WASHINGTON D.C.—Today, Rep. Dale Strong (R-AL), chairman of the Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology, delivered the following opening statement in a hearing to assess security measures and federal, state, local, and private-sector coordination efforts for upcoming mass gathering events. Today’s hearing follows Committee Chairman Mark E. Green, MD (R-TN) and Vice Chairman Michael McCaul’s (R-TX) establishment of the “Task Force on Enhancing Security for Special Events in the United States,” which will conduct oversight of security preparations for major upcoming international events, including the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, the FIFA World Cup in 2026, the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, the 2025 Ryder Cup, and the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026.

Watch Chairman Strong’s full opening statement in a hearing entitled, “Mass Gathering Events: Assessing Security Coordination and Preparedness.”

As prepared for delivery: 

Good afternoon and thank you for joining us. I would also like to thank the staff for their hard work on this hearing. Today, this Subcommittee will discuss the important and timely topic of our security preparedness and coordination for mass gathering events.
 
By their very nature, these events draw large crowds in concentrated areas, making them attractive targets for malicious actors. Ensuring their safety requires complex coordination among federal, state, and local authorities – including law enforcement and emergency services. It also requires close collaboration with partners in the sports and entertainment industries.

I witnessed the scale of these challenges firsthand, when I led a congressional delegation to New Orleans to survey security preparations for the Super Bowl following the New Year’s attack on Bourbon Street. That incident, and others like it, serve as stark reminders that terrorist threats persist, and underscore our shared responsibility to safeguard such gatherings. And these events will only continue to grow in prominence and frequency. 
 
In the years ahead, the United States will host several major international sporting events, including: The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and  the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Los Angeles. These events present enormous opportunities – delivering economic benefits, while also showcasing our great Nation on the international stage. But they also bring significant security challenges. 
 
Take the 2026 World Cup for example: 78 matches will be played in 11 U.S. cities, with an estimated 6.5 million fans traveling to the U.S. Not to mention, it will also be played in the midst of celebrations for America’s 250th anniversary. To meet these unprecedented demands, DHS has convened an “all-hands on deck” approach to ensure they are safe and secure.  
 
CISA is working to secure critical infrastructure; the Office of Intelligence and Analysis is sharing threat information; and CBP and CIS are carefully vetting and processing international travelers. I am also proud of this Committee’s leadership in getting ahead of this challenge. 

Three weeks ago, the Committee passed its budget reconciliation recommendations, including $625 million in additional preparedness funding for the 2026 World Cup and $1 billion for the 2028 Olympics. I support these measures, and hope funds can be distributed as quickly and effectively as possible.

Additionally, following President Trump’s Executive Order convening a White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup, this Committee established its own bipartisan Task Force on Enhancing Security for Special Events in the United States. I applaud Vice Chairman McCaul, who will be chairing the task force, and Chairman Green for their leadership on this issue. I’m honored to have been selected to join the task force. I hope today’s hearing will offer valuable insights to inform future task force discussions.
 
There are many challenges that need to be addressed to improve our security preparedness for these major events. As we discussed in our hearing last month, Unmanned Aircraft Systems – or UAS – can act as a force multiplier for the DHS mission. However, they can also be used for evil or unlawful purposes. You may remember in 2017 a drone dropped leaflets over two sports stadiums in violation of the Temporary Flight Restrictions. 
 
It doesn’t take very much imagination to see how the same technology could have been used for a much deadlier purpose. And as I previously mentioned, the New Orleans’ attack demonstrated the danger that vehicles pose to mass gatherings – and the need to ensure effective countermeasures are in place. Additionally, fan behavior at these events can be erratic, as seen during the 2024 Copa América match when thousands of fans breached physical security barriers and overwhelmed law enforcement. These examples reflect the importance of robust security planning to ensure events are conducted peacefully, that all spectators remain safe, and everyone has a good time.
 
I’m thankful for the participation of our witnesses today. I look forward to their perspectives, as well as what Congress and the federal government can do to support these events. Again, thank you all for being here, and I hope we can have a productive and bipartisan discussion as we seek to improve security ahead of these mass gathering events.

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