Lessons Learned: An Examination of Major Security Incidents at Mass Gathering Events
Committee on Homeland Security
2025-07-22
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Source: Congress.gov
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The Committee on Homeland Security Task Force on Enhancing Security for Special Events in the United States will come to order. Without objection, the chair may declare the committee in recess at any point. The purpose of this hearing is to assess historical incidents and attacks at sporting events and other mass gatherings in anticipation of upcoming high-profile international events that the United States will be hosting. I now recognize myself for an opening statement. I'd like to welcome everyone to this inaugural hearing of the bipartisan House Committee on Homeland Security's Task Force on Enhancing Security for Special Events in the United States. In the coming decade, the United States will host millions of international travelers for several major national and international special events, including the FIFA World Cup, the celebration of the United States' 250th birthday in 2026, and the Los Angeles Summer Olympics of 2028. Though these events present an opportunity to showcase everything that makes America great, we cannot forget that our adversaries and other violent extremists will view these events as targets for inflicting mass casualties and generating fear. To that end, I am honored to chair the task force and lead the committee's efforts in investigating and conducting oversight of the security needs of these major national and international events. Our goal is to develop and advance legislative solutions that will enhance our preparedness and security posture against all threats. And I look forward to working with the ranking member of the task force, Ms. Nellie Poe of New Jersey, and with all the members assigned to this task force to empower state and local law enforcement and other first responders to carry out their missions. As we prepare to secure the major events ahead, this task force must begin by learning from past failures, both here and abroad.
In the United States, we've seen deadly attacks at mass gatherings, the 1996 Olympic bombing in Atlanta, and the 2025 New Year's Day attack in New Orleans. Abroad, the 1972 Munich Olympics, which are still emblazoned in my mind, saw a terrorist murder nine, or sorry, 11 Israeli athletes after exploiting security gaps. In addition, in 2015, ISIS launched coordinated attacks across Paris, killing 130. These tragedies make clear the cost of complacency, and we owe it to the American people to confront these lessons and ensure we don't repeat them. This hearing is the first step. Today's historic focus will lead us to discuss and consider, like the instance of vehicular terrorism on January 1st of this year in New Orleans. the crowd security breach at the Copa America final game at the Miami Hard Rock Stadium last year, and the Kansas City parade shooting early last year. We will also discuss the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, which occurred during my tenure as chairman of this committee. And Commissioner Davis, it's great to see you again. We worked well together in our oversight and investigating the activities following that tragedy to find a constructive outcome so that something like that couldn't happen again. So we look forward to hearing from our witnesses on these challenges, what we can do better. More importantly, we want to know what more Congress and the federal government can do to strengthen security ahead of these major events. One clear lesson from the past attacks is the need for strong intelligence sharing. Our state and local law enforcement rely on timely information from the federal intelligence community, especially our fusion centers.
With rising tensions in the Middle East and the threat of Iran-backed actors operating inside the United States, raising awareness and coordination is critical to stopping potential attacks before they happen. Earlier this month, Congress passed and the President signed into law supplemental funding for the World Cup and the Los Angeles Olympics, which will be used in part to enhance information sharing. That same information sharing is critical in stopping human trafficking, which we see, unfortunately, all too well at these events. With millions of international visitors expected, criminal networks will look to exploit. We also face a growing threat from drones. According to the NFL, there were over 2,800 drone incursions at stadiums during the 2023 season, a 4,000% increase from just five years prior. With minimal skill, bad actors can use these drones to launch attacks or create chaos. Yet most state and local agencies lack the authority to respond. We need to equip federal agencies so they can help the state agencies and close the gap to make these events safe. We have a lot of work to do ahead of these events. I hope this hearing is a strong first step to ensure the incidents we discussed today will never happen again, and that the United States remains a global leader in providing safe and secure experiences for citizens and visitors alike. And with that, I now recognize the ranking member of the task force, Ms. Poe, for her opening statement. Thank you. Thank you, Chairman, and good afternoon to you, sir. I am so very pleased to be leading our bipartisan task force with you today for our first hearing. Before I start, I want to express my deepest sympathy to the victims of the attack in Los Angeles over the weekend.
I pray for everyone's recovery. This tragedy, which injured more than 30 people, demonstrates how important it is for law enforcement to have plans in place to prevent, mitigate, and respond to threats, including threats that may arise outside of venues. This task force has a deeply important mission as our country prepares to host some of the world's largest gatherings and celebration over the next three years. Events like the 250th anniversary of America's founding, the 78 matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games will put American hospitality on display for the world to see.
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