Hearing Of The House Committee On Homeland Security - "The United States Secret Service And Presidential Protection: An Examination Of A System Failure."

Statement

"Some people have asked me why we are having this hearing. Let me be clear. This hearing is
not about crashing a party at the White House. Neither is it about "wanna-be" celebrities or reality television.

On the contrary, this hearing is about real world threats to the nation. We cannot forget that amidst all the hullabaloo and uproar, the most important and indisputable fact is that a couple gained unauthorized access to the White House grounds because no one from the Secret Service prevented them from entering. They remained at the White House because no one from the Secret Service required them to leave.

We are not concerned about agency embarrassment. Discomfort or shame cannot serve as a
substitute for performance. The security gaps at issue cannot be explained away as small
missteps by a few front line employees.

There were undeniable planning and execution failures of the entire Secret Service apparatus.
With security failings that seemed to hang over that evening like a fog, we are all fortunate that this diplomatic celebration did not become a night of horror. There is no doubt that this incident can be an enlightening case study. But it is not enough for us to merely analyze. We must dissect every facet. We must learn the lessons and fix the problems. And after we do these things, we need to give thanks that no lives were lost. Today, we take a hard look at Secret Service actions and omissions that have been revealed and confirmed by this incident. This nation's response to the terrorism threat at home and abroad, demands that we maintain vigilance. The fact that unauthorized persons gained access to the White House Complex during an official State Dinner, mixed and mingled, and were photographed with the President, Vice President and the Prime Minister of India is about as far from vigilant as one can get. It is simply unacceptable.

The American people deserve a full accounting and full accountability. And we all must be
assured that this will never happen again."

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