Hearing Reveals Need for Internal Oversight at DHS CBP Corruption, Mistaken Airport Access, Delayed Projects Put National Security at Risk

AUDIO/VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3nO0WNi6w0

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A lack of internal oversight and cohesiveness among agencies within the Department of Homeland Security is wasting taxpayer money, delaying essential projects, contributing to corruption, and ultimately could jeopardize national security. Those findings were brought to light during today's Homeland Security oversight hearing, which drew bipartisan agreement on the need forreform.

The DHS Inspector General and the Government Accountability Office drew a picture of a department that is a victim of its own inability to integrate the management functions of its 22 agencies or provide adequate oversight of people and projects.

Weapons, Badges & Wasted Money

A lack of oversight is blamed for corruption within Customs & Border Protection including agents repeatedly working with drug trafficking organizations to smuggle guns and drugs through an airport. Approximate 5,800 complaints against CBP employees in FY2011 resulted in 730 investigations. Last year there were 403 arrests throughout DHS.

"To me it's appalling that we have federal officers, federal agents facilitating, working with drug cartels or terrorists. It's no different than (Robert) Hanssen within the FBI or Aldrich Ames in the CIA betraying their country," said Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX), who chairs the subcommittee. Hanssen and Ames are in prison after they were found to be Russian spies, working in the FBI and CIA respectively.

"We need to have effective, strong internal controls," DHS Inspector General Charles Edwards said.

At TSA, airport security badges were found issued to employees who had not undergone a complete Security Threat Assessment. "Individuals who pose threats may obtain airport badges and gain access to secured airport areas, endangering the safety of airport workers, passengers, and aircraft," testified Edwards.

Insight into the failed Secure Border Initiative (SBInet) revealed that CBP wasted $69 million in purchasing steel to build border fences. "CBP purchased more steel than needed, incurred additional storage costs, paid interest on late payments, and approved a higher priced subcontractor," Edwards told the committee.

The GAO also called into question CBP’s management of current efforts to deploy surveillance technologies to the Arizona border and suggested delaying projects so they can be implemented efficiently.

Management Review

"What's needed for DHS is a top to bottom management review because the current management team is not getting the job done," Chairman McCaul said.

"This is a good time, 10 years after the 9/11 attack, to simply do a management assessment of whether the structure of DHS is the best way to carry out themission of protecting the nation," testified former Virginia Governor James Gilmore III, who chaired the Gilmore Commission, which assessed U.S. response capabilities to WMD.

Today's was the latest in a series of hearings by Congressman McCaul's Oversight, Investigations & Management Subcommittee examining the management structure of DHS and how it affects its ability to carry out its core mission of protecting the homeland, with the goal of identifying problems and generating solutions. During today's testimony, Cathy Berrick, GAO’s managing director for homeland security issues, confirmed that an investigation into CBP corruption ordered by Chairman McCaul will be complete by early summer.

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