WASHINGTON, D.C. (WVDN) – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a leader on the Senate Appropriations Committee, participated in a hearing with Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Markwayne Mullin, to consider President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) budget request, as well as many priorities of the agency.
HIGHLIGHTS:
ON THE ACTIONS OF PROTESTORS IN NEW JERSEY:
Senator Capito:
“I want to make a point. When I look at the videos of what’s going on in New Jersey, I wonder the calculated measures that the rioters are taking to try to provoke a response from the professional men and women is just beyond the pale in my opinion. But I would like to point out, that the bill that the chairwoman of this committee wrote, and that has been denied in the Senate, by every Democrat in the Senate, had extra dollars in there to teach deescalation training. So, I commend the ones that are there now, but I do see what the need for more deescalation trainings because there’s more methods, there’s more ways, and it’s a profession, I’m sure, on how to antagonize and try to goad our law enforcement into making a mistake or overreacting. So, I’m sorry this bill is not coming forward because I think it would be answering what I see on the videos.”
ON NEW SPECIAL MISSIONS COMMAND IN KEARNEYSVILLE:
Senator Capito:
“You all selected Kearneysville, West Virginia, as the location for the Specialized Forces Command Center, which will bring in a broad range of high-risk missions where you’re centralizing it in a facility there that you already had, and you’re now using, but you have in your in your budget, an extra $20 million to help establish this facility. I’m wondering, is that adequate, what will they use it for, and will you need additional funding for this?”
Secretary Mullin:
“Thank you so much, underneath President Trump’s leadership, he is rebuilding the Coast Guard and bringing it in to the force that needs to be to face today’s threats. You know, we’re investing roughly $24 billion across all aspects of the Coast Guard. They’ve been neglected and that’s truly our first line of defense to the homeland. Right now, I can’t give you a full number. We’re doing an assessment. I’ve talked to the commandant about this. He felt like we’re in good shape, but we’re just now starting in any of these facilities, when we get into it, and we start doing building and rehab. We usually find that, we try to keep it under the budget, but it can quickly get out of hand. So, before it gets to that point, we want to have a good solid number moving forward. So, when I find out, I need something else, Senator, you’ll be the first call I make.”
ON SUMMIT POINT COUNTER-UAS CENTER OF EXCELLENCE:
Senator Capito:
“I am also encouraged by the Department and CBP’s decision to establish a centralized capability directed to counter-UAS, and they are looking for a facility. They’ve been doing some of this at Summit Point Training Facility, located again in my home state of West Virginia, very close to here. It currently supports federal training, testing, operational missions, and ongoing UAS, and counter-UAS activities. This is a very unique site, and I understand that CBP would like to utilize Summit Point. You know, we have the training center out there in Harper’s Ferry. This is very close. So, I would like to invite you to come and visit and join me at Summit Point training. And, second, will you work with me to see to see that we can make this the dedicated DHS Counter-UAS Training Center of Excellence?”
Secretary Mullin:
“Well, I’d love to accompany to it at any given time. UAS training is vitally important. We spend a lot of time on the offensive side of UAS. We haven’t spent a tremendous time on our defense capabilities. And we have a lot of great companies, private sector, and through the DOW and DHS throughout CBP, FPS, Coast Guard, that’s put in a tremendous amount of effort into the counter-UAS. And so, I’m sure this isn’t going to be the only facility we look at, but I will, I’ll try to do it maybe not in August. It might be a little warm there, but if we have to, if that’s our first availability, we’ll try to get to you as soon as you know.”
ON BORDER SECURITY TECHNOLOGY SECURED IN THE ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL:
Senator Capito:
“Within the One Big Beautiful Bill, we made significant new funding available for border security technology. You know, systems at the border, so you wouldn’t have to use manpower as much, you could use, force multipliers. The legislative language included in this, raised the bar for surveillance technology, requiring and defining autonomous capabilities, even the types that have been fielded at scale for years. So, my question is, how is DHS ensuring that systems being procured with reconciliation dollars are tested and will operate autonomously as they are required.”
Secretary Mullin:
“Yes. So, we have five contractors right now with these autonomous towers. All five of them have passed the test. They all have set standards that they’ve got to go through. From what we had last time around, we’ve changed it a little bit because technology has changed. We’re seeing now, the cartels are using more UAS and more technology than they have in the past. But we see that these towers are moving in the right direction and could really be beneficial with a new AI technology. But, we’re not completely there, but we’re definitely moving in the right direction, but we’ve had 5 contracts awarded to 5 different companies. They’ve all 5 passed the same test, and they’re all performing onto day’s needs.”
