The committee will come to order. Without objection, the chair is authorized to declare recess of the committee at any time. The full committee during convening to identify, resolve and present vulnerabilities on ts the committee will come to order. Without objection, the chair is authorized to declare recess of the committee at any time. The full committee during convening to identify, resolve and present vulnerabilities on t. S. A. s Security Operations. I now recognize myself for five minutes to give an Opening Statement. Today, nearly 20 years since the terrible attacks of september 11, 2001, we are holding this hearing to examine why urgent warnings from independent auditors about security vulnerabilities at the transportation and Security Administration have been languishing for years without being resolved. Languishing for years without being resolved. In 2016, i led a Bipartisan Group of members in asking the Government Accountability office to examine tsas covert Testing Progr
[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaud Center Fisher i are dealing with votes going on but i called the hearing to order and good afternoon. I would like to thank Ranking Member fisher and her colleagues for joining us. Our witnesses who i will introduce shortly for secr of state issac cramer executive carolina support of Voter Registrations and elections Jimmy Nilsson present director of the Naacp Legal Defense Fund and well hear from her other witnesses because senator fisher will be introducing them including alabama secretary of state wes allen and brian kruse commissioner for the depth county election commission. More americans than ever have cast a ballot in recent elections in large part because of the work of state and local officials in these elections have run smoothly and top Security Officials in both republican and democratic administrations alike have elections including last weeks primaryec elections. 18 states have a ready h
Democracy. Next, the first public hearing for the impeachment inquiry into president by the House Oversight and Accountability Committee led by kentucky representative james palmer meant for nearly six hours House Republicans at the inquiry is focused on whether biden was involved in or benefited from his familys foreign business dealings. [background noises] [background noises] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] which members are waving . [background noises] a committee on oversight and accountability will come to order. I want to welcome everyone here today. Without objection the chair may declare a racist at any time. The first order of business is to welcome the return of eight eightmember to the committee. We went to welcome from michigan to the committee congresswoman has been a member of the house. [applause] since 2019. Before that she served 15 years the Michigan House of representatives but she is a familiar face to this committee as she spent her first two t
Got a lot to talk about. With 25 bills introduced in time to be a part of todays hearing. I very much appreciate all of the thoughtful proposals and the great work from the staff, both the republican and the democrat side, and i look for to seeing progress as a move to the next few weeks. These legislative initiatives follow the leadership of President Trumps recent efforts on broadband infrastructure. The bills to be examined in this hearing are targeted at promoting the innovation, cutting red tape, and advancing Public Safety. Its impossible in my a lot of time to highlight each bill butt i do want to call attention to a couple of resolutions expressing the Guiding Principles on broadband infrastructure that should underpin our efforts. First, as noted by vice chairman lance, any funds for broadband inan infrastructure package shod go toac unserved areas. Second, as noted by congressman lotta, the federal government should not be picking winners and losers in the marketplace. Any fe
We ask you all to take your seats if you will. Today we hear from deputy secretary of state John Sullivan on the proposed reforms that he and secretary tillerson are working on for the state department and for the agency for international development. I dont think there are many that question the need to improve the operation of both agencies. A more efficient and effective state department in u. S. A. Id would better promote our National Security and our many other interests around the world. So i have welcomed the administrations undertaking. Secretary state Rex Tillerson has started a process here as those that state will tell you where hes focusing on listening to the diplomats and listening to the employees. Our Foreign Service officers. I think this is very commendable. He has sought feedback from the bottom up. Many employees, he reports, have asked, and i think this speaks volumes, theyve asked for more responsibility and in turn more accountability for their performance. They