WASHINGTON, D.C. –– Today, House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark E. Green, MD (R-TN) issued the following statement after being appointed to the bipartisan House task force responsible for investigating the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump:
 
“I am honored to join my colleagues on this bipartisan task force, including Representatives Higgins and Lee of the House Committee on Homeland Security, to more deeply investigate the countless security failures of July 13. DHS and the Secret Service’s utter failure to safeguard a former president and current candidate for our nation’s highest office was unacceptable from the start, and it grows more troubling with each new report and effort by the Biden-Harris administration to stonewall congressional oversight. Establishing this task force is a critical step in addressing this failure and ensuring we get the American people the answers they deserve. We will do everything in our power to ensure nothing like this ever happens again, and I encourage DHS, as well as former Secret Service Director Cheatle, to cooperate with our bipartisan oversight mission.” 
 
Background:
 
Last week, the Committee heard valuable testimony from Colonel Christopher Paris, commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police, and Patrick Yoes, national president of the Fraternal Order of Police, to examine the facts and circumstances surrounding the attempted assassination of former President Donald J. Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on July 13. During the hearing, United States Secret Service (USSS) Director Kimberly Cheatle, who refused to appear before the Committee, resigned from her role following calls for her resignation from Chairman Green and other Committee members. 
 
On July 19, Chairman Green subpoenaed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for documents and information regarding the failed security efforts surrounding the July 13 rally. The subpoena followed the department’s failure to respond and comply with Committee requests for documents and information. DHS failed to satisfy the subpoena’s July 26 deadline and remains delinquent in producing the compelled documents.
 
Last Monday, Chairman Green and Representative Mike Kelly (PA-16) were joined by a bipartisan group of House Homeland Security Committee members on a tour of the site of the attempted assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, to inform the public of the Committee’s oversight into the security lapses of that day. 
 
In addition to the information request, Chairman Green also invited Secretary Mayorkas, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray, and Director Cheatle to testify publicly on Tuesday, July 23, in a hearing to examine the facts and circumstances surrounding the assassination attempt against former President Trump. The FBI told the Committee they could not make Director Wray available for the hearing. DHS declined for Secretary Mayorkas and Director Cheatle to testify.
 
Since the attempted assassination of President Trump, the Committee has been in close contact with department officials and continues to seek answers to the many questions the American people deserve to know. Chairman Green spoke with Director Cheatle on Sunday, July 14, and with FBI Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells on Monday, July 15. The Committee will continue to be in close contact with USSS, DHS, and the FBI to ensure the safety of our political leaders and fully investigate security failures.
 
 

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