Press Releases
Chairman Thompson Statement on President Trump’s Emergency Declaration
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on the President’s national emergency declaration: “Thankfully President Trump did not force the government closed and leave the critical national security functions of the Department of Homeland Security unfunded yet again. However, his declaring a national emergency today represents a far greater dangerous abuse of power.” “Far worse than one of his usual … Continue Reading
February 14, 2019
Democrats Introduce Legislative Package to Protect Property Owners Against the Trump Administration’s Border Land Grab
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Democrats introduced three homeland security bills to safeguard the rights of American citizen landowners and protect their property from eminent domain actions by the Trump Administration as it plans barrier construction in the President’s reckless pursuit of a border wall. Currently, there is nothing to stop the Trump Administration from carrying out a historic Federal land grab. These bills, if enacted, would protect Americans from the costs that President Trump’s … Continue Reading
February 13, 2019
Chairman Thompson Statement on Brock Long Resignation
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on the resignation of FEMA Administrator Brock Long: "I hope the Administration will be forthcoming with Congress as to the reason for Mr. Long's abrupt departure. I also hope that the President will quickly nominate a capable replacement who has proven track record of emergency management. The American public cannot afford a leadership gap at FEMA given the … Continue Reading
February 13, 2019
Chairmen DeFazio, Thompson Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Bolster Funding for TSA and Its Workforce
(WASHINGTON) - Chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security Bennie Thompson (D-MS) today introduced legislation with Congressman John Katko (R-NY) to bolster funding for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and its workforce, ensuring that the agency has the necessary funds and resources to secure America’s air travelers and pay its dedicated Transportation Security Officers (TSO). Senator … Continue Reading
February 12, 2019
Chairs Thompson and Lowey Introduce Bill to Improve TSA Frontline Workforce
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, along with Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY), Chairwoman of the Committee on Appropriations, re-introduced legislation to ensure that Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening workforce employees - or Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) - are afforded the same worker rights and protections afforded to other Federal workers under Title 5 of the U.S. Code. H.R. 1140, the Rights for … Continue Reading
February 04, 2019
Chairman Thompson Announces Border Security Hearing with Secretary Nielsen
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, announced that Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen has agreed to testify before the Committee for a public hearing on Wednesday, March 6th at 10am. Statement from Chairman Thompson: "Secretary Nielsen has agreed to come before the Committee on Homeland Security to testify on March 6th. We are giving the Secretary ample time to prepare for this appearance. She should be ready to … Continue Reading
January 29, 2019
Chairman Thompson Announces Homeland Security Subcommittee Chairs
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement announcing the Committee's subcommittee chairs and Vice chair of the full Committee for the 116th Congress: "Our country must tackle a vast array of homeland security issues - from securing our borders to shielding our networks and infrastructure; from protecting our skies and seas to countering extremism and terrorism in all its forms. I'm confident that … Continue Reading
January 25, 2019
Chairman Thompson Statement on President Trump Ending His Shutdown
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on President Trump's decision to sign a three-week continuing resolution to fund the federal government and end his shutdown: "Finally, President Trump has come to his senses and has agreed to end his ridiculous shutdown. The fact that he allowed our frontline workers at the Department of Homeland Security to be unpaid for over a month still defies … Continue Reading
January 25, 2019
Chairman Thompson Statement on the Trump Shutdown’s Homeland Security Impact
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on the Trump Shutdown and its continued negative impact on our frontline homeland security personnel who are charged with keeping the nation safe and secure. Yesterday, Chairman Thompson hosted a Congressional Panel discussion featuring former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson on the effects of the Trump Shutdown on the Department of Homeland Security. … Continue Reading
January 23, 2019
Chairman Thompson Announces Homeland Security Committee Democratic Members
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement announcing the 18 Democratic Members of the Committee for the 116th Congress: “I’m thrilled to welcome - and welcome back - so many fine Members of Congress to our Committee. This diverse panel represents the many different communities of the country, bringing a crucial variety of viewpoints to the issues of homeland security that affect each and every … Continue Reading
January 19, 2019
Chairman Thompson on President Trump’s Border and Shutdown Speech
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on President Trump’s Saturday afternoon speech today: “The President’s speech today was just the latest publicity stunt out of many to come from the White House. He did not move the needle one inch. The President must realize Congress is a coequal branch of government and Democrats will not allow him to dictate the terms of any negotiation while he continues … Continue Reading
January 19, 2019
House Chairmen Condemn Shocking Secret Memo on Trump Administration’s Inhumane Child Separation Policy
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, the Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, the Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, and Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, the Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, issued the following statement in response to a draft December 2017 memorandum released yesterday by Senator Jeff Merkley, which was created by senior officials at the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice outlining the Trump … Continue Reading
January 17, 2019
Chairman Thompson Statement on HHS OIG Report on Family Separation
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) report on family separations at the southern border: “The OIG report released today shows that the Trump Administration, with its unique blend of incompetence, cruelty, and disregard for basic decency, misled the American public on one of its most heinous policies to date. … Continue Reading
January 16, 2019
Chairman Thompson Statement on Speaker Pelosi’s Call to Delay State of the Union Address
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on Speaker Pelosi's call to delay the State of the Union address: "I wholeheartedly support Speaker Pelosi's call to delay the State of the Union address until the government re-opens. The Secret Service is the lead federal agency in charge of facilitating security for the yearly State of the Union address, but because of the Trump shutdown, the agency is … Continue Reading
January 14, 2019
Chairman Thompson: Trump Shutdown to Blame for Airport Lines
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on news reports of airport delays and terminal closures across the country: "Delays at airports across the country today because of TSA staffing issues are a direct result of the Trump Shutdown. Because of President Trump's childish refusal to reopen the government unless he gets his way, over 50,000 TSA Transportation Security Officers are forced to work … Continue Reading
January 10, 2019
Chairman Thompson on First Missed Paycheck Tomorrow for DHS and Other Federal Employees
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the Trump shutdown and 800,000 federal employees who will be missing their first paycheck tomorrow: “Tomorrow, nearly a million federal employees will miss their first paycheck of the year because the President has decided to throw a temper tantrum and hold the federal government hostage over his ridiculous demand for an ineffective, wasteful border wall. … Continue Reading
January 10, 2019
RE-RELEASE GAO REPORT FROM AUGUST: Trump’s Wall Set to Waste Billions, Provide No Measurable Benefit
(WASHINGTON) - Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security has re-released a U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report from this summer on President Trump’s completely unnecessary and wasteful border wall. In the report entitled, “Southwest Border Security: CBP Is Evaluating Designs and Locations for Border Barriers but Is Proceeding Without Key Information,” the GAO found that CBP selected locations for new construction before assessing which … Continue Reading
January 10, 2019
Reports Trump Wants to Raid Disaster Recovery Funds to Pay for Wall
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on news reports that President Trump would like to use disaster recovery and emergency relief funds to pay for his border wall: "I call on the President and Homeland Security Secretary to immediately disavow news reports that President Trump plans to raid disaster recovery funds to pay for his absurd border wall. Any suggestion that he use these funds to … Continue Reading
January 08, 2019
Chairman Thompson: Sowing Fear, Trump Lies Directly to American People
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on President Trump’s primetime address on border security and immigration: “As predicted, the President’s address tonight was nothing more than the fearmongering and lies we have come to expect from him. Besides what the President’s own terrible policies have created, there is simply NO emergency at the border. A wall is not the solution to the crime and … Continue Reading
January 08, 2019
House Passes Extension of Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Program
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the House passing H.R. 251, the “Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards Program Extension Act.” This bipartisan legislation is a two-year extension of the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards, or CFATS program. Under CFATS, DHS works with the owners and operators of our nation’s highest risk chemical facilities to ensure those facilities have … Continue Reading