FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON—Today, House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark E. Green, MD (R-TN) delivered the following opening statement during a markup to consider legislation that would counter evolving terror threats, confront destabilizing activity by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on U.S. soil, including transnational repression and cyber intrusions, and combat fentanyl smuggling at ports of entry.
Watch Chairman Green’s full opening statement here
As prepared for delivery:
Good morning, and thank you to my colleagues for being here. Today’s markup reflects our bipartisan commitment to protecting Americans across our great nation from the rapidly evolving threats to our homeland and our way of life.
I am proud of this Committee’s continued efforts to enhance the Department of Homeland Security’s ability to carry out its no-fail mission, defending us from threats both foreign and domestic.
Now, more than ever, the most pressing foreign threat within our borders is the Chinese Communist Party.
As part of its malicious strategy to undermine American power and interests, the CCP has increased its influence over our institutions of higher education for decades.
We must dismantle this sinister effort by Beijing to undermine our sovereignty. That’s why Chairman of the Counterterrorism and Intelligence Subcommittee Representative Pfluger’s bill is so important. H.R. 881 would restrict American taxpayer dollars from funding U.S. colleges and universities that maintain ties with the CCP.
Both Beijing and the Iranian regime continue to carry out transnational repression operations on U.S. soil to threaten and harass dissidents.
That’s why we are considering several bipartisan bills today that will help policymakers expose, assess, and counter threats from malign nation-states that target American citizens or lawful permanent residents.
This Committee is also concerned by the increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks on our federal networks and critical infrastructure by Chinese-backed threat actors. We must protect our cyber borders.
From our drinking water and oil and gas, to our telecom networks, Beijing could wreak havoc on the services Americans depend on every day.
Believe me, the CCP will not hesitate to exploit our vulnerabilities—so we must be ready.
I look forward to discussing Representative Ogles’ bill that creates an interagency task force to improve coordination among the federal agencies responding to CCP-backed cyber bullies’ growing threats to U.S. critical infrastructure.
This Committee is also continuing its important efforts to prevent the tragic loss of American lives from deadly drugs like fentanyl.
The CATCH Fentanyl Act, introduced by Representative Higgins, would establish a pilot program to test technology enhancements to better detect illicit drugs, currency, and smuggled individuals at land ports of entry.
We cannot forget the serious, lingering threats posed by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ historic border crisis.
Under the Biden-Harris administration, DHS apprehended an unprecedented number of special interest aliens, or SIAs, illegally crossing our borders. These encounters included individuals from adversarial nations like China, Iran, and Russia.
In a hearing last Congress, former chief patrol agent for the Border Patrol’s San Diego Sector Aaron Heitke said to this Committee, “I was told I could not release any information on this increase in SIAs. The (Biden) administration was trying to convince the public there was no threat at the border.”
Representative Greene’s bill would require DHS to publish the number of special interest alien encounters each month and deliver much-needed transparency for the American people.
Following the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, and as threats from both ISIS and al Qaeda resurface in the region, we cannot turn a blind eye to individuals both on and off U.S. soil who are increasingly being radicalized to commit violence against Americans—including potentially unvetted individuals who illegally entered the U.S. during the Biden-Harris administration’s self-inflicted border crisis.
That’s why we are considering a bill led by Representative Luttrell to enhance DHS’ counterterrorism efforts in evaluating the threat posed to the United States by individuals in Syria with ties to Foreign Terrorist Organizations.
In the wake of the New Year’s Day ISIS-inspired terrorist attack in New Orleans, we must do more to address the rising threat vehicular terrorism poses to the homeland.
Today we will consider H.R. 1608, introduced by Representative Gimenez, chair of our Transportation and Maritime Security Subcommittee, which would require DHS to more closely track and report to Congress on these emerging threats and countermeasures related to vehicular-ramming attacks.
I also urge support for the measures offered today by my Democrat colleagues. I appreciate the opportunity to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to advance these bills out of the Committee. Together, we can fulfill our duty to protect Americans from growing threats to the homeland.
Today, we have the unique opportunity to make this country safer and more prosperous than ever. I hope all my colleagues on the Committee help us push toward that objective today.
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