Very good. Okay. Good morning, everyone. We will call this subcommittee on emerging threats and capabilities to order, and the subcommittee on emerging threats and capabilities meets today to receive testimony on the department of defense review of the december 6th, 2019, insider attack on Naval Air Station pensacola in which three u. S. Servicemembers tragically lost their lives and eight more suffered injuries. It is critical that we learn from the attack, understand the threat, and take the necessary steps to ensure the protection of our servicemen and women going forward. I would like to welcome our witnesses. that is why i long supported critical Security Cooperation programs. That is the International Military training and education. These programs provider partners from around the world an opportunity to train and learn, from the best here in the United States. Ultimately our partners returned in the home country with a greater appreciation of the u. S. In part, Lessons Learned on how to better organize an employee, their own armed forces. These programs improve our intraoperative ability with our key partners lay the foundation for cooperation. It will pay dividends for years to come. Over the past 20 years, more than 1 million International Military trained in the United States. Currently the United States was over 5000 students from 100 from 153 countries. Many of the students who come to the u. S. , are the same troops, who have fought or will fight alongside americans downrange. Often times the rise through the ranks and become leaders in their own armed forces. With many becoming chiefs of defense, ministers, or even president s. However, while the benefits of these programs are invaluable, the tragic event in pensacola highlights unacceptable shortfalls in our Security Standards and vetting procedures. The attacker, arrived in the United States in 2017, and harbored anti u. S. Sentiments which he broadcast on social media. All the while, he was able to purchase a firearm, access u. S. Military installations, and ultimately carry out a deadly attack against americans. We must do more to protect our military personnel and assure the security of our facility. Mr. Reid in general, we look forward to your testimony explaining the result of the department of defense review and describing what corrective steps are being undertaken prettier findings are critical to our efforts to ensure that the department has the resources that support an authority that it needs and thank you again for joining us and i look forward to the discussion. And before i headed over to the senator for opening remarks and would like to remind everyone that later we will close the hearing in order to discuss sensitive matters of National Security. At that point, we will ask for the public and members of the press, to exit the room. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding. The intent is for us to break at 1030. And we will then, at the time put in the room and senator peters and i will vote and we have a phone call 41030. And then we will then reassemble those that have the authority to stay in the room. So thank you very much. Ranking member peters. Let me begin by thanking you for holding this hearing. In response to the 2019 attack and pensacola that unfortunately and tragically resulted in the death of three u. S. Service members and wounding eight other americans. Our thoughts arent made with the victims, and the families. We have a responsibility to the victims to learn all that we can from the attack, and to implement changes that will mitigate the risk of future occurrences to the greatest extent possible. Following the attack of the department reacted quickly, put in additional Safety Measures. Provision of training of Foreign Military personnel is a comparative advantage of the United States over a near peer competitors like china, and russia. So it the training helps operability with foreign partners but also to establish connections with officers then go it then going to hold significant leadership in their home countries. The International Program is readily cited by her military enzymatic leaders. As the most effective and resource efficient tools that we have to build Strong Military relationships with foreign partners. Despite these clear benefits, they must ensure that such training does not risk the safety of u. S. Military personnel. Other foreign students, or the installations in which the training is occurring. On january 17th, the department announced new Safety Measures and im looking forward to hearing about those new Safety Measures from the witnesses today. I want to thank the chair once again for holding this hearing and look forward to the discussion. Will go ahead with with our witness opening statements. Dr. Gary reid thank you. We appreciate the opportunity to testify today and address your questions regarding our review of International Monetary student screening and vetting procedures. The tragic loss of life the occurred at the naval station on december 6, 2019, will never fade from our memories. Three young vibrant u. S. Navy sailors, were tragically taken from us. And their families and loved ones. Paying the ultimate sacrifice to save others while they heroically concerning their attacker. This is an the sheriffs office, their brave actions to get control of the action within 15 minutes and save many more from the heavily armed shooter. We are forever in debt into her comrades and those who took swift action to protect others that was later determined by the u. S. Department of justice, an act of terrorism. We greatly appreciate the outstanding work of our federal state and local Law Enforcement agencies. It was the Great Partnership between Naval Security forces, pensacola, and the county Sheriffs Department and the response saving countless lives. In response to the attack, the department of defense improve immediately implemented a stand and pretty the secretary of defense to direct my office, to take immediate steps into areas. One to strengthen the vetting process for International Military students. In two to conduct conference and review of the policies and procedures in place for screening foreign students and granting them access to our basis. Im here today to review and the results of this work and as you already mentioned, a followup in closed session to talk about the National Security details. With regards to the first task, we screened all current Saudi Arabian military students immediately using new procedures that we had recently put in place as part of our personnel vetting initiative as you have been previously great, we are building towards a continuous vetting process that relies on automated data record searches. This is the vetting process. We put this process into place for the International Military students and stays in place today. We screened all of the saudi students, and through the full population of roughly 5000 current people. These automatic searches look at Intelligence Community drive data sets that include government data, commercial data, and publicly available data. The results are analyzed by trained Security Experts and analysts. And used as a basis for determination to further investigate action if its required. In this case the review produced only a small amount of returns the required additional analysis within the department of defense but none that triggered any Immediate Reaction or any action by federal authorities relative to the population. It should be noted however that the perpetrator of the attack, and several of those associated with the perpetrator, were not subjected to this review because they were already subject to the ongoing fbi investigation and they were examined more thoroughly through that process. As you may have been brief, resulted ultimately in the removal of 21 Saudi Arabian military officers from training in the u. S. For misconduct however not related to the december 6 attack. Moving on to the policy review, we found the department of defense has been overly reliant on the vetting conducted by the department of state as part of their assessment of eligibility for the reasons. And the insufficient information sharing in place between that process. We also found that the dod programs meant to detect and mitigate things like this attack, did not cover the students. We learned policies for International Military students possession of firearms, they buried the installation level. And then at the federal level, there are ways to bypass firearms restrictions for non immigrant visa holders. We are well underway to implement the six recommendations the right from the 21 findings and reports. Additional screening and vetting measures are already in effect for all current and future military students. The secretary is issued and policies related to access credentials, and the position of privately owned firearms and ammunition for International Military students. We will build on this with additional changes that reach across the entire student population. To implement these recommendations, have established this vetting and security review and approve integration group, cochaired with general coopers office. When forcible burnett working groups going through each of these recommendations in detail to implement the full set of prs and ideas. We would be happy to revise these in closed session. In closing, its important to note that this work is not singularly focused on the tragic event that occurred in his color. Protecting a personal and military bases, is a top priority for us. Across the department we are actively reinforcing our Insider Threat programs and improving basic security and strengthening our counterintelligence. Within the federal government, were in the midst of the most significant reform of the Background Investigation process indicates. Adopting new technologies and always improving. We appreciate all of the congressional support we received over the past several years to provide us the resources and authorities for the full range of the deity security on the counterintelligence, Law Enforcement and entire programs. Is this ongoing work that enable us to quickly adapt the International Military student vetting process. We will continue to modernize this for all trusted personnel who live and work around the world. Thank you again, for your interest in these matters and i look forward to your questions. Thank you. Thank you. I acknowledge the presence of senator scott, ladies and gentlemen, the training and education of the military and United States is one of our most effective tools to strengthen alliances and track new partners. As a foreign area officer and a career security operator, i worked alongside for military leaders concerning the United States, established an appreciation for American Culture and values, and is shaped longstanding cooperation and partnership with the United States. While the value of these types of military training and education programs, cannot be overstated, i want to be absolutely clear and nothing is more important than safeguarding american lives. The incident has cola was tragic. My heart remains with the families of those who we lost. With the people of pensacola, for the impact this event has had on their community. My colleague and i today, will be sharing new procedures the u. S. Government has put into place, to reduce risk and improve the training environment so that all u. S. Foreign military and civilian personnel and their families remain safe. They have the opportunity to continue benefiting from our Foreign Military Training Programs. The training and education a Foreign Military personnel alongside u. S. Forces, and specifically in the United States, is one of her most effective Security Cooperation tools. What makes this cooperation different, from that of our strategic competitors is that the basis of our approach is of the sale of goods and services, but the enduring relationship comes along with it. At the heart of any defense relationship that is human relationship. It is built and fostered through opportunities for u. S. And Foreign Military students to train alongside one another. When International Military students attend training and education in the United States, they are exposed to our values, our culture, and people. These experiences serve as the Building Blocks from longterm strategic in his relationships. In addition to building lasting relationships, these Training Programs build the capacity of our allies, to provide for their own defense and contribute to shared security challenges. Education and training in the United States is a foundational to building an enduring on interoperability with our partners and allies. Since the year 2000, over 1 million International Military students, have been trained in the United States. We trained more than 28000 saudi students over the life of our Security Cooperation relationships. It is worth noting, the close to 4000 heads of state, ministers of defense, she said defense, and other general officers, received training by the United States. This delivers a lasting strategic return on our Security Cooperation investments. Recently, arun secretary of defense discussed his personal experience training alongside foreign partners. He did in west point with students from other countries, trained at the military academy, and train alongside an officer from the african continent while he was on active duty. These experiences have shaped his strong support for Foreign Military and education programs, and for the departments response to the incident in pensacola. InterNational Military students can receive training and education and the United States, under a variety of programs. The department of defense and the department of state, both have authorities and appropriations to Fund Military training and in the United States. Most of the training occurs at the department of defense facilities and schools. The department of defense provides an offense International Military training and education under a variety of dod programs, such as section 333 global trained and equipped, and that isa trained and equipped fund. The Afghan Security forces fund, the studies, and the Regional Defense combating terrorism and Fellowship Program the department of state has three main programs of training three military programs. InterNational Military education and training for imac program, military financing, and the peacekeeping operations account which includes the global peace operations initiative. Department of state program, is focused on the professionally Partner Nation Military forces and by emphasizing education at every level of the individuals career, we seek to develop professional leaders of whom the United States can work in foster enduring relationships that enable collaboration all of the time. The department of state uses military financing to Fund Training which typically focuses on operational subjects, and is directly related to preterm it made drug programs. In addition, the state funds training peacekeeping operations, which is almost exclusively conducted in part of the nations and primarily for peacekeeping, counterterrorism and security and military professional purposes in selected countries. The programs i have discussed thus far, our programs that are primarily lying on u. S. Grant assistance. Many of our allies and partners use their own money to come to the United States the dod providing training associated with procurement of defense under Foreign Military sales. They are responsible for ensuring transfers of articles and services to include the necessary training and education to ensure the effective operation and sustainment of the systems. Their role is supporting the military training executed pursuant to these authorities is to implement and administer these programs by providing policy guidance as to the u. S. Government stakeholders who are part of the enterprise. The stakeholders include the commands in the Security Cooperation officers in the state Department Military Affairs bureau and military departments schoolhouses run a majority of the training and education programs. They escape support ranges from annual Security Cooperation planning conferences issuing and maintaining to the execution of the Security Assistance and security operate cooperation programs. For example, the not directly involved in the screening of vetting of International Military students, the agency uses policies and procedural guidance that requires the students to receive security medical screening in their own countries. However due to this unique nature the individual nature, of our relationships, each u. S. Ambassador determines the local security screening processes, or their individual posts. Meanwhile, any student comes to the United States under one of these programs is also screened and vetted to determine their eligibility for a u. S. Visa. The visa application process, includes current screening against biographic and biometric databases. And counterterrorism. And at 37 postworld war i including those in saudi arabia, screening by an immigration and customs enforcement, Homeland Security investigations of visas, unit. The sta, the department of state, and the offices of the under secretary of defense for intelligence and policy, the military department in our foreign partners are all critical to ensuring the success of our Foreign Military Training Programs and we have been working hand update processes, and policy guidance in response to the events in pensacola. In closing, i want to reiterate how invaluable the military programs are to advancing our National Security objectives. InterNational Military students are here as student visitors to learn skills and professions but also to learn about the people, our culture and our values. This cannot be overstated. The human relationships, with the respective to the military members, promote longterm relationships, increase our interoperability. And enable our longterm relationships. Thank you very much. Will start with our rounds of questions. And well get as many questions and is as we can. Before breaking for the boat. I will go ahead and start with a couple of questions about acquisition of weapons in the United States. In mystery, thank you again for being here today to testify. This is an important topic. I like to begin by talking about the ability of for National Military students to acquire weapons in the United States. According to the fbi, the pensacola sooner use hunting license to legally purchase a 9 millimeters glock 45 pistol. Can you discuss the ways in which foreign nationals important students can obtain an weapon either on or off a military base. Dr. Gary reid thank you madam chair. So as we mentioned, we had variances and policies that did not specifically prescribe International Military students from obtaining and handling firearms while they were enrolled in the training. And there is now new guidance to make clear prohibition as a condition of them accepting the opportunity to train in the rises going forward, that they will sign an acknowledgment statement that they are no longer regardless of any state local or federal laws, that there are prescribed by the secretary is a sponsor of that training. So we have put that in place. With regard to the shooter in physical or, as you noted in using the same things ive seen coming out of fbi and atf, when most states in this country, if you have a valid hunting license, there is no further requirement for any documentation. And that seems to go against other statutes that were prescribed non immigrant visa holders from doing that. Im not an expert on either one of these areas but we understand that could be the case. We are working with atf right now, probably from our department, we entered put forward changes to legislation to close down what looks like a loophole there. I understand that atf is looking at it very similarly. All of this of course were talking about the legal part. But you know a little bit about firearms in general, purchasing from an individual is different from the firearms dealers. In many of these restrictions that we just talked about, they very was just an individual to individual cell. And then that isnt even get into the non legal acquisition of firearms. So they are clear and clean the many ways in this country to obtain firearms. What we have taken action on from the secretary is to make it very clear to all of our military partners, and any use of firearms while they are here in training, for small there prescribed from the first thing is we mentioned, and we acknowledge however that there are many traditions on minibar basis for skeet shooting and other firearms related support activities. Sec. s method of installation commanders to discretion to approve those actions. Should they comport with the system and training environment. Enter the be no other reason for the commander to disapprove that, then with that down in their hands to do that. That is different from the acquisition of the weapon that we already talked about. We have not completely prohibited them from ever handling a firearm. We have received concern for many members and partner nations about some of these export activities. And we are open minded about how those possibilities may work in the future. But they will be at the discretion of the local commander and without awareness on a limited and specifically approved basis. Certainly i nobly through the School Activities are those sporting activities, most of the training may require different weapons to be handled. But certainly that would be different than the acquisition. Of a weapon. I like to move on to Ranking Member of petersburg question sing. I just lik to answer more about your firearms question for you to testify is very easy to get a firearm and the niceties are now and even when you have this prohibition, how are you going be working with the state and local authorities to actually enforce it and thats my first question sing apart is even legal purchase you mentioned persontoperson but under our background check loss, roughly four roughly 40 percent of weapons are sold without any kind of that project. You go online or ventures. How you do with those challenges. So were going at it from a couple of different angles. Again working working with atf and within the enterprise that forms the National Crimes system, there are pathways for us to create functions with in d certain populations. But as you already mentioned, is not going to stop everything. Within our own department, we put in place additional programs and procedures going down in the insulation level with her Insider Threat programs, and training and educating the full student population on things that would be indicators or undesirable behaviors including off book firearms activities. So for some filters in place so our entire student body and are they are more attuned to recognizing worthy may be indicators of this behavior. For also, putting an additional measures with the first nation governments for particularly the saudi government for training controls and supervision of the training population that will give an additional layer of observation. So were tackling it in that way and through the technical side working within the legal remark. They pick up on that. Has saudi arabia made any commitments to respect to venting their personnel before they actually are sent to the United States. If i heard your testimony correct, this individual is posting things on social media. That was prior to coming to the United States. Is that accurate. On the with the first part. Enter the investigation, the fbi covered uncovered that in a few months time. Preceding the act, some rhetoric. I am not aware of any postings of or by this person before they came here. And do you want to address the government part. The first part of the question, the answer to your question is yes. The saudis have agreed to do a number of things differently and they have been very willing to work with the United States improving their own internal vetting processes including increased psychological and behavioral testing. Prior to nomination of uncovering potential ideological social or family issues or anxieties. Also providing the nominations with us, ahead of time with greater leadtime to allow our own u. S. Vetting sufficient time to operate and finally we wait asking the saudis to consider the individuals personal opinions or attitudes towards the u. S. Government in the u. S. And policies and western culture and respect for persons of different race, gender, religion, National Origin or Sexual Orientation when screening them for training in the United States. You mentioned that right now the focus is screening all current saudi personnel in the United States. And eventually it will go to the entire population did how are you prioritizing that. Senator, about two thirds of the way through, 5000 roughly population currently in the country. We are prioritizing on the basis of our terrorism high threatening categorization. It comes out of there, for National Intelligence locations. Correlating that with student populations in working that as a priority. Then you will engage in continuous monitoring. Walk me through how you will monitor 5000 individuals. From a technical point of view, the database search functions that ive already described, we have the ability to query and to set alerts for and within those data sets much like we do for our own continuous setting population for own National Security populations. We are additionally pursuing and working through a pilot right now on social Media Monitoring and functioning the commercial enters pretty that a lot of people off of that too is in friendly, when we put into the and try to do that skill, we sometimes dissatisfied with the available of the results. Anytime were talking about social media, you have a positive issues, about Identity Resolution mentioning that to a person in the credibility information but we are pursuing that at the direction of the secretary to beat more proactively monitoring on social media sites. Some of the databases size already monitoring, theyve derived from social media but is not comprehensive so we are pursuing that. The third monitoring, nontechnical means that i already described senator which would be through our Insider Threat awareness programs that exist at the insulation. Thank you rated senator scott. Thank you. This happened in my home state. Why dont people call this terrorism. Nobody wants use this word but clearly, this is somebody that hosted his information clearly was anti america and if people want to talk about this being an incident or Something Like that. I dont know how anybody could think it wasnt terrorism. Mostly for myself but also for the department. We fully recognize that the conclusions of the attorney general that this was an act of terrorism. I know that within the department of the navy and the honors and recognitions they bestowed upon the three sailors, recognize that they fell at the hands of a terrorist attack. I have not experienced any perspective on our side and if i refer to it differently was in no way, debt the fact that it was terrorism. Im very sensitive to that ive spent 28 years with this. Does the department feel like to be call it terrorism, it hurts what we are trying to do. Sir i concur with my colleague. And it has been identified as it an act of terrorism. It. So what everybody talks about is how this building longterm relationships and all that entails really good. My concern though is when you talk to people that have been part of this, and a lot of countries, they will say that there are countries where, when longterm relationships after the fact because we train together but i have not to date found one person that is said that they had a longterm relationship with saudi nationalism that they train with. And i think all of us know the importance of our relationship with saudi arabia is in la. Rely on them to work with them in the middle east. We all recognize that. But should we look at countries differently because if you look into your testimony, especially yours general, he talked a lot about the importance of the relationships. I hear that. But i never hear that about saudi arabia. So are there other countries that we should say, maybe we should not be doing this is a Something Different that we had to be doing. Or more of it in our home country and things like that. In answer to your question, the defense with saudi arabia have had multiple discussions about this perception of saudi students. In pensacola and other training installations. It is expresses concern over this. And he is come to us with solutions on how to the saudis intend to address this and then i will discuss how we intend to address this issue. Among the steps the saudis have committed to our increased cultural awareness trainings before their student begin training in the United States. To increase their security religious theological awareness and u. S. Personnel will deliver part of this training. Second, we will be determining a code of content and they will be distributing this detailing what the kingdom leadership expects of their students while in the United States. And third, there will be increased supervision of saudi students by both local Liaison Officers and more personal engagement and oversight by the Saudi Defense who as you know, the senior Saudi Defense official in the United States. We are working with saudis to ensure their Liaison Officers are sufficiently senior right to assure that there effectiveness in this role. And i can tell you and personally, i have conveyed to the saudi leadership, that we will not accept anything less than a carnal in pensacola. A saudi colonel to be the liaison in pensacola. In addition with collaboration have reviewed existing standards of conduct, and transmitting to saudi arabia, conduct expectations documents to further inform their venting. Beyond that just these dues and notes, this of the department of defense expectations emphasizes the importance of attitudes to your points are, towards the United States and respect to persons of all backgrounds. In addition, the department is reviewing our International Military sponsorship from apps to determine how to increase saudi participation. These programs will further promote cultural awareness and strengthen relationships among the saudi and other International Military students. These are unique steps that we are taking in respect to this perception youve articulated about saudi students. We will have additional time. The vote has been called. So this will be a natural breaking point. So we will go ahead and transition senator scott, and peters, we will vote in the with that direction. We will reconvene, as soon as i return. I will start in the closed portion of the hearing. Thank you. In the suite, Supreme Court argument, tonight on cspan easter two and listen anytime at cspan. Org. And with the free cspan radio app. It is he a schedule of upcoming oral argument sent to watch others we have covered, as well as speeches by the justices, go to cspan. Org. Supreme Court. This weekend, former Vice President joe biden holds a Community Event in st. Louis head of missouris democratic president ial primary and it will be like saturday at 12 noon eastern on cspan. And then coming up on sunday, vermont senator bernie sanders, campaigns in grand rapids michigan, and you watch that life starting at 1230 eastern also on cspan and is Available Online at cspan. Org or listen with a free cspan radio app. Sunday night on q a, thank you wallace, kennedy daughter of four term alabama governor and president ial candidate, George Wallace, talks about her fathers controversial career and what inspired her to write a book. The broken road. Suet back in 1996, we took our young son, he was nine at the time, to Martin Luther king Museum Historical site in atlanta. And we went to to the grave and then over to the museum and the newly constructed at that time. And we were going to this visit and we came to the exhibit, the alabamians exhibit, and it showed the baptist church, birmingham, and George Wallace standing in the schoolhouse door. My son looked up at me and he said, he was so sad, why did he do those things to other people. And broke my heart. He never told me what he did those things to other people. And i know he was wrong but maybe we will have to be up to you and me, to help make things right. Watch sunday night at 8 00 p. M. Eastern, on cspans q a read up next, Public Health officials are asked about the federal response to the coronavirus. We will hear from former cdc director at the Homeland Security hearing which is chaired by mr. Thompson. Cdc director julie gerberding
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