Sj the subcommittee on oversight will come to order. Without objection the chair made it clear we could resist and time and the record will remain open open for private sidibe some members may submit any materials they wish to be today we have congressman brian mask joining us to participate in todaysom little later. As a former Army Explosive Ordinance disposal technician the congressman is wellpositioned to expose failures of the january 6 responses it will analyze today. Appreciate having them here and discussion. Thank you Ranking Member torres members of the subcommittee and witnesses for joining us at todays oversight hearing. January 6 of 2021 was incredibly day for our country. Our capitol was overrun in some individuals assaulted the u. S. Capital s Police Officers and their breached our halls. Additionally explosive devices were p the rnc threatening our security. Today we will focus on identifying the numerous security failures that preceded and continue persist following the discovery of two explosive devices near the complexanuary 6 at 2021. Although its been three years we still have Unanswered Questions but according to the fbi there are still no suspects as to who plantedl the devices found near the rnc and the dnc. I know i share many peoples concerns that there has been no update in their investigation. Additionally the january 6 select committee which was meant to dive in to failures and investigations of january 6 completely to investigate the process. Despite former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats spending millions of dollars in their two years on the select committee their investigation into the t pipe bombs was basically nonexistent. Their 845 plus page re i can can tell no investigation was conducted. In contrast president mentioned in the report 1901 times. I refuse to follow the select committees footsteps footsteps and except the partisan biased investigation. There were genuine and regrettable security failures on january 6. The response to the devices was one of the most alarming and an oximate 12 42 p. M. The United StatesCapital Police received reports of an explosive device under the rnc and are one of 5 00 p. M. The second device was discovered at the dnc while Vice President elect Kamala Harris was inside the building to the Vice President elect came within feet of the device which is death and detonated could cause serious bodily harm. Cctv footage indicates the devices were planted the night before by an individual carrying a backpack and wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt mask loves glasses and a pair of nike air mass. Sneakers. Despite Police Cameras in the fbis effortsviewing over 800 individuals in assessing more than 300 tips to suspect still remains at large. Unfortunately the fbi has failed to provide substandard updates on the investigation despite numerous requests from congressionalin committees. Today they have declined to participate in our hearing. We are joined by several experts today who will help shed light on the device responses includin Capital Police sean gallagher. Assistant chief gallagher directed the Counter Surveillance Team dec to the dnc following discovery of the device at the rnc. All today will spend time analyzing the discrepancies of the device ultimately this hearing is meant to help us move forward. I look forward to your testimony chief gallagher and to working tother so we casuhe shortcomings of this nature dont happen again but i salute and applaud the u. S. Capital Police Officers who day in and day out devote their lives to protecting the members in the halls of congress and the thousands of visitors who are here every this morning and i now recognize the Ranking Member for five minutesse of providing an Opening Statement. Thank you mr. Chairman and i join you in welcoming our witnesses to our hearing. Thank you for your many years of service to our community. I understandmportant and dangerous your jobs truly arend especially who choose to use bombs instead of the ballot to achieve their ends. I also know from many gears dispatcher that it is usually premature to assess the Law Enforcement response to a act while a federal investigation is still active and ongoing. Im sure that my colleagues on her side of the aisle know this with leads me to wonder what exactly is it that we are doing he this morning . Maybe its to peddle the crazy rightwing conspiracy theories about the january 6 bombs in the dark corners of the internet or maybe we are here so once again try to model our history. Villainize l enforcement and undo the efforts of the bipartisan january 6 select committee. All to distract from the simple fact that the former president and republican nominee for president orchestrated a corrupt scheme to overturn the results of a free and fair election. When that didnt work he summoned an armed were held them up and dispatch them to the capitol endangering the lives ofyone working here that day including membersha of congress not to mention putting at risk the lives of the outgoingincoming Vice President. I was in the house gallery when the capitol was breached. It ise that all who committed criminal acts that they be held accountable for their actions including especially plays pipe bombs at the dnc and the rnc. We must remember that this isnt an episode of law and order. We dont get to ride our own ending according to what may or may not be convenient for our politics. Its frustrating and i agree 100 that all critical and sensitive investigations take time. Experts are tasked with not only solving a crime but also identifying potential characteristics to prevent future threats. From the Church Bombings that terrorized communities throughout the Civil Rights Movement to the bombing of Oklahoma City federal Law Enforcement house to work tirelessly sometimes for y and decades to put together the pieces needed to fully investigate come identify and violent like whomever placed these bombs. Fbi Director DirectorChristopher Wray testified before the january committee the Judiciary Committee last year that his agents reviewed 40,000 video files and assessed more than 500. Law enforcement has sent thousands of manhours investigating crime and they will continue to do so until the perpetrators brought to justice. While my colleagues on the other side of the aisle and i disagree on some things i hope that we can acknowledge and respect the vital work that Law Enforcement including Law Enforcement does on our behalf. Just last week House Republicans included cs to doj fbi and bureau of alcohol tobacco and firearms and explosives atf programs in their appropriations bill for fiscal year 2024. If they were serious about this investigation and supported Law Enforcement they wouldnt have cutt critical funding for federal Law Enforcement needed to solve these crimes and others. This committee should not be used as a platform to feed into internet conspiracy theorists and i look forward to discussing and learning more about the complexities of the important work that the fbi and its partners arepo engaged in from our witnesses. Thank you once again for taking the time to testify and for appearing and i yield back. I now recognize the full committee Ranking Member mr. Mr. Morelle for five minutes for the purpose of the riding an Opening Statement you to our witnesses for joining us this morning and thank you for your long service and thanks to the great men and women of thca every day to keep the American People safe which is no easy task and wee are grateful. I must admit im perplexed as to why we are here for a public hearing on an active and ongoing federal criminal investigation. Especially one which the fbi has repeatedly told congress including members of the subcommittee that discussing an Ongoing Investigation will undermine its integrity and make it more difficult to catch the. Ii have to wonder aloud whether thats the goal, to undermine the integrity of an Ongoing Investigation. E not. But here we are so while im not quite sure what the versailless goal of this hearing is a sincerely hopepel its treated with the seriousness deserves and not use as a platform to spread conspiracy theories about the fbi and the United StatesCapital Police. Throughoutd this congress House Republicans have called to the Fund Agencies like the fbi and the bureau of alcohol tobacco and firearms ands. One House Republicans sells tshirts on their web site that says defund the fbi. I must point out irony of my friends on the other side aisle repeatedly t criticizing the pace of this fbi investigation while the same time probably attempting to defund the fbi atf and other agencies inquiry. How does it make any sense to criticize the pace of the investigation were the resources allocatede to it while simultaneously taking those resources away . One confused with the exec director of the National Fraternal order of police summed it up well. To withhold funding for Law Enforcement is atr variants with common sense. Its not just the funding. This entire congress House Republicans and bizarre accusations the fbi is weaponized in the American People i can be trusted. Thats for technical difficulties prevented the majority of the subcommittee from doing so in the current speaker admitted his allies on thee subcommittee were blurring the faces of riders in the january 6 footage they received over Capital Police objections because quote we dont want them to be retaliated against and charged the department of justice. Imagine that. People break in while we wont want them to be retaliated against her charge for crimes they committed. As im sure was going to Law Enforcement relies on that members for investigations and these baseless discourages members of publica may be helpful and have information from collaborating. Dont get me wrong its key that the individual or individuals who placed the pipe bombs at the dnc and the rnc ahead of the january 6 attack should be caught and prosecuted while i appreciate the majoritys interest in not sure how this hearing will help advance thatgoal or what the committee and house up and stretching could possibly do legislatively to speed up an active fbi investigation. I think the witnesses for being here for your service and your willingness to answer questions and im looking forward to a your testimony and without mr. Chairman i yield back. The doma nields. This hearing is to review the handling of two serious incidents that affects the safety and the security of republicans and democrats and visitors in this city. I was sure that this could and should be a bipartisan hearing and i hope that it will be. The fbi has been this for three years. This hearing is not about the fbi nor its investigation. Its about the response in a process of responding to three very dangerous devices that provide an eminent risk to people herent at the capitol for the fbi was invited to be here today but they declined. I believe we have assembled an impressive panel of experts that can help us break down the response. This hearing, this is not about the fbi investigation but but this is about something that this committee does have oversight which is the u. S. Capital police and Law Enforcement and howow they respond to incidents like this. Without ct other members will be made part of the hearing if they are submitted to the commtee by david a pair the world six with witnesses will please stand and raise your right hand. Do you solemnly swear or affirm the testimony that youre about to give is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you god . Let the record show the witnesses answered in the affirmative and you may be seated and thank you all. I will not introduce our Capital Police assistant chief creative foreign operations mr. Sean gallagher and thank you for your service to the u. S. Capital police and members here. Assistant chief gallagher joined the Capitol Police in 2001 and january 62021 was chief for protective Services Bureau. We are grateful that you are here today assistant chief gallagher and we look forward tothe Law Enforcement response and how we can improve it in the future but her next witness is mr. Sean cofounder and president seau u. S. Bomb technician association. Mr. Dennis formerly served as the bomb squad commander of special Operations Sergeant for the Arapahoe CountySheriffs Office in centennial colorado. I hope i got that name are not scripted. Mr. Dennis has ved in the bomb technician and explosives community for a quartercentury for over 25 years but her next witness is mr. Michael keim at Transit Authority had k9 detection trainer. Did i get that right . Closenough. Mr. Keim has in years as a trainer and supervise thousands of sweeps for explosive since u. S. Secret service and supervise security sweep of the dnc dnc was unavailable to testify before the subcommittee today we are looking for to hearing from mr. Keims perspective on this was that the dnc to what went right and what well may possibly gone on forever and mr. Michael keim barry black a big fan of your first name by the way. Former special agent and master bomb technician. Mr. Was the First Responders to the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing in 1996 atlanta olympic bombing and the 9 11 World Trade Center attacks. In 2022 he was awarded as an honorary u. S. Force commander for Security Forces and military working dogs and as i said a very impressive Panel Experts that can help navigate us here today. We appreciate the winds is being treated look forward to your testimony. As reminder we have read your appear in the full hearing record. Under Committee Rule nine you are limited were to limit your oral presentations to a y of your written statement and consultation with reports. Please remember to turn on your microphones using the button in front of you so that members can hear and if you dont ill it will politely remind you to turn your microphones on. When you begin to speak rely on a timer in front of you and the light will turn green. After four minutes it will turn yellow. Comes on your five minutes has expired. You dont have to stop midsentence but we would ask that you please wrap up once the red light has eliminated. I now recognize assistant chief gallagher for five minutes. Of mourning mourning german latter Ranking Member tourists and members of the committee thank you for the invitation to testify about the january 6 pipe department greatly appreciates this committees continued support of the men and the women of the u. S. Capital police and protec of Congress Visitors in the entire capital complex and legislative process agent every day. Congress support has been invaluable as we continue to work on the lessons are from january 6 will increasing volatile threat environments. As you know the United StatesCapital Police is a unique Law Enforcement agency. The patrol campus that is completely open to the public has a constitutional right to visit at protest and petitio grounds in our officers and civilians were 24 7 to keep you safe weather here on capitol hill or when you travel to your home districts. Ei mission is fast and the responsibilities have expanded immensely over theav years. The threat fixture has more from securing or building to the threat of the 9 11 scenario is the lone offender and an unprecedented increase in threats to members their families for the january 6 of 2021 however that safety was threatened in the a number of ways including the placement of two pipe bombs won one in an alley behind a capitol hill on capital grounds which is adjacent to the republicans, National Committee and one of the democratic nationa committee whichee is just off the Capitol Grounds. That led capital grounds for their buck to walk through the events of that day with regards to the pipe bomb and then id be happy to answer any questions that the2021 i was in charge of our protective