Mass Gathering Events: Assessing Security Coordination and Preparedness
Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response
2025-05-21
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Source: Congress.gov
Participants
Transcript
The Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Management Technology will come to order. Without objection, the chair may declare the subcommittee in recess at any point. The purpose of this hearing is to assess security, best practices, highlight challenges, and understand how the federal government, state government, local law enforcement, and the private sector coordinate with one another for mass gathering events. Without objection, the gentleman from California, Mr. Correa, and the gentlewoman from New Jersey, Ms. Poe, are permitted to sit on the dais and ask questions to the witnesses. I now recognize myself for an opening statement.
Good afternoon and thank you for joining us today. I also would like to take the time to thank the staff for their hard work on this hearing. Today we will discuss the important and timely topic of security preparedness and coordination for mass gathering events. By their very nature, these events draw large crowds in concentrated areas, making them attractive targets for malicious actors. Ensuring their safety requires complex coordination among federal, state, and local authorities, including law enforcement and emergency services. It also requires close collaboration with partners in the sports and entertainment industries. I witnessed the scale of these challenges firsthand when I led a congressional delegation to New Orleans to survey security preparation for the Super Bowl following the New Year's Eve attack on Bourbon Street. That instant and others like it serve as a stark reminder that terrorist threats persist and underscore our responsibility to safeguard such gatherings. And these events will only continue to grow in prominence and frequency. In the year ahead, the United States will host several major international sporting events, including the 2025 FIFA World Cup, the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Los Angeles. These events present enormous opportunities, delivering economic benefits while also showcasing our great nation on the international stage. But they also bring significant security challenges. Take the 2026 World Cup, for example. 76 matches will be played in 11 U.S. cities with an estimated 6.5 million fans traveling to the United States. Not to mention, it will also be played in the midst of the celebration of America's
250th anniversary. To meet these unprecedented demands, DHS has convened an all-hands-on-deck approach to ensure they are safe and secure. CISA is working to secure critical infrastructure. The Office of Intelligence and Analysis is sharing threat information, and CBP and CIS are carefully vetting and processing international travelers. I'm also proud of this committee's leadership in addressing this topic. Three weeks ago, the committee passed its budget reconciliation recommendation, including $625 million in additional preparedness funding for the 2026 World Cup and $1 billion for the 2028 Olympics. I support these measures and I hope funds can be distributed as quickly and effectively as possible. Additionally, following President Trump's executive order convening a White House task force on the FIFA World Cup, this committee established its own bipartisan task force on enhancing security for special events in the United States. I applaud Vice President, Vice Chairman McCall, who will be chairing the task force and Chairman Greene for their leadership on this issue. And I'm honored to have been selected to join this task force. I hope today's hearing will offer valuable insight and inform future task force discussions. Many challenges must be addressed to improve security, preparedness for these major events. As we discussed last month, Unmanned aerial aircraft systems can act as a force multiplier for DHS's mission. However, they can also be used for evil and unlawful purposes. You may remember in 2017, a drone dropped leaflets over two sporting stadiums in violation of temporary flight restrictions.
It doesn't take very much to imagine to see how the same technology could have been used for a much deadlier purpose. And as for, I previously mentioned the New Orleans attack demonstrated the danger that vehicles pose to mass gatherings and the need to ensure effective countermeasures are in place. Additionally, the fan behavior of these events can be erratic and seen during the 2024 Copa America match when thousands of fans breached physical security barriers and overwhelmed law enforcement. These examples reflect the importance of robust security, planning to ensure events are conducted peacefully, that all spectators remain safe, and everyone has a good time. I'm thankful for the participation of our witnesses today. I look forward to their perspective as well as what Congress and the federal government can do to support these events. Again, thank you all for being here, and I hope we can have a productive and bipartisan discussion as we seek to improve security ahead of these mass gathering events. I now recognize the ranking member of the subcommittee, Mr. Kennedy, for his opening statements. Thank you very much, Chairman, and good afternoon, everyone. It's great to see you all here today. This afternoon, I'd like to start on a somber note by remembering our colleague and good friend, Congressman Jerry Connolly, who passed away earlier this morning. Jerry was a passionate public servant, a tireless champion for working families and a defender of democracy. His loss will certainly be felt deeply in Congress and in Virginia's 11th district.
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