WASHINGTON D.C. — Today, House Committee on Homeland Security Vice Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX), chairman of the bipartisan “Task Force on Enhancing Security for Special Events in the United States,” announced the panel’s first hearing will be on July 22, 2025, to assess historical incidents and attacks at sporting events, concerts, and other mass gatherings in anticipation of upcoming high-profile, international events the United States will be hosting. The hearing will also allow members and witnesses to examine the unique security challenges inherent to mass gatherings and will highlight best practices for events such as the 2026 World Cup, the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, and the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026.

“Far too many times throughout history, we have seen terrorists exploit mass gatherings to make statements of terror on the world stage. As the United States prepares to welcome millions of international visitors in the coming years, we must learn from the past to prevent future tragedies,” Task Force Chairman McCaul said. “I look forward to leading our task force’s first hearing next week and receiving testimony from Col. Robert Hodges of the Louisiana State Police and retired Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis, with whom I worked closely after the Boston Marathon Bombing. Their decades of service will help guide our work and ensure DHS can coordinate effectively with state and local law enforcement, emergency managers, and other key partners to provide safe experiences for all in attendance.”
 
DETAILS:
 
What: A House Committee on Homeland Security task force hearing entitled, “Lessons Learned: An examination of historic security incidents at mass gatherings.”
 
When: July 22, 2025, at 2:00 PM ET
 
Where: 310 Cannon House Office Building
 
WITNESSES: 

The Honorable Rosie Cordero-Stutz
Miami-Dade County Sheriff, Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office

Ed Davis 
Boston Police Department (retired) 
 
Col. Robert Hodges 
Superintendent, Louisiana State Police

Stacey Graves
Police Chief, Kansas City Missouri Police Department

Witness testimony will be added here. The hearing will be livestreamed on YouTube and will be opened to the public and the press. Press must be congressionally credentialed and should RSVP in advance.

BACKGROUND: 
 
The Committee established the “Task Force on Enhancing Security for Special Events in the United States” in May 2025 to maintain oversight of security preparations for a slate of large-scale international events hosted by the United States, including the ongoing Ryder Cup, the FIFA World Cup in 2026, the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026, and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
 
With jurisdiction over the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the Transportation Security Agency (TSA), this Committee on Homeland Security task force will visit select event sites in advance, hold additional hearings, host roundtables, work with the Trump administration’s FIFA task force, and release a final report on its findings. This task force is an important part of the Committee’s oversight of National Special Security Events (NSSEs) and major Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) events. Last month, the task force visited Audi Field, a location for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, alongside members of the White House’s task force. 
 
The 2026 World Cup will be held throughout North America in June-July 2026 and include more than 70 matches played in 11 different cities across the United States. Difficulties in managing spectator behavior at the 2024 Copa América, played at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida, have given rise to concerns regarding the United States’ readiness for hosting an international sporting event of the World Cup’s size. FIFA anticipates that at least five million fans will travel to the United States for the World Cup, with as many as six billion viewers watching the event online.
 
The 2028 Summer Olympics will be held in the greater Los Angeles area from July 14-August 27, 2028. The Paralympic Games will begin on August 15, 2028. While the Olympics are still several years away, the games have already been designated an NSSE. The U.S. Secret Service is designated as the lead federal agency responsible for coordinating, planning, exercising, and implementing security for such events.
 
The House Homeland Security Committee’s budget reconciliation recommendations, which were signed into law this month in the “One Big, Beautiful Bill,” included $625 million for preparations related to the 2026 FIFA World Cup and $1 billion for the 2028 Summer Olympics. 
 
In May, the Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology held a hearing held a hearing to assess security measures and federal, state, local, and private-sector coordination efforts for upcoming mass-gathering events. 

In April, 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. 
 

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