Committee to Take Action in Light of San Bernardino Security Gaps

Statement

As the FBI investigation in San Bernardino unfolds, it is becoming more apparent that at least one of the terrorists broadcast violent jihadist views online, yet was still allowed into the United States. House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul announced today that his Committee plans to take additional action to close security gaps exposed by the San Bernardino terrorist attack, including tightening security of the visa process into the United States.

Chairman Michael McCaul said, "This Administration has forbid our frontline security professionals from more broadly incorporating social media information into the visa application process, something that might have kept this attacker out of our country. It is time this Administration stopped worrying about the privacy of foreigners more than the security of Americans. We need more robust vetting and screening of all visa applicants, and I plan to take additional actions soon, in coordination with other key House leaders, to strengthen the visa security process--so it meets the security challenges of the 21st Century."

In the wake of the Paris and San Bernardino attacks, Chairman McCaul and the Committee have been moving quickly to shut down potential terrorist pathways into the United States, including:

Passing bipartisan legislation to tighten national security screening of Syrian and Iraqi refugees--a measure that would help prevent terrorist groups like ISIS from exploiting the refugee program to send operatives into our country;

Passing bipartisan legislation to strengthen the security of the Visa Waiver Program, which would introduce tougher screening of travelers abroad in order to keep violent extremists from reaching our shores; and

Turning the recommendations of the Committee's bipartisan Task Force on Combating Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel into legislation designed to address security vulnerabilities in the United States and overseas which make it easier for terrorists to cross borders undetected.

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