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HEARING PURPOSE: The hearing will educate Congress and the public about an EMP threat and encourage the Department of Homeland Security to lead an inter-agency protection effort. HEARING BACKGROUND: Though Congress has created multiple commissions to improve protections against an EMP threat, the electrical grid remains under-prepared. Fallout from an EMP event could include months of power loss, affecting basic necessities and resulting in loss of life.

WASHINGTON— House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (UT-03) issued the following statement in response to the Amtrak derailment that occurred late Tuesday evening on May 12th in Pennsylvania: “The news coming out of Pennsylvania regarding the Amtrak derailment is heartbreaking. Nearly 30 million people ride Amtrak each year and they should board the trains knowing that safety is a paramount priority. Rail safety is something we take very seriously ...

Opening Statement Chairman Jason Chaffetz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjyBdbtXq-A “Airport security is pivotal to our nation’s safety and security. We appreciate the thousands of men and women that serve at the TSA.”   “One of the things that stuck out to me in the 9-11 Report is that often government lacks imagination. Terrorists and would-be nefarious characters who want to do harm will often be more creative than security personnel. It’s good that ...

WASHINGTON—Today the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee held a markup of [H.R. 2252], authored by Congressman Will Hurd (TX-23). The legislation passed out of the Committee with bipartisan support. Specifically, H.R. 2252 clarifies components of a new pay scale for U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) agents by making clear to the Department of Homeland ...

WASHINGTON – Tomorrow, Wednesday, May 13, 2015 the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee will hold a hearing to examine transportation security and airport safety. The hearing titled “Transportation Security: Are Our Airports Safe” will specifically consider aviation security issues raised since the inception of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). BACKGROUND: The Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA) created the Transportation Security ...