the E.O. that was not subjected to the TRO issued by the court.