They can to minimize the spread of covid19 among workers and detainees. For fiscal year 2020 congress appropriated approximately 3. 1 billion for more than 45000 single adults and family ice detention beds and other custody operations. Over 80 of these beds are operating daily by private contractors and some of whom are at this hearing today. That is a large amount of taxpayer money, money a historically high number of detention beds and demands oversight and accountability. Detention facilities must be held to a High Standard at all times but in this moment it is a vital importance. Yet, over the past few months it is clear that ice in its contractor had not taken this a break seriously and have not treated it aggressively enough. More than 3000 detainees, 280 contractors and at least 45 ice employees assigned to detention facilities have now test positive for covid19. Sadly, we have watched as two detainees a potential third today in the state of florida and contractors due to convocations. After they were exposed at a detention facility. Despite these horrific losses ice continues normal operations and contractors are following in lockstep. Ice continues to transfer detainees between facilities and contractors continue to accept them. Further, there is overwhelming evidence that these transfers have likely contributed to multiple covid19 outbreaks inside of ice detention facilities across the u. S. We also read reports and hurts from current and former employees the guidance issued by the four companies are presented here today suggested rationing of personal protective equipment. Documents provided to the Committee Show management at a facility are attempting to practice social distancing in the claires way to prevent the spread of this disease in the facility is to pursue alternative to detention and release those detainees who pose a threat to communities. The high risk of exposure to covid19 at these facilities is further exacerbated by inadequate medical care. Prior to the Pandemic HealthServices Provided in detention facilities were severely lacking and proved to be the work of most complaints by detainees. It is no surprise that the Current Public Health crisis has only compounded that situation. Some facilities are reportedly waiting days or weeks to test individuals, including the most vulnerable detainee. The bottom line is that much more needs to be done to stop the spread of the coronavirus at these facilities and to protect the health of these detainees and the american people, guidance to facility personnel must be clear and expose it, transferred between facilities must be stopped immediately and adequate medical care must be provided. Covid19 does not distinction between u. S. Citizens and noncitizens and neither should we and our approach to protect against it. I look forward to hearing from our Witnesses Today about what additional steps they will take to address this pressing issue going forward. The chair now recognizes the Ranking Member of the subcommittee, gentleman from louisiana, mr. Higgins for an opening statement. Thank you, madam chair. It is wonderful to join you in this meeting today in this very important topic. I think the witnesses for being here today. I further, sincerely appreciate chairman thompson opening the hearing room to conduct official business. As you know, it is my humble opinion that we should be conducted important oversight and legislative mission here in dc in person and i look forward to return to regular order. Let me state that i find it disappointing that the majority did not invite ice to a hearing that focuses on ice. Ice could update us on a preventative measures they are taking to address covid19 and the implementation of the cdc recommendations and further guidance they provide to detention facilities contractors who will be joining us today. On to president trumps administrative direction, ice activated this pandemic workforce Reduction Plan in january of this year, in response to the covid19 outbreak. That plan provides an additional layer of Safety Measures on top of ice performancebased National Detention standards. Ice also convened with working group of medical professionals, Disease Control specialists, detention experts and field operators to identify further steps to protect detainees, as a result the population of ice dedicated to detention facilities were reduced to 70 capacity. The cdc recommendation is 75 . This reduction included the review of nearly 34000 detainees in custody nationwide to identify those with high risk of severe illness, potentially due to covid19. As a result more than 900 detainees who posed a low risk to Public Safety were released. We can all agree these are unprecedented times and while i commend ice for going above and beyond cdc guidance to certainly more that needs to be done. As of july 7, 3. 7 of those in ice custody are 835 individuals that have tested positive for covid19. However, today in the hearing we will happily discuss the agencys response to covid19 and the threat thereof ice was not invited to testify. Ice should be here to update us on what further measures they are taking to address covid19 and what additional improvements could be made in ice should be here to tell us what issues have arisen and how they have overcome them or not but ice should be here to answer new questions about the information we have received from these contractors and as a result of the chairmans very professional document reduction request. Ice should be before us today but they are not here. Quite frankly, todays hearing topic is, i respectfully submit, is outside our committees jurisdiction with this Witness Panel making it quite a stretch. Today we have the president s and ceos from for Government Contractors who have to respond to repeated documents reduction requests and testify before committee with tertiary jurisdiction at best. Any legislation related to this topic, immigration detention and immigration laws would not be referred to this subcommittee. On its face this seems purpose of his hearing is perhaps politically driven and perhaps it is important to get the message out. I agree with the substance of what we see, madam chair and respectfully and i believe ice should be here to speak for themselves. We create ever moving goalpost for hardworking employers and contractors who simply are doing their job abiding by the laws and as prescribed by congress. The truth is there, nearly half of those in ice custody on this day have final orders of removal nearly at the majority of individuals still in custody and have criminal convictions or charges pending ranging from aggravated assault to homicide. These crimes committed in the United States are not taken lightly and should not be yet some of our colleagues across the aisle seem to prefer them that anyone detained by ice should be released, no matter what crime that individual has committed or how much of a Public Safety risk they represent. It is completely righteous for us to question ices treatment in response to covid19 but let us not go too far. I hope we can talk through the politics and the chairwoman and i have attempted to do so in the past and we shall continue that endeavor today. I look forward to speaking and listening and i thank you, madam chair and i yield back. Thank the Ranking Member and add that its a here is that the dhs component are referring to an omb guidance about remote hearing which is why i believe they would not respond but i would be more than happy to put the question directly to them but that is apparently what we have been informed and they are refusing to participate based on the guidance of omb in any remote hearing but i thank you for raising that issue. Members are reminded that the subcommittee will operate according to the guidelines laid out by the chairman and Ranking Member in their july 8 agree. With that i ask unanimous consent to Wave Committee rule 882 for the subcommittee during remote proceedings and the designated by the speaker under House Resolution 965. Without objection, so ordered. Without objection to members not sitting on the subcommittee will be permitted to participate in todays hearing in the chair now recognizes the chairmans of the whole committee from mississip mississippi, mr. Thompson, for an opening statement. Thank you very much madam chair. Good afternoon to the members present. Im glad to have this opportunity to speak with our witnesses about this important topic, immigration detention contractors response to covid19. The covid19 pandemic has brought [inaudible] to communities across our country with more than 135,000 americans losing their lives to coronavirus. My home state is not exempt but with over 1200 of my fellow mississippians and tragically succumbed to the pandemic in cases continue to increase. This suffering has failed disproportionately on minority communities who often lack access to inadequate healthcare. Those who reside in congregate settings, including detention facilities are also particularly vulnerable. Even before the pandemic many ice detention facilities have a troubled record with numerous complaints, large about health and safety issues, poor Living Conditions and inadequate inspections. These issues combined with the risk of infection and crowded spaces and lead to outbreaks inside detention facilities. By the most recent reporting thousands of ice detainees across more than seven detention facilities have tested positive for covid19. It is unfortunately includes 35 detainees in the Residential Center in texas which is operated by the [inaudible] group. This can situation cannot continue for ice and its contractors must do their part to slow the spread of covid19 in the interest of saving lives and protecting our country. I thank the witnesses for the replies to my april 209 letter requesting information on how they are mitigating the spread of covid19 in their facilities and i would note that they have only been partially responsible. I move today to get a clear commitment from each company to be more transparent about their practices and what they are seen in their facilities with this Public Health crisis but ice has been reporting on the numbers of infected detainees and federal employees but a major gap in this reporting remains the number of Contract Personnel who tested positive for covid19. We deserve to know this information. The dhs Inspector General also recently issued an initial report informed by surveys distributed to facilities across ice Detention Network and those surveyed allowed facilities to self assess their preparedness and response to the pandemic. But they appeared to be a disconnect between issued guidance and implementation of that guidance. Similarly, my staff found serious implementation gaps when reviewing the documents of each of your companies that was provided in response to my requests. We have seen Public Authority new line across the aisle and concerns with how ice private contractors are managing this situation. I ask for unanimous consent to enter into the record a letter from the governor accountability projects which represents multiple whistleblowers who are [inaudible] the governor accountability project also represents subject matter employed by dhs to advise on detention Health Issues but whose input seems to have been ignored. The letter describes extremely concerning mismanagement that, no doubt, has made the crisis unfolding in ice detention facilities that much worse. This is not the end of this committees oversight of conditions at ice detention facilities during covid19. Before the pandemic the committee was actively examining the system problems those facilities that work will continue. The today i urge each one of ice detention contractors to be more aggressive in their response to covid19. I also hope that as the tragic Public Health crisis continues that ice will use its discretion and maximize the use of alternatives to the program which this group has managed four years. This will limit the spread of covid19 in detention and i urge our witnesses to reexamine how they report the problem of covid19 within their facility and to continue their engagement with us to improve these conditions. Thank you, madam chairwoman and i go back. Thank you, mr. Chairman. We now recognize the full committee Ranking Member, from alabama, mr. Rogers for an opening statement. Mr. Ranking member, you need to unmute. Thank you, madam chairman. I want to thank chairman compton again for the use of the committee room. During this congress the majority has made it a habit of declining to invite or refusing to accommodate critical governmentbacked witnesses. We reached out to dhs to find out why they werent here and they said they did not know about the hearing so we called him last week. The majority failed to invite ice to answer questions about its detention policies. Im increasingly concerned that this is a concerted tactic to avoid having experienced senior officials communicative at our two current tact the leftwing narrative. On todays hearing a reminder majority that just last year they called the migrant surge of the border a fake emergency. Even as a crisis reached its peak in on the subject of House Democrats waited more than one year to have to vote on a much needed emergency funding for border crisis and yet what they did send came up short, not one single dollar for Immigration Enforcement facilities was included. I have requested over 300 million to modernize and improve the detention capacity to meet the spike and demand in the majority did not send a dime. Meanwhile, customs and Border Protection is forced to release migrant straight into the border communities. [inaudible] it is becoming increasingly clear that calls for the open borders are streaming into the democratic mainstream platform and contractors of help meet the governments retention needs and they are often derided for simply partnering with the federal government to carry out the laws of this land. These contracts have existed under both democrat and republican administrations. During the covid19 crisis ice and its potential partners have worked together to reduce the number of individuals in custody. They have taken measures that go beyond cdc guidance to adapt to the new safety protocols and cleaning procedures. They have also provided safe accommodations for those with final removals or criminal convictions whose release would endanger other communities. The border crisis and covid19 crisis are two sides of the same coin. I question how the majority can continue to neglect its duty to fund ice last year and again this year. The border crisis and its lack of funding foreshadows the covid19 health crisis. Willfully underfunding ice to make a political point because it will have profound impacts on migrants drawn here by a broken immigration system. Failing to invest in agencies that enforce our immigration laws has odd consequences. I hope the majority will ultimately realize their continued efforts to defund ice have lasting consequences before we have a repeat of this year and again next year. Thank you, madam chair and i go back. Thank you, Ranking Member. I will not welcome our panel of witnesses paid our first witness is president and chief executive officer of the course of it. He joined the company in 1982 as a Correctional Officer based in kansas and served in a number of roles until he was named ceo in 2009. Our second witness is the chairman of the board ceo and founder of the ceo. He founded the company in 1984 and has served as ceo since it went public in 1994. He also served as the director of the geo [inaudible] our third witness is the president and ceo of the management and training corporation. He has been at mtc for 37 years. Final witness is mr. Rodney cooper, executive director for lasalle corrections. Mr. Cooper retired from a 30 year law career at the texas deferment of criminal justice before joining lasalle in 2009. Hes also been a member of the american corrections association. Without objection. [audio difficulties] by now i ask each win is to summarize his statements for five minutes beginning with mr. Hendon sure. Thank you and good afternoon. Chairman rice, Ranking Member higgins and members of the subcommittee my name is [inaudible] and im president and ceo of course the vics. For over 35 years core civic has worked with our federal and state partners to provide respectful and humane environments for those individuals at our facilities. I have been with the company for more than 28 years and i began my career as a Correctional Officer in kansas where i was born and raised. After starting at the Correctional Office i worked in nearly our areas of corrections and my experience our facilities informs my actions every day. At core civic we take seriously our responsibility to ensure the people in trust in our care that are safe and treated in a humane era. The goal pandemic is an unprecedented situation that has presented challenges to every correctional system in america. This is public or private, just as it has for other organizations such as hospitals and Nursing Homes or individuals are housed together or share a common accommodations. During this time our number one priority is health and safety of those entrusted to our care and our employees and our communities. Throughout the companys history we have implemented industry best practices to handle the potential spread of infectious diseases. Since the pandemic began we have worked quickly to execute the guidance of the cdc and our partners. I believe these practices and the measures core civic has implanted has further helped with we monitored development of covid19 nationally and in our facilities. In march we activated our Emergency Operations center or eeoc which functions 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The eeoc serves as a Central Point to help coordinate our response and support our facilities. Coordination and communication across the company has been critical and the guidance from the cdc and our partners have evolved over time as we have learned more about covid19. We also formed a covid19 task force comprised of Senior Operations and medical leaders to monitor the pandemic and develop facilities to civic response and medical action plans. They quickly pushed down guidance on good hygiene practices and at our facilities our staff works constantly to educate those in our care about how to combat the spread of covid19. Consistent with the cdc recommendations our staff are required to wear masks and we provide masks to both our staff and detainees at her ice facility. These masks are replaced as necessary and we have an adequate supply of masks stocked at our facilities. Core civic screens all individuals and employees before entry into our facility. These screens include temperature and covid19 symptom checks. The reality of the pandemic has required us to make certain operational changes that are at our facilities but for example, working closely with our government partners we have suspended in person visitation in march and following the guidance of the cdc and ice core civic separately houses from the general population any detainee who test positive for covid19 or who was exposed to a positive case. We have also adjusted how we serve meals and provide other services to promote social distancing and reduce irregular transmission. Our staff understands that while these steps are necessary to stop the spread of the virus these changes can be stressful to the detainees and their families. To address this we have provided additional communication through other means including adding additional minutes. Where it is safe to do so we have reserved activities and we hold town Hall Meetings to share information with detainees and answer their questions and listen to their concerns. Courses core civics website has a cdc guidance and the health and wellbeing of our nearly 14000 core civic employees is a top priority. We recognize that reporting to work during a Global Pandemic can be stressful for employees. We have expanded paid leave to those that have to miss work for covid19 related reasons. We offer accommodations to employees who may face an elevated risk of comp locations from covid19 and which to take extended leave. To recognize core civic employees service to the epidemic each facility employee, including parttime employees, received a 500dollar bonus and additional time off. Covid19 continues to threaten our nation and affect americans in every region and working in every industry. We continue to work every day to reduce the risk of transmission, care for those who live and work in our facilities and make every effort to improve our practices and procedures. I thank you for the opportunity to testify today and look forward to your questions. Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. I now recognize [inaudible] for five minutes. Congresswoman rice, Ranking Members rogers, Ranking Member higgins and distinguished members of the subcommittee. I was born in 1950 in greece, located on the northwestern border of the country in a house with no plumbing or electricity. Also in the house where i was born were greek soldiers spending the night from fighting communist parties in albania. Fortunately, in 1953 my family received approval to emigrate to the United States so we traveled by ship landing in new york city where we were processed through ellis island. We filed settled in akron, ohio where i learned to speak english and began my education that eventually took me to Kent State University in 196869. My own immigrant story has shaped the core values that have guided my entire life and career that includes the principle of never placing profit above the value of people. I am chairman and ceo and founder of the geo group which i established in 1984. Four of our nine Board Members are part of the female group. We have 23000 employees and locations in the u. S. , uk, australia and south africa. 60 of our employees are members of minority groups reflecting our companys diversity. 93 of our employees who work in our secure Services Division earn 15 an hour or more. Now i would like to address some things that our company does not do. We do not manage any shelters or facilities for unaccompanied minors. We dont manage any facilities with chain linked been seen in units. We dont play a role in people assigned to our facility and our management and we dont lobby for stricter criminal justice or immigration laws. In my written submission i have chronicled the Numerous Companies steps we have taken to fight covid19 virus but here i will only summarize our response. We believe we have acted quickly and effectively to protect the health of those in our care and in our employees. I am pleased to report that there have been zero covid19 deaths in geo managed facilities for ice. Further, there is only one detainee and one employee who is presently hospitalized. In early february we began posting information throughout our facilities about social distancing, proper handwashing and sanitizing practices. Covid19 specific cleaning supplies and Hygiene Products have been continuously available in all Housing Units. All detainees and employees are supplied with masks. Highrisk residents who are identified and placed in separate Housing Units with specialized healthcare protocols and improved social distancing has been made possible to our price facilities operating at less than 50 occupancy. We have an ongoing covid19 Testing Program for residents and employees which will extend in september when we expect to receive 45 covid19 test machines. We will continue to apply the best practices to improve our effectiveness in fighting this virus and this concludes my opening remarks. I appreciate the opportunity. Thank you. Thank you for your talk. I now recognize [inaudible] to summarize his statement for five minutes. Thank you for the opportunity to appear in todays hearing. My name is scott and im the ceo of management corporation. I would like to share my companys experience responding to covid19 and a detention facilities we operate. This is in california, new mexico and texas. Since the start of this pandemic our Top Priorities have been to take action that protect the detainees and our staff from this virus. Mtc began in 1981 as an operator of residential job centers and we provide low income youth with academic instruction and Technical Training as well as wraparound services, including food, shelter, medical care, mentorships and job placement. We have made a positive difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of vulnerable youth. In 1987 mtc took our job court knowledge and experience and began operating correctional facilities with the goal of helping incarcerated individuals change their lives in reducing recidivism. In 2006 mtc began providing services to another vulnerable population, the men and women detained attending immigration proceedings. Mtc again adopted the job core model of support, service, timing and respect. Mtc operated detention facilities, provide access to healthcare, legal, programming and faithbased services and safe, clean and secure facilities. As of today there are a total of six active covid cases at our facilities. Covid19 has proven to be highly contagious, medical guidance has been fluid since the start of this pandemic. We have acted with urgency to implement the guidance from ice, centers for Disease Control and prevention and state and local health departments. We have a deep concern for the people at our facility and our highest priority is the safety of our staff and detainees. We are responsive to the involving federal, state and local guidelines. We currently also green new entrances into our facility by placing them in a two week warranty. We cap individuals were some thematic or had contact with someone who had covid19 and individuals who test positive are placed in medical isolation and provided with care. Employees and those entering the facility are screened prior to entry. Staff and detainees receive training to identify symptoms and to help them understand prevention behaviors by hand sanitation, mask wearing et cetera. Cleaning and sanitation is enhanced and social distancing practices are in place. We have learned a lot about containing the spread of covid19 the past few months while there is still a lot that we and the entire medical community do not know there are some things that guide us. First, testing is a Good Management tool that gives us Important Information to act on. It is not a panacea. Changing behavior is the difference maker. Frequently educating detainees and staff of prevention behaviors is essential. Limiting movement of detainees into facilities and having space to isolate, quarantine helps significantly. Stopping in person visits except for legal visits and screening those entering the facility make a difference. Finally, cleanliness and good sanitation and insistence on social distancing, mask wearing and handwashing is critical. We will continue to evaluate and apply Lessons Learned and managing covid19 at our facilities. I would like to close by thanking the people who work day in and day out on the front lines of this pandemic risking their own lives to keep the men and women in our care safe and healthy. It is the officers, doctors, nurses, counselors, chaplains, Food Service Workers and facility administrators, they are heroes and we could not have managed it this unprecedented pandemic without them. Thank you for allowing me to speak about our shared interest in successful outcomes for the people in our detention facilities. Thank you for your testimony. I now recognize mr. Cooper to summarize his statements in five minutes. Thank you, chairman thompson, Ranking MemberRobert Rogers and members of the Committee Print thank you for the opportunity to testify regarding this response. Its a privilege to be near a beer before you today and discuss the tremendous efforts. The corrections is an established developer and operator and Correctional Center throughout the United States and we have been providing corrections Industry Solutions to logarithmic agencies, federal agencies and government municipalities for decades. The range of facilities includes Design Construction and Operations Management along with inmate detainee services that cover security, education, rehabilitation, immigration and healthcare. Its a fullservice corrections and detention management and we specialize in the management of prisons, jails and detention facilities as well as inmate and detainee transportation services. Since the onset of reports of covid19 we saw corrections have been tracking the outbreak updating protocols and issuing guidance. The implemented are pandemic contingency plan in response to covid19 that includes screening, testing and appropriate treatment prevention and education and infectious control measures. [inaudible] we formulated revisions to our strategic plans to include a covid19 response plan. Our companys Strategic Planning ensures continuity of operations and a sustainable Healthcare Delivery system. Emergency services and advance medical care is included in our pandemic planning. Also, company is a protocols are in place for infection, staff and detainees including appropriate use of ppe in accordance with cdc guidance. As you are aware construction on the detention facilities can include custody, housing, education, recreation, healthcare, food service, workplace components in a single physical setting. Integration of these components presents unique challenges for control of covid19 transmission among incarcerated person, staff and visitors. However, our companys consistent preparation, prevention and management measures have served as a foundation to reduce the risk of transmission and severity of illness from covid19. Today no one in our care or custody has succumbed to covid19. Our employees have access to most current cdc and dhs guidance and full support and access for a rapidly changing environment. General guidance for each facility has congressional detention settings include operational and communications preparations for covid19, enhanced cleaning, disinfecting and hygiene practices, social distance strategies, how to limit transmissions for visitors and infection control, including recommended ppe and potential alternatives during ppe shortages. Federal screening and Temperature Check protocols for incoming individuals, staff and visitors, medical [inaudible] including considerations for cohort individuals when spaces are limited. Healthcare evaluations for suspected cases including testing for covid19, Clinical Care for environment suspected cases and considerations for person at higher risk for severe disease from covid 19. We are working closely with the center for Disease Control with Homeland Security and other federal state and local agencies to deliver pandemic planning. The corrections for cdc guidance routinely and continue to update protocols to remain consistent with cdc guidance. We will continue to incorporate cdc, 19 guidance coupled with the rapidly changing adaptations of state and local health departments. Also self corrections continues our focus on operational reinforcing hygiene practices, intensifying disinfecting and cleaning of facilities and monitoring potential cases. Facilities who continue to increase social distancing have staggered meals, relocations are recognized in order to limit large gatherings. Responsibility to affect those in our custody is paramount and we are firmly committed to the health and welfare of artane population. Soft corrections will remain diligent and operating our facilities at the highest level providing safe, secure and humane settings for our staff, those in our custody and those in the committees we operated our dedication of our workforce is the foundation of our success in responding to the president did pandemic and i assure you our team will continue to work very hard every day to ensure facilities are operating under the safest and most practical conditions to reduce the risk of exposure and prevent further spreading of covid19. Thank you again for the opportunity to appear before you today and for your escort. I remain committed to working with my colleagues in congress to ensure for the welfare and safety of our detained population. Thank you, mr. Cooper. I think all the witness for the testimony never mind the subcommittee that we each have five minutes to question the panel and i will not recognize myself or for questions. Mr. Hininger, with the Detention Center in arizona which Company Operates at least 250 detainees have now tested positive for coronavirus among an average population of about 1100 people. Thats nearly 5 of the detainees at the facility. There are also reports indicating that employees have been pressured to keep working after showing signs of the coronavirus and its staff are not told what other workers or detainees have tested positive for the virus. Will you commit to launching an investigation into these reports of potential negligence at the facility . Thank you for your question. So, let me just per se, since the beginning we been working closely with our partner in this case and also cdc on exactly how we should adjust and calibrate our operations appropriately within our eyes inform. As it relates to eloi in arizona we have had individual test positives that you just noted both staff and detainees but the numbers, i thank you have indicated, are year to date or during a period of time and we had a pandemic and they are lower today. In fact, i would say there is probably about 90 employees i think today that are positive with covid19. I only have five minutes. I just wanted to ask if you could yes or no, would you agree to open up an investigation into those allegations . Maam, were looking at these in real time. Ice has staff on site working with us so its appropriate we need to make a change or a tweak or enhance our process we are doing that in real time and not waiting for an investigation. One of the first pieces of guidance issued by the cdc was if you feel sick, stay home but we said that to every single american but if you feel sick, stay home and we want to ask our witnesses yes or no because i have limited time, will each of you commit here today that you will let your staff stay home if they are experiencing symptoms, if they are not feeling well. Answer yes or no. Yes. Yes, we did that weeks ago. Yes. Yes. Thank you. We know that ice detainees are still being transferred between detention facilities around the country which is inevitably good to be deemed to the of this virus. Has any again yes or no, have any of your Companies Ever requested that ice holds transfers to your facilities due to safety concerns . No. Everyone else . For mdc we are in constant communication on safety concerns of inmates being transported but we have a dialogue back and forth. If we get someone with the temperature or anything we immediately stop the transfer and we are regularly in dialogue about that issue. If you get someone who appears to be having symptoms, you immediately put them in isolation once they come to you, you dont refuse them but to compromise . If they show up on the bus they are held intake isolated until we get on the phone with ice and determine the proper course of action, whether they go to the hospital or go somewhere else or what will happen. That happens on a regular basis, so yes, we are constantly in mitigation about the subject. Core civic is consistent with other operators with medical staff going to the bus and doing screenings on the bus before they walk into the facility and determine if they are showing symptoms or have a High Temperature then are isolated. We do the same. Anyone else . We do the same as what was just mentioned. I know other members or other of my colleagues will ask about testing because we know that that is without testing youre never going to get this issue under control. So, i guess yes or no [audio difficulties] are you being left to acquire the testing [audio difficulties] i know one of the witnesses said something about getting 45 machines soon are you responsible for getting your own testing or are you getting that from dhs, ice [audio difficulties] in the early days, that was the case but. [audio difficulties] [audio difficulties] [audio difficulties] three. [audio difficulties] [audio difficulties] we are actively searching for although [inaudible] [audio difficulties] [audio difficulties] thank you all. Thank you for your testimony today. Mr. Hininger. Thank you, chairwoman. If you could repeat [audio difficulties] [audio difficulties] [audio difficulties] [audio difficulties] [audio difficulties] [audio difficulties] [audio difficulties] [audio difficulties] [audio difficulties] [audio difficulties] i urge you to pursue that with compassion. [audio difficulties] [audio difficulties] what would you say your position is . [audio difficulties] we are following cdc and ice so anyone will be tested. [audio difficulties] [audio difficulties] [audio difficulties] [audio difficulties] [audio difficulties] [audio difficulties] that is a possible solution. [audio difficulties] [audio difficulties] [audio difficulties] [audio difficulties] [audio difficulties] [audio difficulties] [audio difficulties] [audio difficulties] [audio difficulties] if the Public Sector was not playing the role, government could hire employees [inaudible] but it would take many years to accomplish that. We are having technical difficulties with this event but we are trying to work out the problem. We continue to have technical difficulties with this event so we are going to move on with our schedule. We will check back in a bit at cspan. Org for this program. Cspan has unfiltered coverage of congress, the white house, the Supreme Court and publicpolicy events. You can watch all of cspans Public Affairs programming on television, online or listen on our free radio app. Be a part of the National Conversation to cspans daily Washington Journal Program or through our social media feeds. Cspan, created by americas Cable Television company as a Public Service and brought to you today by your television provider. Tonight a special edition of book tv starting at 8 30 p. M. Eastern with black lives matter cofounder alicia garza. She offers her thoughts on organizing and building longterm dress roots movements. Then Elizabethtown College religious studies professor, michael bond, and pamela horwitz, widow of julian bonds are collected writings by the late civil rights leader. Later several programs to the awardwinning historian even michael off, enjoy the tv on cspan2. Tonight on the communicators. Democratic congressman mike doyle, also chair of the communications and technology subcommittee, talks about disinformation on social media and the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on telecommunications. And the people who won these platforms take a look at the country they have created because they have changed culture of this country and if you dont see the division that exists in our country right now that it is cheaply being done, my social media, i mean, it is just crazy to me how you can identify peoples political affiliation just based on certain actions on your posting everyday on the internet. Congressman mike doyle tonight at 8 00 p. M. Eastern on the communicators on cspan2