Correspondence
Thompson, King Press Speaker on Homeland Jurisdiction
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Reps. Peter T. King and Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to John A. Boehner, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, calling on him to consolidate jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security in Congress. Last week, President Obama lamented the inefficiency of congressional oversight of DHS—where DHS has to answer to over 100 committees and subcommittees. Consolidation of … Continue Reading
December 13, 2011
Comment for Small Business Size and Status Rule
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to Karen G. Mills, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), with comments for a proposed rule entitled "Small Business Size and Status Integrity". The rule proposed regulations for the manner in which the SBA will address business size and status misrepresentations as instructed by the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010. Ranking Member Thompson has been … Continue Reading
December 01, 2011
Geographic Diversity Needed at Coast Guard Academy
(WASHINGTON) - Today, U.S. Reps. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-TN), Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD), and Resident Commissioner Pedro R. Pierluisi (D-PR) sent a letter to Admiral Robert J. Papp, Commandant of the United States Coast Guard (USCG), expressing concerns regarding the geographic diversity of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy - many states, for example, are not represented in this year's class. The letter similarly urges the adoption of a congressional nominations … Continue Reading
November 22, 2011
Thompson Inquires on Racial Profiling
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to John S. Pistole, Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), regarding recent news reports that Behavior Detection Officers (BDOs) who work in the agency's Screening of Passengers by Observation Technique (SPOT) program were targeting Mexican travelers at Honolulu Airport. This is similar to news reports that originated from Newark New Jersey … Continue Reading
November 21, 2011
Thompson, Richmond: Action Needed on Recoupment Letters
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Cedric L. Richmond (D-LA), Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to W. Craig Fugate, Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), regarding efforts to recoup disaster payments from individuals who erroneously received financial assistance after Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma. The Democratic Congressmen believe that, years after … Continue Reading
November 15, 2011
TSA Should Extend Upcoming TWIC Renewals
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and other Democratic Members of the Committee, sent a letter to John S. Pistole, Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), requesting an extension for transportation and port workers to renew their Transportation Worker Identification Credentials (TWIC). To date, the Department of Homeland Security has not fully implemented the TWIC program as mandated in the … Continue Reading
November 01, 2011
Reps. Thompson, Markey, Jackson-Lee Query TSA on Missed Deadline for Screening Cargo on U.S.-Bound Passenger Planes
(WASHINGTON) - It has been a year since international cooperation helped thwart an attempt to detonate a toner cartridge bomb on a cargo plane from Yemen to the United States. Despite the ongoing significant risk that unscreened cargo poses to America's aviation system, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced it will miss a December deadline for screening 100 percent of all cargo transported from overseas into the United States. A Congressional provision passed in 2007 … Continue Reading
October 13, 2011
Thompson Writes Deficit Committee on Deficit Reduction, Creating Jobs and Enhancing Security
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter, in conjunction with other Democratic House of Representatives Committee Ranking Members, to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction regarding suggestions for job creation, revenue, and savings. In the letter, Congressman Thompson recommends balanced deficit reduction that does not affect the nation's security and recommends infrastructure projects which can … Continue Reading
September 22, 2011
Cybersecurity Proposals Should Go Through Regular Committee Process
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Ranking Member of the Committee's Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies, sent a letter to John A. Boehner, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, requesting that all proposals put forth by Republican House Cybersecurity Task Force be put through the regular order legislative process and through the … Continue Reading
September 09, 2011
Thompson Requests Hearings on American Jobs Act
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to Rep. Peter T. King (R-NY), Chairman of the Committee, to request hearings on the President's legislative proposals for job creation and how the Department of Homeland Security may be affected. Link to Letter # # # Media Contact: (202) … Continue Reading
September 08, 2011
Homeland Security Jurisdiction Must Be Consolidated
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to Hon. John A. Boehner, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, regarding the urgent need for consolidation of legislative and oversight jurisdiction over homeland security matters. This was a key recommendation of the 9/11 Commission and has yet to be addressed. Link to Letter (PDF) # # # Media Contact: (202) … Continue Reading
September 02, 2011
Rep. Richmond and Others Write Speaker on Disaster Relief Funding
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-LA), member of the Committee on Homeland Security, along with Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and other members of Congress and the Committee, sent a letter to Rep. John A. Boehner, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Rep. Eric Cantor, Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, calling on them "to assure the American people that the federal government remains a committed partner … Continue Reading
August 15, 2011
TSA 'Chat-Downs' Need Proper Validation
(WASHINGTON) - Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to John S. Pistole, Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), expressing concern regarding the Behavior Detection Officer pilot program at Boston Logan International Airport. Behavior Detection Officers (BDO) are currently being trained and will be deployed to "interview" 100% of passengers moving through checkpoint security screening. This pilot program, … Continue Reading
July 15, 2011
Thompson Inquires on CFATS Risk Assessment Errors
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to Rand Beers, Under Secretary for the National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD), U.S. Department of Homeland Security regarding errors in risk-tiering under the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program. LETTER # # # Media Contact: (202) … Continue Reading
June 21, 2011
Thompson Inquires on TSA Report Exposing Racial Profiling at Airports
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to John S. Pistole, Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), expressing concern regarding the Screening of Passengers by Observation Technique (SPOT) program, a behavior-based profiling program in use at several U.S. airports. Recent news reports have indicated that an internal TSA report shows the program was associated with racial profiling in … Continue Reading
May 24, 2011
Homeland Dems Request Hearings to Address Grant Cuts
(WASHINGTON) - Today, the Democratic members of the Committee on Homeland Security, led by Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), sent a letter to Homeland Security Committee Chairman Peter T. King (R-NY) to request a series of oversight field hearings to examine the cuts to homeland security grant programs for fiscal years 2011 and 2012 and the preparedness and response gaps that are likely to result. This fiscal year, nearly every homeland security preparedness grant program has been … Continue Reading
May 12, 2011
Thompson Letter to FEMA Regarding Overpayment Recoupment Process
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to W. Craig Fugate, Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), regarding FEMA's mailing of approximately 5,000 letters intended to recoup overpayments received by individuals who were affected by disasters in prior years. LETTER # # # Media Contact: (202) … Continue Reading
May 11, 2011
Transportation Security Cuts Should Be Restored
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and other Democratic members of the Committee, sent a letter to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House Appropriations Committee and its Homeland Security Subcommittee outlining concerns over, and requesting reinstatement of, recent cuts to the Transportation Security Grant Program (TSGP), a federal homeland security grant program administered by the Federal Emergency Management … Continue Reading
April 12, 2011
TSA's Crew Access System Must Include Biometric IDs and All Aircraft Crew
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX), Ranking Member of the Committee's Transportation Security Subcommittee, sent a letter to John S. Pistole, Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, urging that as an aircraft expedited crew access system at U.S. airports is considered by TSA, that it include both pilots and flight attendants and also include a biometric … Continue Reading
March 16, 2011
Seattle Incident Shows Privacy Assessment Needed for TSA Pat-Downs
March 16, 2011 (WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX), Ranking Member of the Committee's Transportation Security Subcommittee, sent a letter to John S. Pistole, Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration regarding the screening incident of Alaska State Representative Sharon Cissna in Seattle earlier this month. LETTER # # # Media Contact: (202) … Continue Reading