WASHINGTON, D.C. –– This week, Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL), chairman of the Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security, held a hearing to examine public- and private-sector efforts to secure and improve the U.S. travel system ahead of major international events, such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Witness testimony was provided by Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association; Jon Gruen, CEO at Fortem Technologies; and Dr. Everett Kelley, national president at the American Federation of Government Employees.

Witnesses highlighted the challenges facing the U.S. travel system today, including out-of-date technology, operational inefficiencies, increased global competition, and evolving threats from unmanned aerial systems, or drones. Utilizing artificial intelligence, enhancing interagency coordination throughout the federal government and the private sector, and reforming counter-drone authorities were solutions identified by witnesses and members to ensure security and efficiency for the traveling public ahead of mass-spectator events.

In his opening statement, Chairman Gimenez discussed his work to ensure a coordinated effort throughout the federal government concerning the security of all major international events:

“A recent report from the U.S. Travel Association made it clear that while the United States remains one of the top destinations for international travelers, we now rank last among the top travel destinations when it comes to national planning and leadership. Long waits for visas, outdated airport technology, and staffing shortages at our ports of entry are slowing us down. These problems are not just frustrating, they could cost us jobs, investment, and global influence.”

“That is why I support President Trump’s recent Executive Order creating a White House Task Force focused on the 2026 World Cup. This kind of coordination is exactly what we need. It brings the right people to the table and sends a strong message that the United States is serious about being ready.”

“I’m currently working on a bill that would take this a step further by creating a federal task force to focus on all major international events occurring in the U.S. over the next four years. That includes the World Cup, America’s 250th, and the 2028 Olympics. We need to make sure every agency involved is working together and that our policies and resources are aligned.”

In his opening statement, Gruen discussed the importance of U.S. counter-drone capabilities and commended the “Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act of 2024”:
 
“Over the next decade, the United States will host multiple major international sporting events, and as we approach these global events, it is vital that we assess today’s threat landscape and act now to lower the risk of incidents.”

“As you are well aware, the occurrence of drone threats has surged in recent years, with the Department of Homeland Security reporting thousands of unauthorized drone incidents annually. Recent domestic drone incidents like the collision with the firefighting aircraft in Los Angeles and one that halted an NFL playoff game are warnings of what’s to come if we don’t act.”
 
“The chaos that ensued when drone activity disrupted flights at Newark Airport last year is a glaring example of our inability to respond to drone threats in real time. I commend this committee’s thoughtful, bipartisan work to resolve this challenge through H.R. 8610 last year and believe this bill should be passed swiftly in the new Congress. We need centralized, streamlined, counter-drone processes now and we must delegate mitigation authority to state and local law enforcement. Their involvement is critical for faster response and better security at a 12-plus city event like the World Cup where resources will be stretched thin.”

In his opening statement, Freeman discussed the U.S. travel system’s efficiency:
 
“Travel strengthens America’s global standing, encourages business and cultural exchange, and generates significant tax revenue. In 2024, international visitors alone contributed $181 billion to our economy but we can’t count on this continued success without investments and reforms. Our infrastructure is failing to keep pace with the increasing demand for travel. For example, the Transportation Security Administration screened more than three million travelers on two occasions last year. By 2028, we’re projected to see 100 days per year with that same volume. Our systems––from security, to customs, to air traffic control––are outdated and not prepared for this surge. It’s not just about inefficiencies; it’s also about global competition. Countries like China, India, and Saudi Arabia are making rapid advancements to their travel infrastructure, and we risk falling behind if we don’t act swiftly. The next decade presents a tremendous opportunity.”
 
“Major events like the 2026 World Cup, America’s 250th anniversary, and the 2028 Olympics are expected to spur domestic travel and bring millions of international travelers to the United States, but without modernizing our travel infrastructure, we will not capture the full economic benefit of these events. President Trump’s creation of the White House Task Force for the World Cup is a step in the right direction, but much more is necessary to ensure that our country can maximize the travel opportunity to help meet these challenges.” 

Chairman Gimenez asked witnesses why our travel system continues to face challenges: 

“What was the highest year that we had international passengers in the United States?… How did we end up with wait times of two weeks to 500 days? How did that happen?”

Freeman answered:
 
“The highest year for international travel was 2018. We have gone down or remained below that every year since. We, at the end of last year, were only at about 90-percent of where we were pre-pandemic, so the U.S. continues to struggle to welcome international visitors in the numbers we previously did. Coming into this year, visa concerns, customs concerns were the top reasons for that… The issues that were in our control were 500-day plus wait times to get an interview for a visa, multi-hour waits to get through customs. Both of those were big deterrents for foreign travelers…We’ve ebbed and flowed in terms of where we are on visa wait times… When you look at what happened post-pandemic or in the early days of the pandemic, all these foreign service officers came back home. They were slow to get back out to their consulates around the world.”

Rep. Sheri Biggs (R-SC) asked witnesses what steps the World Cup Task Force should be taking to ensure safe travel for the event:

“How should the World Cup Task Force prioritize its efforts to address operational challenges at our airports and our ports of entry?”

Freeman answered:
 
“The World Cup starts in about 15 months. Other countries are already planning for the… 2030 World Cup. That planning is already ahead of where we are. So, we’ve got to acknowledge we’re already behind the eight ball. I have all the faith in the world in the local destinations that are hosting the World Cup. They have been coordinating… The demand that we’re going to see is basically a Thanksgiving every day for about the 45 days of the World Cup…This task force is critical aligning the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Transportation, and other relevant agencies to ensure we can meet that demand.”

Rep. Biggs continued, asking witnesses how the World Cup Task Force can work to combat threats, including through the use of AI-driven threat detection:
 
“With major international events acting as high-profile targets for bad actors, how do you think the task force should integrate threat, intelligence interagency coordination, and emerging technologies like counter-UAS and AI enabled surveillance into the strategic planning?”
 
Gruen answered:
 
“We recommend 12 months out from events to really get the technology on the ground, get the personnel trained, and run through different scenarios to mitigate threats. So, we believe the task force needs to do that aspect. Part of that is also going to be authorities to enable local and state law enforcement to have the authorities to mitigate large threats, such as drones, when they’re on the ground. So again, prioritizing that we are behind the power curve on this we need the task force to prioritize the procurement and deployment of technologies and the training of personnel so that we have adequate protection.”

Freeman answered:
 
“We’re already moving towards more of that automated system. We see some of that with the identity verification that’s taking place. We see that with a digital ID that happens and is working with airlines, with Delta, United, with American. If you fly through Newark and Atlanta, some of these other major hubs, Detroit, you can go through the entire process just based on your facial biometrics… That’s where there’s so much more opportunity. There are opportunities for the private sector to work more closely with TSA to help realize some of these opportunities.”
 

Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) asked witnesses about the threat of drone attacks during major events:

“Do you believe that the U.S. is prepared to protect its citizens and infrastructure from drone attacks in some of these major events that we’re talking about coming up in the U.S.?”
 
Gruen answered:
 
“Absolutely not… The drone threat is so wide ranging that it is hard to sometimes grasp, because you have kind of the obvious situation of a stadium where you may have DJI-type drones come into the stadium, either drop powders or be explosive in themselves and do actual physical damage to the attendees. You also have a lot of other types of operational scenarios like airports, with all these folks that are trying to arrive. If you have a drone that goes and parks itself on a runway, the entire operation is going to shut down. It doesn’t even have to explode if you can just sit there, and you have already disrupted air travel.” 

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