WASHINGTON, D.C. –– Today, House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Andrew R. Garbarino (R-NY) delivered the following opening statement in a Committee hearing examining how state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments are working alongside private sector partners and federal agencies to prepare for major mass gathering events on U.S. soil later this year. Witnesses included President of the National Fusion Center Association Mike Sena, Chief Operating Officer of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Miami Host Committee Ray Martinez, Deputy Chief of the Kansas City Missouri Police Joseph Mabin, and Deputy Chief of Staff and Homeland Security Advisor in the Office of the Governor for the State of Maryland Travis Nelson. 

Watch Chairman Garbarino’s opening statement here and read it below.

The United States is preparing to host a “mega-decade” of mass gathering events, starting this summer with the 2026 FIFA World Cup and nationwide celebrations to mark the 250^th anniversary of our nation. 

These events are an incredible opportunity to showcase the best of America, but they will also require unprecedented collaboration between leaders at the federal, state, and local levels to secure these events and keep the public safe. 

Today, we will hear directly from some of those leaders about the security preparations already underway to ensure that we are ready to meet this moment. 

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held throughout North America in June and July, and it will include more than 70 matches played in 11 different cities across the United States. 

With five million fans traveling to the U.S. and as many as six billion viewers expected worldwide, this will be the largest sporting event in history. 

At the same time, America250 celebrations will be held in communities across the country this summer to commemorate the 250^th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. 

Recognizing the years of planning that have already gone into these events, this Committee established its “Task Force on Enhancing Security for Special Events in the United States” last spring to ensure the continued prioritization of these events by Congress, federal agencies, and state, local, and private sector partners. 

I want to thank Task Force Chairman McCaul and Ranking Member Pou for their leadership, and all Members of this Committee for their consistent engagement on these security preparations through the many briefings, hearings, and roundtables we have convened. 

Over the last year, Congress has taken concrete action to ensure the United States will be well-equipped and well-prepared for the months and years ahead, and I am proud of the role that this Committee has played and will continue to play in moving these critical priorities forward.  

One of the greatest security risks facing our nation today is the malicious use of unmanned aircraft systems, or drones. 

The prospect of weaponized drones being used to attack mass gatherings in open-air stadiums is a scenario that keeps policymakers and law enforcement professionals up at night.   

In response to these threats, I was proud to work with the Trump administration and lead efforts to pass vital counter-UAS authorities for state and local law enforcement in the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which will help support real-time mitigation efforts and counter the adversarial use of this technology. 

Republicans in Congress also provided historic security investments through the enactment of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act last summer, which included $625 million for 2026 FIFA World Cup security and $500 million for state and local investments in counter-UAS capabilities. 

As we approach the 25^th anniversary of the September 11^th terrorist attacks later this year, this solemn milestone reemphasizes the importance of our collective mission in the face of constantly evolving threats. 

The Department of Homeland Security and this Committee were both created after 9/11 to ensure that a similar attack on the United States would never happen again. 

In just the last three months, this Committee has heard directly from DHS Secretary Noem and leaders from several DHS components – including TSA, CBP, and CISA – whose agencies will play critical roles in safeguarding these events. 

Twenty-five years later, the threat landscape has not diminished — it has intensified, diversified, and evolved in ways that demand constant vigilance and decisive action. 

But DHS and the federal government cannot achieve this mission alone. Close collaboration, communication, and information sharing between federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, along with industry stakeholders and private sector partners, is essential. 

These games and festivities, designed to bring people together in joy and celebration, also present an array of targets for nefarious actors who seek to carry out violent attacks or exploit these gatherings for other illicit purposes. 

It is not an even playing field. The dedicated men and women who protect our communities every day must overcome these threats every single time. Those who seek to inflict harm only need to be right once. But that doesn’t mean we give up. It means we must be prepared for every possibility and ready to combat any threat.

The goal of today’s hearing is to engage directly with representatives from law enforcement, host cities, and fusion centers that serve on the front lines of this whole-of-society security effort.

Our shared objective is to ensure these partners are receiving the timely intelligence, resources, and coordination they need to carry out their responsibilities effectively and safeguard the communities they serve. 

If there are challenges, we have a collective responsibility to identify them and work together to find actionable solutions. Protecting public safety is not a partisan issue, and it is imperative that we work together to do so. 

As Chairman, I am committed to ensuring that all partners in this effort are receiving the support they need to succeed. 

I look forward to the witnesses’ testimony today and to a productive discussion on how we can all work together on these efforts moving forward.

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