At Homeland Security Committee Hearing, Senator Hassan Highlights Importance of Strengthening Counterterrorism Efforts

Click here for footage of the Senator’s question. 

WASHINGTON – Senator Maggie Hassan participated in a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing yesterday, where she highlighted the importance of strengthening counterterrorism efforts and pressed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Undersecretary David Glawe, who also serves as Counter Terrorism Coordinator, about the Department’s efforts to prevent, respond to, and mitigate terrorist threats to the homeland.

Highlighting the importance of strengthening counterterrorism efforts, Senator Hassan asked, “Can you please outline for us what goals you have accomplished as the counterterrorism coordinator over the past year? What will be your goals [as] the counterterrorism coordinator over the next year, and what metrics will you use to measure your effectiveness?"

Undersecretary Glawe responded by speaking broadly to restructuring efforts, stating, “We have restructured into a counterterrorism mission center approach, bringing all assets…within the Department: Customs and Border Protection, Coast Guard, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Protection division, as well as mine… As well as increasing my field resources, we had pulled back and we did not deploy resources in the fusion centers, and creating a new structure so we get tactical level terrorism information to the common users, especially at the ports of entry and at the borders."

Senator Hassan stated that she would follow-up with additional questions on more specific goals and the metrics the Department is using to measure success.

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