McCaul Launches Task Force on Denying Terrorists Entry into the United States

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Expanding on the work the House Homeland Security Committee has done to shut down terrorist pathways into the United States, Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) announced the creation of the Task Force on Denying Terrorists Entry into the United States. The bipartisan panel, comprising five Republican and three Democratic Committee Members, is slated to commence work in March and will provide a final report with its findings later this year. The Task Force will examine all pathways by which extremists might infiltrate the homeland and will seek to identify gaps in U.S. government information sharing and vetting procedures. Fixing potential weaknesses in these systems will go a long way towards improving America's defenses against terrorism.

Chairman McCaul:"In the current threat environment, stopping terrorists will continue to be a top Committee priority. Closing gaps in our counterterrorism screening and vetting procedures is especially important in the face of continuing global instability and the desire of ISIS and other terrorist groups to strike the West. The Task Force Members have a difficult mission ahead of them, but the threat is real and we must act in close coordination with the Administration to best protect Americans from those who wish us harm."

The Republican Members of the Task Force are listed below; the Ranking Member will announce Democratic Members. Click on the names of the Members to learn more about them.

• Mike Gallagher (WI) – Task Force Chairman
• Clay Higgins (LA)
• John H. Rutherford (FL)
• Thomas A. Garrett, Jr. (VA)
• Brian K. Fitzpatrick (PA)
• John M. Katko (NY) – Ex Officio Advisor

Read the Committee's full report on last Congress' Task Force on Combatting Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel, here.

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