By either the executive legislative or judicial branches of the federal government has affected you and your life or your community. The competition is open to students in grades six through 12 and students may work alone or in groups of up to three. Contestants are asked to produce a five to seven minute video documentary supporting their chosen topic and to include some cspan programming. That 100,000 in cash prizes will go to 150 students and that the three teachers and the grand prizewinner for the best overall entry will win 5000. The deadline for entry this year is january 20, 2015 and winners will be announced in march. Visit www. Studentcam. Org for more information on this years contest the three branches and you. Today the Senate HomelandSecurity Committee held a hearing on terror threats, including from global computer hackers, the militant group isis and homegrown terrorists. Officials from the department of Homeland Security, the fbi and the office of the director of National Intelligence testified. This is an hour and 45 minutes. We will hear from the department of Homeland Security about how they can best keep america safe and from those who would seek to carry out deadly attacks against our country and its people. We also hear about actors in cyberspace who want to drain our bank accounts, shut down our fragile systems, our electric grid, steal our identical identifiable information as well as the r d that will enable american businesses and the military to remain preeminent in the world. Accessing these everchanging broad threats and making sure government continues to hone its ability to stop is a toprated for this committee particularly as we approach another 9 11 anniversary. This year hearing takes on added significance as our nation confronts a growing terrorist threat in iraq and syria. As we sit here today are here today or militaries engage in limited airstrikes in iraq and the to dislodge them or tell that threat. Later this evening president obama will address our nation. Hes expected to share with us on the world the steps he is recommending be taken in iraq and syria to reverse the expansion of the Islamic State of iraq and syria and to enable the people who live in those countries to reclaim their lives. Much of the world has been exposed to a steady stream of deeply disturbing images from those regions in recent weeks. Brutal executions, human rights atrocities, repression of women and the seemingly endless possession of mass militants defiantly waving the flag of jihad in celebration of their brutality. Effectively addressing the threat from the newly proclaimed Islamic State will require multifaceted strategy and that strategy will need a military component and a Robust International coalition to execute. Among the goals about strategies to ensure the Islamic State of israel and syria also known as the isis does not establish a longterm safe haven from which it can launch attacks against our allies or our homeland much like we saw al qaeda to in the days before 9 11. Today we will examine the steps are government has taken along with the steps we still need to take to prevent this from happening. We will drill down on the threat and its impact on our homeland both in this open hearing as well as in a classified briefing directly following. That is not all we are going to do. In addition to examining the conventional terrorist threats the instability in iraq and syria may pose we will also closely examine another major threat that affects our homeland and thats daily cyberattacks. Everyday nationstates and their affiliates, criminals, terrorists, and hackers launch cyberattacks against government agencies, our businesses and important parts of our daily lives such as utilities, financial networks. Some of these actors want to steal information to sell it on the black market or to gain a competitive edge. Others are trying to make a political point. Somehow some would like to use a cyberattack to cause widespread damage or physical harm. Many of them are good at it. And they are getting even better. We need to stay a step ahead of them. Today we will hear the open portion of his hearing and the closed portion on how we plan to do that. And the steps we are taking to address terror threats in the wake of 9 11. Congress clearly has a role to play here. Actually several roles. One of them is an oversight ro role. As one that we take very seriously. Others are legislative roles that involves developing legislation to help enable america to anticipate and repel the cyberattacks that we face on an almost daily 24 7 basis. In the last several months this committee has completed action and reported three separate cyberbills unanimously to the full senate. One bill would significantly enhance the capabilities of the department, and security cyberworkforce. Another way to protect federal agencies from cyberattack and a third were codified the cyber center at the department of Homeland Security uses to monitor and respond to the attacks to strengthen its ability to do so. Im grateful to dr. Copeland and his staff are working closely with us on each of those pieces of legislation. Yesterday an oped in the hill newspaper by j. Jones to recognize bipartisan process on this committee and we talked about the legislation in congress. I could not agree more. In closing as we mark the anniversary of 9 11 tomorrow lets keep in mind when of the key lessons we have learned since that fateful day some 13 years ago and that is the threat is always evolving. Not that long ago kirksey is to rob a bank to steal her money. Now they click a button on a distant computer and accomplish the same goal. Nationstates used to employ corporate insiders to steal company secrets. Now they send a spear fishing email. Terrasys to be introduced threats in the mountains in places like afghanistan and now increasing numbers are homegrown and maybe using european or american passports. As the threat becomes more sophisticated more elusive and more diffuse we need to remain ever vigilant to ensure our government is nimble enough to keep up with tomorrows threats as they confront us. We have come a long way since 9 11. In many respects we are more secure than we were 13 years ago but the world in which we live remains a dangerous place and theres always more work to do. When it comes to securing our homeland anticipating the next directly onto the american it to the American People to strive for perfection. As it says in the preamble of the constitution in order to form a more Perfect Union that wasnt the idea to form a union but a more Perfect Union and it took 110 years to approach perfection even if we have never achieved it but got as close as we could. The costs are too severe. Pleased to have a panel of witnesses who Work Together every day to tackle the terrorists and cyberthreats we face. We are grateful to each of you for what you do with your life and for your service to our country. Now i turn to my partner in all this doctor coburn for any remarks that he might wish to make. Dr. Coburn. Well thank you mr. Chairman. I concur ill live with what you said. I want to thank each of our witnesses for testimony. One for what you do a number to cover your vigilance and number three for the criticism you take. Where i would disagree with senator carper is i dont think we are any safer. I think the threat to our country is just as great as it was pre9 11. Based on what is happening in the world, the absolute lack of control of our borders specially our seven border and the inability and the corruption on both sides in terms of Law Enforcement on the border. So i think we have a long ways to go but i know we have dedicated leadership now in all the areas that are concentrating on the same goal. I think its a shame that the leader of the senate wont put a cybersecurity bill on the floor. One that creates true informationsharing. Let the Senate Debate it so we can actually start to really protect the cyberaspect of our government and that requires all of us to Work Together in the cyberrealm to ensure we are vulnerable today. We have seen both at Homeland Security and in the private sector significant breaches. They will continue. Most of them are on nationstate actors, china and russia specifically. We should not fall back from talking about what they are doing and why they are trying to both steal our intellect and damage our economy. These are real issues. This is an important hearing for the American People to hear and in as much detail as possible whats going on and where we need to improve. Again i thank you all for your efforts. The fbi and the nctc are valuable contributions and having the privilege of sitting on both intel and Homeland Security i get to see as well as anybody what everybody is doing and everybody is working in the right direction except the u. S. Senate. My hope would be that we would start helping you rather than hurt you. I yield back. I would like to associate myself with your remarks and my colleagues from oklahoma. We need to move not just the three cyber bills reported out of this committee i think unanimously that some version of informationsharing. I hope is that we will have a chance to do at least those for this year. Thats my goal. If we can do more, god bless us. We have members of our committee. Thank you for joining us today. Our first witness is a retired Brigadier General francis taylor. Mr. Taylors undersecretary for intelligence analysis in the department, security. How long have you been in the job now . Four months. He provides the secretary of dhs leadership in state and local and tribal and private sector partners with, Security Intelligence and information they need to keep our country safer. General taylor came to dhs for 31 years of service in the air force for years at the state department as counterterrorism coordinate or an assistant secretary for Diplomatic Security and eight years as Vice President at general electric. The second witness is james spauldings undersecretary for National Protection and Program Director at the department of Homeland Security. As undersecretary one of the responsibilities coordinating and overseeing policy and operation protection activities including cybersecurity. Mr. Spaulding spent more than 25 years working on National Security issues in congress and executive branch in the private sector. This includes extensive experience working with many Critical Infrastructure. Welcome. Our next witness is Nick RasmussenDeputy Director of the National Counterterrorism center for the office of director of National Intelligence. Mr. Rasmussen has served on the National Security council and is responsible for providing Staff Support of the president National Security adviser and Homeland Security adviser in counterterrorism policy and strategy. Prior to this he served in a variety of key positions within a the purpose debris provided support for the arabisraeli Peace Process in u. S. North korean agreed framework in the persian gulf security issues. Welcome this morning. Our final witness is Robert Andersen executive assistant director of criminal Cyber Response in the Services Branch of the federal bureau of investigation. In this position mr. Anderson oversees all fbi criminal and cyberinvestigations worldwide and national operations. A Critical Incident response and victims assistance. During the 20 years he has worked at the fbis mr. Anderson served in the Hostage Rescue TeamCounterintelligence Division and the Intelligence Division as well. What did you do before you were part of the fbi . Sir i . Sir of the delaware state trooper for nine years. Were you any good . I hope so. Were you ever trooper of the year . Yes sir i was in 1989. Did you ever escort the former governor . He pulled me over time or two. One other time fired a warning shot. No damage was done. Great to see you and thanks for what you did for us and for our country now. Our testimony will be made part of the record and what i would ask you to do your testimony in five minutes. General taylor if you would like to lead us out. Thank you chairman carper and Ranking Member coburn distinguished members of the committee thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today to discuss threats to the homeland and environment. Im mindful that tomorrow is the 11th of september and i vividly remember where i was on that day 13 years ago sitting at the state department as the coordinator for counterterrorism. What has changed since 2001 . Are we any safer now . These are questions that have been repeated countless times since that tragic day and rightfully so. I come before the committee today to outline lessons we have learned since 9 11 and how we are postured to address evolving threats in ways that we did not of september 10, 2001. The key lesson we have learned from 9 11 is the need to develop an actual Homeland Security enterprise that constantly collaborates and shares information and intelligence to identify threats and risks and to adjust operations as necessary to address the range of challenges the nation faces. Partners with in the Homeland Security enterprise are the First Responders at the local level or decisionmakers in the Capital Cities across america or here to Nations Capital require predictive intelligence and analytical products that help them make informed decisions to protect our citizens. The cornerstone of our mission at dhs has always been and remains protecting the nation against terrorist attacks. In fact secretary johnson just yesterday reiterated that counterterrorism is their most Important Mission at dhs. We are vigilant in detecting and preventing terrorist threats that may seek to penetrate the homeland of land, sea or air. I will first address the current terrorist environment and then discuss threats to our efforts as they relate to each of the secretaries for priorities. Mr. Chairman mindful of the time limit, i will submit other remarks for the record and summarize just a couple of things. First on terrorism al qaeda and al qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and their affiliates remain a major concern for the department of Homeland Security. Despite Senior Leadership the group maintains antenna capability to conduct attacks against u. S. Citizens and facilities and have demonstrated the ability to adjust their tactics, techniques and procedures for targeting the west in innovative ways. The Islamic State of iraq and lenfant is a terrorist Group Operating as a military organization and their experiences and successes on the battlefields of syria and iraq have armed them with the capabilities most terrorist groups do not possess. At present dhs is unaware of any specific credible threat to the u. S. Homeland and isil and we recognize that isil constitutes an active and serious threat within the region and could attempt attacks on u. S. Targets overseas with little or no warning. Isil is a sophisticated propaganda capability disseminating highquality media content on multiple on line platforms including social media to enhance its appeal. Media accounts of the conflict in the propaganda in particular play a role in inspiring u. S. Citizens to travel to syria. We are aware that a number of persons, more than 100 have either made their way or have tried to make their way to syria over the past few years to join the International Foreign fighters. I will conclude with aqap has attempted three times to attack the u. S. Homeland. The airliner plot in december of 2009 in an attempt against a u. S. Bound carb u. S. Bound cargo plane and an airline plot in may of 2012 demonstrate their efforts to adapt to Aviation Security procedures and underscore why Aviation Security is there prior to area outlined by secretary johnson. In response to these recent threats overseas over the past two months dhs has taken steps to enhance Aviation Security at overseas airports with direct flights to the United States and other nations have followed suit with similar enhancements. Mr. Chairman i will conclude my remarks and if you would allow me to submit the rest for the record. Thank you general. Its g