Chaffetz Statement on USSS Radio Communications Vulnerabilities

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) released the following statement in response to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General report highlighting the United States Secret Service’s (USSS) outdated radio systems in the Washington, D.C. area, which failed over 100 times in 11 months:

“This is another inexcusable security vulnerability at the White House. Radio communication is critical for a quick response to a security incident. This is not a lack of funding issue. This problem stems from mismanagement and poor prioritizing by DHS leadership. In recent years, USSS has received more funding than requested. They’ve had ample resources to prevent such a dangerous situation. USSS has a no fail mission. Secretary Johnson must fix the problems within USSS before the president’s life is put in further danger.”

Background:

On December 3, 2015, the Committee released a bipartisan report, United States Secret Service: An Agency in Crisis, detailing the Committee’s findings into the troubled agency. The report highlighted serious leadership and staffing concerns, along with details surrounding employee misconduct and security breach incidents. The Committee unanimously approved the report on December 9, 2015, sending it to the full U.S. House of Representatives.

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