WASHINGTON, D.C. –– Today, House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Andrew R. Garbarino (R-NY) delivered the following opening statement in a hearing to conduct oversight of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and Science and Technology Directorate (S&T). 
 

Watch Chairman Garbarino’s opening statement here. 
 

As prepared for delivery:

Good morning and thank you to our witnesses for being here. Today, we are conducting oversight of the Department of Homeland Security, focusing on TSA, CISA, and the Science and Technology Directorate, otherwise known as S&T.

Nearly twenty-five years ago, 19 hijackers exploited significant vulnerabilities in our commercial aviation system. The al-Qaeda terrorist attack on September 11th, 2001, killed nearly 3,000 Americans and changed our nation forever. Our transportation system, among other critical systems, demanded accountability and hardened security to ensure such a horrific event would never happen again.

In response, Congress enacted the Aviation and Transportation Security Act to establish the TSA, and grant DHS flexible operational authority, allowing it to prepare for and respond to an ever-evolving threat landscape.

Over the past two decades, threats facing our nation’s aviation, transportation, and critical infrastructure have only risen. Today’s risks are far more diverse, complex, and technologically advanced, and the motivations and methods of our adversaries have shifted rapidly with emerging technologies.

The threats posed by lone-wolf actors, radicalized individuals, and homegrown extremists have only increased. Transnational Criminal Organizations pose a significant threat by exploiting the transportation system to traffic humans, drugs, weapons, and illicit goods.

Traditional terror tactics have given way to more sophisticated methods of attack. Cybersecurity is now at the forefront of these conversations, with adversaries attempting to take down our transportation systems through digital means. Similarly, the potential for coordinated attacks using drones to disrupt flights or deliver explosives represents a new, and growing, frontier of security threats.

Sophisticated foreign adversaries, including the People’s Republic of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, are actively targeting our digital systems that underpin essential services, economic activity, and national security. These state-directed campaigns are designed to position hostile actors for strategic disruption and coercion. Rapid advances in emerging technologies, including AI, are further accelerating the scale, speed, and sophistication of these cyber operations.

In cyberspace, the United States is operating in a highly contested environment. Congress created CISA to serve as the Nation’s lead civilian cyber defense agency to meet this reality. CISA’s responsibilities include securing federal civilian networks, supporting owners and operators of critical infrastructure, and coordinating with the private sector to reduce systemic cyber risk. That mission has grown more consequential as adversaries become more capable, patient, and willing to operate inside U.S. networks for extended periods of time.

CISA’s authorities extend across a variety of sectors including energy, water, communications, healthcare, transportation, and financial services. This Committee has been clear about CISA expectations: It is not a policy think tank, nor a messaging agency. Its mandate is operational. When that mandate is carried out with discipline and focus, the agency earns bipartisan support in Congress and confidence from industry. When it does not, that confidence erodes.

Over the past year, CISA has faced real operational challenges. Those challenges include a rapidly evolving threat landscape, the scope of the agency’s responsibility in an increasingly digital world, and organizational adjustments. As with any agency responsible for our national security, it is critical these changes do not degrade readiness, responsiveness, or mission delivery.

This Committee supports the Administration’s goal of aligning Department resources toward urgent homeland security priorities. At the same time, workforce continuity, clear leadership, and mission readiness are essential to effective cyber defense. The professionals at CISA are some of the most experienced cybersecurity experts in the federal government and preserving that expertise must remain a priority.

We are encouraged by the President’s decision to renominate Mr. Sean Plankey as Director of CISA. Mr. Plankey is a respected national security professional with decades of experience. His confirmation would provide long-needed stability and strategic direction at CISA, which it has operated without for far too long. This Committee’s oversight of CISA is grounded in respect for its mission and confidence in its workforce.

Lastly, several major, high-profile events are set to unfold across the U.S., including the 2026 FIFA World Cup, America 250, and the 2028 LA Olympics. These events will only increase the volume and complexity of threats facing the homeland, and DHS must be prepared to respond.

The Trump administration, to its credit, has taken strong steps to prioritize strengthening our nation’s security systems. However, modernization of TSA, CISA, and S&T will require sustained Congressional support. As Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, it is my priority to ensure we support and invest in next generation technologies and adopt highly innovative and effective security approaches given the challenges facing the Department and our country.

This hearing provides an important opportunity to assess how TSA, CISA, and S&T are carrying out their missions. We look forward to hearing from our witnesses and engaging in constructive dialogue about how Congress can effectively support security, operational excellence, and accountability across the Department.

I also want to take this opportunity to thank the DHS personnel who keep us safe every day, including our dedicated cybersecurity professionals, our innovative researchers and scientists, and our brave TSA security officers who work on the frontlines to protect the traveling public – and who continued to do so even without pay during our nation’s longest government shutdown last year.

I am confident that by working together, we can break through the challenges of today and prepare for the threats of tomorrow: the stakes for the American people could not be higher.

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