Reports
Chairman Thompson Statement on OIG Alert Detailing Dangerous Overcrowding of Migrants and Unacceptable Conditions at Border Patrol Facility
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) management alert released today with photos and findings detailing a dangerous overcrowding of single adults at the El Paso Del Norte Processing Center: "The photos in this report make it clear that DHS has completely and utterly failed at handling the humanitarian crisis at … Continue Reading
April 25, 2019
GAO Report: DHS, FEMA Disaster Recovery Contracting Process Needs Major Fixes
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, announced the release of a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report he requested on the DHS and FEMA contracting process for disaster recovery efforts. The report, entitled "Actions Needed to Improve the Use of Post-Disaster Contracts to Support Response and Recovery" found that: The contracting process for post-disaster recovery efforts lacks transparency due to "inconsistent … Continue Reading
May 31, 2018
Report: Secret Service Overpaid Millions to Presidential Campaigns for Travel Expenses
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on a U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report he requested on U.S. Secret Service travel cost reimbursement during the 2016 presidential campaign cycle. The report, titled “Presidential Campaign: Actions Needed to Address U.S. Secret Service Overpayments for Travel Costs” found that of the $17.1 million the Secret Service reimbursed to the … Continue Reading
January 19, 2018
Thompson Statement on Redacted Travel Ban Inspector General Report
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General report on the implementation and roll out of President Trump’s first travel ban: “The heavily redacted Inspector General’s report on the roll out of President Trump’s first Muslim ban is a massive indictment of the Administration’s senior leadership at the Department of Homeland … Continue Reading
November 15, 2017
Election Security Task Force Releases Preliminary Recommendations
(WASHINGTON) - The Congressional Task Force on Election Security, chaired by Committee on Homeland Security Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) and Committee on House Administration Ranking Member Robert Brady (D-PA) released its preliminary findings and recommendations marking one year since the 2016 election. Because of Republican inaction, the Task Force was created this summer to put forth solutions to secure our election systems after Russia interfered and attempted to influence … Continue Reading
September 11, 2017
New Report Analyzes Government Progress on Key Homeland Security Mandates
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, commemorated the sixteenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks by releasing a detailed review of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) progress at meeting critical homeland security mandates set forth in The Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-53). This staff report analyzes the status of DHS efforts regarding ten of the most prominent … Continue Reading
July 31, 2017
Report: No Shown Need for Immigration & Border Hiring Surge
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member on the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) special report on challenges that DHS is facing hiring law enforcement officers mandated by President Trump’s Executive Orders. In the report, Challenges Facing DHS in Its Attempt to Hire 15,000 Border Patrol Agents and Immigration Officers, the IG found: U.S. Customs and … Continue Reading
July 21, 2017
Report: TSA Unable to Scientifically Validate Behavior Detection Program
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on a U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on the potential scientific validation of the Transportation Security Administration’s behavior detection program. In the report requested by Ranking Member Thompson and Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Ranking Member of the Transportation and Protective Security Subcommittee, GAO found: TSA … Continue Reading
February 15, 2017
GAO High-Risk List: DHS Showing Improvement
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the Government Accountability Office's (GAO) high-risk list (GAO-17-317). Every two years, GAO releases a report to call attention to government agencies and program areas that are high-risk due to their vulnerabilities to fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, or are most in need of transformation. “I am pleased to see that GAO has found that … Continue Reading
October 04, 2016
Implementation of 2015 Cybersecurity Act on the Right Track
October 4, 2016 (WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) Review of the Department of Homeland Security's Implementation of the Cybersecurity Act of 2015. The Act requires the IG to assess agency national security information technology systems that provide access to personally identifiable information (PII). "As we … Continue Reading
September 12, 2016
DHS CBRNE Reorg. Request Not Ready for Action
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the Government Accountability Office (GAO) report he requested on the Department of Homeland Security's Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives (CBRNE) Program consolidation proposal: "The GAO's review of the Department of Homeland Security's proposal to consolidate certain activities related chemical, biological, … Continue Reading
July 15, 2016
NRC Must Do Better In Regulating Sales of Radioactive Materials
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement in response to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report out today on The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and its oversight of the selling of radioactive materials. In the report, entitled "NRC Has Enhanced the Controls of Dangerous Radioactive Materials, but Vulnerabilities Remain," GAO reveals that it was successful in creating a sham company to … Continue Reading
July 14, 2016
TSA Behavior Detection Program Still Flawed, Unproven
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement in response to a Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS OIG) verification review of the Transportation Security Administration's Behavior Detection and Analysis (BDA) program, previously known as the Screening of Passengers by Observation Techniques (SPOT) program. "Today's verification review from the DHS Inspector General … Continue Reading
January 13, 2016
Ebola Report Shows We Still Don’t Know Who’s In Charge
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement in response to a Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS OIG) report on the federal government's Ebola response in 2014. In the report, entitled "DHS' Ebola Response Needs Better Coordination, Training, and Execution" (OIG-16-18), the Inspector General found that coordination between DHS and the Department of Health and … Continue Reading
November 23, 2015
Nonpartisan Watchdog Releases Report on BioWatch Terror Surveillance Warning System
(WASHINGTON) - House and Senate leaders today expressed concern after a new report was released by the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office on the Homeland Security Department's BioWatch program. The BioWatch program has been affected by false alarms and other problems since its deployment in 2003. As a result of the setbacks, local and state officials where BioWatch systems have been deployed have expressed a lack of confidence in the technology and have admitted they are … Continue Reading
October 22, 2015
Thompson: Secret Service Needs Reform Now to Address Cultural & Operations Problems
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS OIG) Management Alert “Secret Service Staffing and Scheduling Contributed to Officer Fatigue” "The issuance of this urgent management advisory by the Inspector General is an extraordinary act aimed at getting the Secret Service, at the highest levels, to recognize that the agency's … Continue Reading
September 29, 2015
Committee Unveils Foreign Fighter Task Force's Final Report
(WASHINGTON) - The Homeland Security Committee’s bipartisan Foreign Fighter Task Force released its final report at a press conference today. The Task Force conducted an extensive, six month review to assess the severity of the threat from individuals who leave home to join jihadist groups overseas and to identify potential security gaps. As world leaders meet at the United Nations today to discuss the foreign fighter threat, the Committee presented 32 key findings and recommendations to … Continue Reading
June 09, 2015
DHS Must Act on Interoperable Communications Strategy
June 9, 2015 (WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ), Ranking Member of the Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications Subcommittee, released the below statement regarding a Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS OIG) verification review (OIG-15-97-VR) of its 2012 audit of the Department's oversight of interoperable communications (OIG-13-06). In the 2012 … Continue Reading
May 11, 2015
Deficient TSA Maintenance Program Could Lead to Delays & Security Gaps
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement in response to a Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS OIG) report on TSA entitled: "The Transportation Security Administration Does Not Properly Manage Its Airport Screening Equipment Maintenance Program" (OIG-15-86). In the report, the IG found that: TSA does not properly manage the maintenance of its screen equipment and … Continue Reading
April 30, 2015
Report: Federal Building Security Still Needs Improvement
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement in response to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report he requested on the securing of federal buildings by the Federal Protective Service (FPS) and United States Marshals Service (USMS). In the report, entitled "Actions Needed to Better Manage Security Screening at Federal Buildings and Courthouses" (GAO-15-445), the GAO found that: Many … Continue Reading