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Hearing Hearing Date: April 29, 2015 10:00 am 2154 Rayburn House Office Building

Flying Under the Radar: Securing Washington D.C. Airspace

Subject
Flying Under the Radar: Securing Washington D.C. Airspace
Date
April 29, 2015
Time
10:00 am
Place
2154 Rayburn House Office Building
Full Committee on Oversight and Accountability

WASHINGTON –On Wednesday, April 29th, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee will hold a hearing titled, “Flying Under the Radar: Securing Washington, D.C. Airspace.”  This hearing will examine how a small gyrocopter entered restricted airspace landed on the West Lawn of the Capitol.

HEARING BACKGROUND:

  • On April 15, 2015, an individual was able to take off from Gettysburg, PA, and pilot a small gyrocopter through highly restricted airspace around the National Capital Region.  His course took him through northwest D.C., down the National Mall, where he ultimately landed on the West Lawn of the Capitol.  This event is reminiscent of the January 26, 2015, incident where a “quad copter” device crashed on the southeast side of the White House complex, as well as a similar device with radioactive material landing on the roof of the Japanese Prime Minister’s residence on April 22, 2015.  These events raise questions about similar manned and unmanned aircraft entering D.C.’s highly restricted airspace and threatening high value targets and individuals.
  • Given the increased production and use of small manned and unmanned aerial vehicles, the Committee is concerned about this security threat, as well as the coordinated response and mitigation efforts by federal agencies.
Witnesses and testimonies: Admiral William Gortney

Commander
NORAD/USNORTHCOM

Document

Michael Huerta

Administrator
Federal Aviation Administration

Document

Joseph Clancy

Director
U.S. Secret Service

Document

Robert MacLean

Chief
U.S. Park Police

Document

Kim Dine

Chief of Police
U.S. Capitol Police

Document

Paul Irving

Sergeant at Arms
United States House of Representatives

Document

Mr. Robert G. Salesses

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Homeland Defense Integration and Defense Support of Civil Authorities
U.S. Department of Defense

Document

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