[House Hearing, 117 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



                  CURRENT STATUS OF ISIS AND AL-QAEDA

=======================================================================

                                HEARING

                               before the

                            SUBCOMMITTEE ON
                            INTELLIGENCE AND
                            COUNTERTERRORISM

                                 of the

                     COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                    ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

                             SECOND SESSION

                               __________

                             JUNE 15, 2022

                               __________

                           Serial No. 117-62

                               __________

       Printed for the use of the Committee on Homeland Security
                                     

		  [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
                                     

        Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.govinfo.gov

                               __________

		     U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

48-796 			   WASHINGTON : 2022





                     COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY

               Bennie G. Thompson, Mississippi, Chairman
Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas            John Katko, New York
James R. Langevin, Rhode Island      Michael T. McCaul, Texas
Donald M. Payne, Jr., New Jersey     Clay Higgins, Louisiana
J. Luis Correa, California           Michael Guest, Mississippi
Elissa Slotkin, Michigan             Dan Bishop, North Carolina
Emanuel Cleaver, Missouri            Jefferson Van Drew, New Jersey
Al Green, Texas                      Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Iowa
Yvette D. Clarke, New York           Diana Harshbarger, Tennessee
Eric Swalwell, California            Andrew S. Clyde, Georgia
Dina Titus, Nevada                   Carlos A. Gimenez, Florida
Bonnie Watson Coleman, New Jersey    Jake LaTurner, Kansas
Kathleen M. Rice, New York           Peter Meijer, Michigan
Val Butler Demings, Florida          Kat Cammack, Florida
Nanette Diaz Barragan, California    August Pfluger, Texas
Josh Gottheimer, New Jersey          Andrew R. Garbarino, New York
Elaine G. Luria, Virginia            Vacancy
Tom Malinowski, New Jersey
Ritchie Torres, New York
                       Hope Goins, Staff Director
                 Daniel Kroese, Minority Staff Director
                     Natalie Nixon, Committee Clerk
                                 ------                                

           SUBCOMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE AND COUNTERTERRORISM

                  Elissa Slotkin, Michigan, Chairwoman
Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas            August Pfluger, Texas, Ranking 
James R. Langevin, Rhode Island          Member
Eric Swalwell, California            Michael Guest, Mississippi
Josh Gottheimer, New Jersey          Jefferson Van Drew, New Jersey
Tom Malinowski, New Jersey           Jake LaTurner, Kansas
Bennie G. Thompson, Mississippi (ex  Peter Meijer, Michigan
    officio)                         John Katko, New York (ex officio)
               Brittany Carr, Subcommittee Staff Director
          Adrienne Spero, Minority Subcommittee Staff Director
                      Joy Zieh, Subcommittee Clerk
                            C O N T E N T S

                              ----------                              
                                                                   Page

                               Statements

The Honorable Elissa Slotkin, a Representative in Congress From 
  the State of Michigan, and Chairwoman, Subcommittee on 
  Intelligence and Counterterrorism:
  Oral Statement.................................................     1
  Prepared Statement.............................................     2
The Honorable August Pfluger, a Representative in Congress From 
  the State of Texas, and Ranking Member, Subcommittee on 
  Intelligence and Counterterrorism:
  Oral Statement.................................................     3
  Prepared Statement.............................................     6
The Honorable Bennie G. Thompson, a Representative in Congress 
  From the State of Mississippi, and Chairman, Committee on 
  Homeland Security:
  Prepared Statement.............................................     7

                               Witnesses

Mr. Damon Stevens, Assistant Director, Strategic Operational 
  Planning, National Counterterrorism Center, Office of the 
  Director of National Intelligence:
  Questions From Chairman Bennie G. Thompson for Damon Stevens...     9
Ms. Samantha Vinograd, Acting Assistant Secretary, 
  Counterterrorism and Threat Prevention, Office of Strategy, 
  Policy, and Plans, U.S. Department of Homeland Security:
  Questions From Chairman Bennie G. Thompson for Samantha 
    Vinograd.....................................................     9
Mr. Timothy Langan, Assistant Director, Counterterrorism 
  Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation:
  Questions From Ranking Member August Pfluger for Timothy Langan    10

 
                  CURRENT STATUS OF ISIS AND AL-QAEDA

                              ----------                              


                        Wednesday, June 15, 2022

             U.S. House of Representatives,
                    Committee on Homeland Security,
                              Subcommittee on Intelligence 
                                      and Counterterrorism,
                                                    Washington, DC.
    The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10 a.m., in 
room 310, Cannon House Office Building, Hon. Elissa Slotkin 
[Chairwoman of the subcommittee] presiding.
    Present: Representatives Slotkin, Jackson Lee, Langevin, 
Malinowski, Pfluger, and Van Drew.
    Ms. Slotkin. The Subcommittee on Intelligence will be in 
order. The subcommittee is meeting today on the current status 
of ISIS and al-Qaeda.
    Without objection, the Chair is authorized to declare the 
subcommittee in recess at any point. I now recognize myself for 
a brief opening statement.
    Look, in the midst of addressing emerging threats in the 
homeland, including, you know, all the things that are going on 
in our own country, our political landscape, our domestic 
terrorism concerns, we--the targeting of religious 
institutions, hate crimes, those things, cyber attacks, the 
role of cryptocurrency and new technologies, new avenues for 
bad guys to use new technology, I think it is important that we 
not lose sight of the threat posed by foreign terrorist groups 
like ISIS and al-Qaeda.
    This one is important to me in particular, given my 
background at the CIA and at the Pentagon, and at the CIA in 
particular, being an Iraq analyst by training and spending a 
lot of time looking at these groups and thinking about all the 
different ways they were trying to attack the homeland.
    We now, you know, have affiliates of these organizations 
across the Middle East, in Africa, and South Asia. We know that 
ISIS and al-Qaeda continue to plan and plot and fundraise and 
recruit.
    We know that the withdrawal of Afghanistan has really 
changed the threat landscape and made this a bigger concern, I 
think, because of the inability to truly have good eyes and 
ears on the ground. We have heard from senior officials from 
DHS here in this committee, from the FBI, the intelligence 
community that currently, the most lethal threat facing the 
American public is from domestic violent extremists, you know, 
our fellow citizens, as we saw a couple weeks ago in Buffalo.
    While that poses a lethal threat, I think it is important 
that we not--that we be able to walk and chew gum and also look 
at the foreign terrorist threats that are still important for 
our security.
    We now are 20 years past the attack on 9/11, almost 25 
years since our embassies were bombed in East Africa, in Kenya 
and Tanzania, and 30 years since the World Trade Center was 
bombed for the first time.
    Terrorist tactics have really evolved over that time, from 
truck bombs and airplanes used as missiles and bombs being 
hidden in printer cartridges, and improvised armed drones. I 
mean, we have really seen them evolve.
    What has not changed is that the United States is an 
outsized target, an appetizing target for terrorists. They 
still seek to attack us, to attack our allies, to attack our 
American citizens and facilities abroad.
    While we are going to move this subcommittee hearing to a 
closed session so that we can really dig into the details, I 
want the American public to be clear-eyed about the persistent 
terrorist threat to the United States and that it hasn't gone 
away simply because the news isn't covering every day.
    In the 2022 Annual Threat Assessment, the Office of the DNI 
describes ISIS, al-Qaeda, and other foreign terrorist groups as 
likely posing the greatest threat to Americans while they are 
outside of our borders, further describes these groups as 
having been degraded over time, but still able to carry out--
having a vision of carrying out a strike on the U.S. homeland.
    We know that our Armed Forces and our intelligence 
community work diligently, quietly every day, in a way that 
American citizens have no idea, to put out those flames of 
terrorism. Those embers will likely persist into the 
foreseeable future, so hence, today's hearing.
    We are going to receive a Classified briefing from the 
Department of Homeland Security and from the National 
Counterterrorism Center, as well as the FBI, and get their 
assessment of the threat currently posed by ISIS and al-Qaeda.
    I am looking forward to the hearing and how these agencies 
are collaborating from the intelligence and information-sharing 
angle, but also on securing travel and keeping cyber space safe 
from terrorists, and then how they are taking advantage of new 
technologies, like cryptocurrencies, as the hearing we had a 
few weeks ago.
    [The statement of Chairwoman Slotkin follows:]
                 Statement of Chairwoman Elissa Slotkin
                             June 15, 2022
    In the midst of addressing emerging threats to the homeland, 
including the divisiveness from an increased polarization of the 
political landscape; domestic terrorist events, particularly targeting 
protests and religious institutions; and the seemingly never-ending 
spate of cyber attacks; it can be easy to lose sight of more long-
standing threats, like those posed by foreign terrorist groups like 
ISIS and al-Qaeda.
    But through affiliates in several countries across the Middle East, 
Africa, and South Asia, ISIS and al-Qaeda are planning, plotting, 
fundraising, recruiting, and carrying out attacks. And the abrupt 
withdrawal of the United States from Afghanistan has only made this 
threat worse.
    In this committee, we have heard from senior officials at DHS, the 
FBI, and the intelligence community that currently the most lethal 
threat the American public faces is from domestic violent extremists--
our fellow citizens who have resorted to violence in furtherance of 
various agendas. Although domestic violent extremists pose the most 
lethal threat, it is not the only threat.
    As a former CIA officer and Pentagon official, I am keenly aware of 
the destruction ISIS and al-Qaeda can leave in their wake. And I know 
that we must remain vigilant and stay one step ahead of terrorist 
plotting.
    We are now more than 20 years past the attack on the World Trade 
Center and the Pentagon. It has been almost 25 years since our 
embassies were bombed in East Africa, and nearly 30 years since the 
World Trade Center was bombed for the first time.
    Terrorists' tactics have evolved over this time period--from truck 
bombs and then airplanes used as missiles to bombs being hidden in 
printer cartridges and improvised armed drones.
    But what has not changed is that America is an outsized target.
    While the subcommittee will soon move to close the hearing and 
today's testimony will be received in a Classified setting so that my 
fellow Members can hear a detailed assessment of the threat posed by 
ISIS, al-Qaeda, and their affiliates--I want the American public to be 
clear-eyed about the persistent terrorist threat to America.
    In its 2022 Annual Threat Assessment, the Office of the Director of 
National Intelligence describes ISIS, al-Qaeda, and other foreign 
terrorist groups as likely posing the greatest threat to Americans 
while outside of our borders. It further describes these groups as 
having been degraded over time but still having a vision of carrying 
out a strike on the U.S. homeland.
    While the brave men and women of our Armed Forces and our 
intelligence community work diligently, every day, to put out the 
flames of terrorism--these embers will likely persist for the 
foreseeable future.
    Hence, we are having today's hearing--to receive the Department of 
Homeland Security's, the National Counterterrorism Center's (NCTC), and 
the Federal Bureau of Investigation's assessment of the threat 
currently posed by ISIS and al-Qaeda and how they view the trajectory 
of the threat.
    I am also looking forward to hearing how the agencies are 
collaborating, from the intelligence and information-sharing angle as 
well as from the perspective of securing international travel and 
keeping cyber space safe from terrorist recruitment, training, and 
fundraising.
    I am concerned that terrorists may also take advantage of new 
technologies, such as cryptocurrencies, to help fund their efforts and 
further their violent agenda and extremist ideologies, and am 
interested in understanding how we are combating the illicit uses of 
these technologies.
    I hope today's hearing improves our understanding of the threat and 
gives us the information we need to support your missions.

    Ms. Slotkin. So I hope the hearing today is a good way to 
help deepen our understanding on this committee, and I now 
recognize the Ranking Member from the subcommittee, the 
gentleman from Texas, Mr. Pfluger, for an opening statement.
    Mr. Pfluger. Thank you, Chairwoman Slotkin, for holding 
this, what I would call, most important hearing today, and 
thank you to our witnesses for joining.
    This is a topic that not only the Chairwoman is familiar 
with, but also myself. As an F-22 pilot, somebody who has 
served abroad in many different theaters, I have spent 
literally my entire professional career looking at threats that 
are facing the United States, and have spent an enormous amount 
of time specifically focused on foreign terrorists.
    You know, as I spent the year of 2016 to 2017 deployed to 
the Middle East, fighting directly against ISIS, I have seen 
and witnessed with my own eyes the tragedies and the horrific 
realities that these terrorist organizations bring, not only to 
the region that they were in at that time, to the Middle East, 
but also their desire.
    As the Chairwoman said, the appetite is there, the desire 
and the intent are absolutely there. It is not going away. I 
think that this is an important hearing to underscore that 
importance and to make sure that all Americans know the 
difference between this foreign terrorist threat and what it 
poses to our country and what the end-state is versus the 
domestic threat that we keep hearing about.
    Looking at where we stand today, it has been nearly a year 
since the incredibly disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. 
The Taliban has been able to quickly reassert control over the 
country for the first time in 20 years, and our presence on the 
ground ended tragically with 13 U.S. service members killed, 
and at least 170 Afghans killed in an ISIS-K-orchestrated 
terrorist attack on that fateful day in August.
    The bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport is just 
one devastating example of how serious the threat is and that 
it remains.
    While the Taliban, ISIS-K, and others operating in 
Afghanistan currently receive most of the public attention, we 
must also contend with an international ISIS and al-Qaeda 
presence on multiple fronts, emanating from Somalia to Syria, 
Pakistan to Libya, and places in between.
    As has been repeatedly the case, we see a direct 
correlation between the foreign terrorist threat abroad and our 
security here at home. Just last month, Shihab Ahmed Shihab was 
charged with aiding and abetting a plot to murder former 
President George W. Bush. Shihab was linked to ISIS, inspired 
by ISIS, and was inspired to action by extremist propaganda 
from the groups that I just previously mentioned.
    He was able to enter the United States under a visitor's 
visa and subsequently claimed asylum, which raises so many 
questions and the well-placed concern that others have, that he 
and others could infiltrate our country through similar means 
and carry out attacks, not just against the homeland, but also 
against people like former President George W. Bush.
    On top of this, his assassination plot included plans to 
obtain Mexican visitor visas for foreign ISIS affiliates, and 
once they had arrived in Mexico, smuggle them across the U.S. 
border. This is the threat that we are dealing with.
    In another case directly affecting my home State of Texas, 
last December, British citizen Malik Faisal Akram was able to 
enter the United States, using a visa waiver program, despite a 
criminal history and having been considered a subject of 
interest by British intelligence agencies such as MI5, and as 
recently as 2020.
    As we now know, Akram would go on to hold members of the 
congregation Beth Israel hostage in the synagogue for at least 
10 hours just a couple of months ago.
    Isnardo Garcia-Amado, an individual present on the 
terrorist watch list, was released into the interior by Customs 
and Border Protection, and remained free to travel the country 
for 2 weeks until apprehension happened.
    Shihab, Akram, and Garcia-Amado, highlight the very real 
threat that faces this country right this second and poses a 
threat to our Homeland Security, the reason that this committee 
exists.
    In addition to these recent cases, another concern I have 
repeatedly raised this Congress is the dramatic spike we have 
seen in watch-listed individuals being encountered at the 
border, specifically at the Southern Border, and in particular, 
the number which are being apprehended in between ports of 
entry, meaning that they are not presenting themselves to be 
processed, as is the narrative that we repeatedly hear, but 
instead they are attempting to evade law enforcement.
    This is especially concerning because we now know that 
there were almost 400,000 got-aways last fiscal year.
    So my question is this: What don't we know? How many watch-
listed individuals actually got away? The number that was 
released by the administration took us a year to get that, and 
now how many of the people that were on that 400,000 of known 
got-aways, still remain inside the interior of the United 
States and pose a very significant threat like the three that I 
have previously mentioned?
    I am looking forward to an in-depth conversation today 
about the current threats that we face, and have been sounding 
the alarm bells since I entered Congress. I am looking forward 
to understanding a detailed understanding of trends in 
terrorism.
    We must stay ahead of the curve. We must prevent that 
hostile intent from actually entering our country and carrying 
out attacks.
    It only took a handful of people on 9/11. Was that so far 
away in our history that we have forgotten those lessons? I 
don't think so. It is up to us to have these conversations.
    Americans are beyond frustrated at this point in time, 
specifically with the lack of focus and the lack of attention 
that comes to our Southern Border, not knowing who is entering, 
not knowing what their affiliations and their intents are, not 
having an understanding of where they are and what they intend 
to do.
    I fought these terrorists my entire career, and I know very 
well, and more than most about the evil that they present and 
the desire that they have to hurt Americans and to hurt the 
United States of America and our allies.
    This is the Committee on Homeland Security. We must 
recognize the threats that are capable and willing to hurt the 
United States. We must recognize and address these threats, and 
also, we must be realistic about what is going on at our 
Southern Border.
    I am afraid that terrorist groups have taken major strides 
in their attempt and their willingness to strike the homeland. 
The system is blinking red.
    As the 9/11 Commission wrote in the days leading up to 9/
11, they addressed one of the major concerns after the fact by 
saying that the system was blinking red and that all indicators 
pointed toward an imminent attack.
    I hope that I am wrong on this, but we must remain vigilant 
and get over other narratives that distract us away from the 
real threats that face this country.
    It is high time that we have this hearing. I am so glad 
that we are going to convene in a Classified setting to 
understand what those threats are, whether ISIS, which has been 
proven to be incredibly resistant, or al-Qaeda, which has the 
freedom to move in a country for the first time in 20 years 
like they haven't seen, maybe ever before.
    It is a homeland security imperative that we thwart any 
effort of these organizations to make--to expand their presence 
overseas and subsequently launch an attack against Americans or 
against the homeland.
    From an international perspective, it is as true today as 
it was in the fall of 2001. We must deny them sanctuary. We 
must take the fight to them, and from a domestic perspective, 
we must secure our homeland at all costs.
    Thank you for holding this hearing, and I yield back, Madam 
Chair.
    [The statement of Ranking Member Pfluger follows:]
               Statement of Ranking Member August Pfluger
    Thank you, Chairwoman Slotkin, for holding this important hearing 
today, and thank you to our witnesses for joining us.
    This is a topic that both the Chairwoman and I are personally 
familiar with. As an F-22 pilot, I had the privilege to serve first-
hand in the fight against ISIS.
    Looking at where we stand today, it has been nearly a year since 
the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan; the Taliban was quickly 
able to reassert control over the country for the first time in 20 
years; and our presence on the ground ended with 13 U.S. service 
members and at least 170 Afghans killed in an ISIS-K-orchestrated 
terrorist attack. The bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport is 
just one devastating example of how serious this threat remains. While 
the Taliban, ISIS-K, and others operating in Afghanistan currently 
receive most of the public attention, we must contend with an 
international ISIS and al-Qaeda presence on multiple fronts--emanating 
from Somalia to Syria and Pakistan to Libya.
    As has repeatedly been the case, we see a direct correlation 
between the foreign terrorist threat abroad and our security here at 
home. Just last month, Shihab Ahmed Shihab was charged with aiding and 
abetting a plot to murder former President George W. Bush. Shihab was 
linked to ISIS and inspired to action by their extremist propaganda. He 
was able to enter the United States under a visitor's visa and 
subsequently claimed asylum, which raises many questions and the well-
placed concern that others have and will infiltrate our country through 
similar means. On top of this, his assassination plot included plans to 
obtain Mexican visitor visas for other foreign ISIS affiliates and, 
once they had arrived in Mexico, smuggle them across the U.S. border.
    In another case directly affecting my home State of Texas, last 
December, British citizen Malik Faisal Akram was able to enter the 
United States using the Visa Waiver Program, despite a criminal history 
and having been considered a ``subject of interest'' by MI5 as recently 
as 2020. As we now know, Akram would go on to hold members of 
Congregation Beth Israel synagogue hostage at gunpoint for 10 hours. 
And just a couple months ago, Isnardo Garcia-Amando, an individual 
present on the terrorist watch list, was released by Customs and Border 
Protection (CBP) into the United States and remained free to travel the 
country for 2 weeks before apprehension. Shihab, Akram, and Garcia-
Amando highlight the very real threat foreign terrorism poses to our 
homeland.
    In addition to these recent cases, another concern I have 
repeatedly raised this Congress is the dramatic spike we've seen in 
watch-listed individuals being encountered at the border, in particular 
the number which are being apprehended between ports of entry--meaning 
that they are not presenting themselves to be processed, but instead 
attempting to evade law enforcement. This is especially concerning 
because we know that there were almost 400,000 got-aways last fiscal 
year. So my question is this: What don't we know--how many watch-listed 
individuals got away?
    The homeland implication in all of these situations is simple. It 
is imperative that DHS properly coordinate with Federal law enforcement 
and the intelligence community to track terrorist travel and prevent 
those who are intent on causing us harm from entering the United 
States.
    I am looking forward to an in-depth conversation today about the 
current threats we face from ISIS and al-Qaeda, as well as a detailed 
understanding of trends in terrorism movements. We must stay ahead of 
the curve to prevent those with hostile intent from gaining a foothold 
in our country, and the conversation today is an important step in the 
right direction to ensure our success.
    Whether ISIS--which has again proven to be incredibly resistant--or 
al-Qaeda--which has freedom of movement like they haven't seen in 
decades--it is a homeland security imperative that we thwart any effort 
these organizations make to expand their presence overseas and launch 
an attack on U.S. soil. From an international perspective, it is as 
true today as it was in the Fall of 2001: We must deny them sanctuary; 
we must take the fight to them. And from a domestic perspective, we 
must secure the homeland on all fronts--whether it be through air, 
land, or sea.
    I fought these terrorists my entire career. I know more than most 
the evil they are capable of. This is the Committee on Homeland 
Security. We must recognize and address these threats. Through our 
Southern Border, I'm afraid that terror groups have taken major strides 
in their attempt to strike in our homeland. After 9/11, when thousands 
of Americans lost their lives, the 9/11 Commission said that the system 
was ``blinking red'' in the months leading up to 9/11.
    It's blinking red again. We need to act.
    Thank you all again for your time. Mrs. Chairwoman, I yield back.

    Ms. Slotkin. Other statements may be submitted for the 
record.
    [The statement of Chairman Thompson follows:]
                Statement of Chairman Bennie G. Thompson
                             June 15, 2022
    The country faces so many threats from White supremacists and 
militia extremists, cyber criminals, pandemic diseases, authoritarian 
governments, and extreme weather caused by climate change. But the 
reason this committee was formed, and the Department of Homeland 
Security was established, is the threat we face from international 
terrorists.
    Nearly 21 years later, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, 
remain the worst we have seen on American soil. The fact that was the 
last complex foreign terrorist attack on U.S. soil is a testament to 
the hard work of our homeland security, intelligence, law enforcement, 
and military personnel. Together we have made progress in degrading 
groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda--and have even destroyed parts of their 
networks.
    The Department of Homeland Security, the National Counterterrorism 
Center, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation--all of whom the 
subcommittee will hear from today--have been essential to this 
accomplishment. They have done important work tracking evolving 
threats, working with partner nations to build layered defenses, 
pursuing a campaign to debilitate the groups' plans and operations, and 
collaborating with other Government partners to stem the tide of 
fighters joining their ranks.
    Yet the work of these agencies continues, because the perverse 
ideology espoused by ISIS and al-Qaeda and their commitment to violence 
and murder persist.
    Al-Qaeda and ISIS affiliates continue to pop up across the globe--
in Yemen and Syria to Somalia, Nigeria, and beyond. Although they 
appear to threaten mostly local or regional targets, all of the groups 
and their offshoots desire to attack the United States. Today, Members 
will hear specifics about this objective, terrorists' ability to meet 
it, and how the agencies continue to work to diminish that capacity.
    While most of today's hearing will likely take place in a 
Classified setting, I assure the American people that this committee 
and the agencies testifying are dedicated to keeping these threats far 
away from our shores.

    Ms. Slotkin. Because of today's testimony--because today's 
testimony may endanger National security, pursuant to clause 
2(g) of rule 11, I move to hold the remainder of this hearing 
in executive session. A recorded vote is mandatory under this 
rule.
    Ms. Slotkin. If folks could mute, please, until their name 
is called. The clerk will call the roll.
    The Clerk. Ms. Jackson Lee.
    Ms. Jackson Lee. It is difficult to mute when you are 
getting ready to say yes or no and someone speaks and you did 
not ask them to speak. But my vote is an aye.
    The Clerk. Ms. Jackson Lee votes aye. Mr. Langevin.
    Mr. Langevin. Aye.
    The Clerk. Mr. Langevin votes aye. Mr. Swalwell.
    [No response.]
    The Clerk. Mr. Gottheimer.
    [No response.]
    The Clerk. Mr. Malinowski.
    Mr. Malinowski. Aye.
    The Clerk. Mr. Malinowski votes aye.
    Mr. Pfluger.
    Mr. Pfluger. Aye.
    The Clerk. Mr. Pfluger votes aye.
    Mr. Guest.
    [No response.]
    The Clerk. Mr. Van Drew.
    Mr. Van Drew. Yes.
    The Clerk. Mr. Van Drew votes yes.
    Mr. LaTurner.
    Mr. LaTurner. Aye.
    The Clerk. Mr. LaTurner votes aye.
    Mr. Meijer.
    [No response.]
    The Clerk. Mr. Swalwell.
    [No response.]
    The Clerk. Mr. Gottheimer.
    [No response.]
    The Clerk. Mr. Guest.
    [No response.]
    The Clerk. Mr. Meijer.
    Ms. Slotkin. Is there any other Member wishing to vote or 
wishing to change his or her vote?
    How is the Chair recorded?
    The Clerk. You are not recorded.
    Ms. Slotkin. I vote yes.
    The Clerk. Slotkin votes yes.
    Ms. Slotkin. The Clerk will report the vote.
    The Clerk. Madam Chair, on that vote, there were seven yeas 
and zero noes.
    Ms. Slotkin. The majority being present and voting in the 
affirmative, the motion is agreed. Without objection, a motion 
to reconsider is laid upon the table.
    The subcommittee will reconvene in executive session in 
HVC-302. Pursuant to the order of the subcommittee of today, 
the Chair declares the subcommittee in recess, subject to the 
call of the Chair. We will see you all in the executive 
session.
    [Whereupon, at 10:15 a.m., the subcommittee proceeded in 
closed session and subsequently adjourned at 11:55 a.m.]



                            A P P E N D I X

                              ----------                              

      Questions From Chairman Bennie G. Thompson for Damon Stevens
    Question 1. What do you expect the time line is for ISIS and al-
Qaeda to reconstitute to the point that they pose a direct threat to 
U.S. interests abroad? And the time line for posing a direct threat to 
the homeland?
    Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
    Question 2. What specific themes run through theoretical, or 
actual, plans which ISIS and AQ are currently contemplating? For 
example, are they threats to Government officials, to critical 
infrastructure, to aviation, etc.?
    Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
    Question 3. Are you aware of any al-Qaeda efforts to reestablish 
training camps in Afghanistan or recruit forces to the country? If so, 
please explain.
    Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
    Question 4a. Last August, the Taliban released thousands of 
prisoners from Pul-e-Charkhi prison as well as the Parwan Detention 
Facility. Can you elaborate on who these prisoners were, their ties to 
Foreign Terrorist Organizations, and their specific participation in 
terrorist activity? Were there any individuals of particularly grave 
concern released?
    Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
    Question 4b. Of those released, is the intelligence community 
currently tracking the locations of all--or any--of those with FTO 
connections? If so, who exactly and what have their travel patterns 
been?
    Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
    Question 5. What has happened with the over $7 billion worth of 
American military equipment left in Afghanistan? Is it in the hands of 
U.S. adversaries such as Iran and Pakistan? What are their intentions 
with it and what are the long-term security implications for the United 
States?
    Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
    Question 6. What are the most important programs Congress needs to 
support to prevent the expansion of the ISIS and al-Qaeda threat to the 
homeland?
    Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
    Questions From Chairman Bennie G. Thompson for Samantha Vinograd
    Question 1a. The Department of Defense Inspector General published 
a report in February which brought to light some concerning information 
regarding screening and vetting failures which arose during the 
relocation and resettlement of Afghans last year. What were the 
screening and vetting issues from your perspective?
    Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
    Question 1b. How many individuals, who were then determined to be 
present within the TSDB or TIDE, were released within the United 
States? How are you tracking those who have been identified? Where are 
they currently?
    Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
    Question 1c. What measures have been taken to ensure that every 
person who the U.S. Government--including the U.S. military--has 
derogatory information on, has been identified and isn't able to apply 
for asylum or otherwise attempt to remain in the country?
    Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
    Question 2a. Last month, Shihab Ahmed Shihab, an Iraqi man living 
in Columbus, OH, was charged Federally with an immigration crime and 
aiding and abetting a plot to murder former United States President 
George W. Bush. Shihab was able to enter the United States through a 
visitor visa and subsequently filed a claim for asylum. Respecting that 
it is the State Department's decision as to whether to grant non-
immigrant visitor visas, please explain the fact pattern and reasoning 
which led CBP to grant Shihab entry upon his arrival at a POE. What 
exact criteria does CBP use to determine whether someone is likely to 
overstay their visa (including through claiming asylum) and how did 
they determine that Shihab met those criteria?
    Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
    Question 2b. Was Shihab's application for a visitor visa run 
through the NVC? Which immigrant and non-immigrant visa applications 
are and are not run through the NVC?
    Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
    Question 3a. Is it correct that the position of DHS is that no 
error was made regarding the admittance of Malik Faisal Akram to the 
United States and that Akram's criminal record and prior terror 
investigations were not determined to be derogatory information because 
current information-sharing agreements do not include domestic criminal 
convictions and terror investigations which are deemed to be 
unsubstantiated?
    Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
    Question 3b. Is it DHS policy to not collect this information from 
VWP partners in order to avoid the reciprocal sharing of USPER 
information with those foreign countries?
    Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
    Question 3c. In the wake of Colleyville, could you explain all 
measures which have been taken to prevent an attacker such as Akram 
from entering the country through VWP? If the same circumstances 
existed--including the subject's dishonesty on his application--would 
Akram be admitted to the United States under current VWP standards?
    Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
    Question 4. Will you commit to sharing--on a quarterly basis and 
via Classified email--the derogatory information (including FTO 
affiliation and any pertinent facts) of those apprehended at our land 
borders who are present within the TSDB?
    Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
    Question 5. What are the most important programs Congress needs to 
support to prevent the expansion of the ISIS and al-Qaeda threat to the 
homeland?
    Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
    Question 6. How would the biometric-sharing requirements in the 
Enhanced Border Security Partnership (EBSP) prevent an attacker such as 
Malik Faisal Akram from entering the country through the U.S. Visa 
Waiver Program (VWP)? In the wake of Colleyville, what specific changes 
are being made now to VWP since the EBSP information-sharing 
requirements will not be fully implemented until 2027?
    Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
    Questions From Ranking Member August Pfluger for Timothy Langan
    Question 1a. The Department of Defense Inspector General published 
a report in February which brought to light some concerning information 
regarding screening and vetting failures which arose during the 
relocation and resettlement of Afghans last year. What were the 
screening and vetting issues from your perspective?
    Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
    Question 1b. How many individuals, who were then determined to be 
present within the TSDB or TIDE, were released within the United 
States? How are you tracking those who have been identified? Where are 
they currently?
    Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
    Question 2. What are the most important programs Congress needs to 
support to prevent the expansion of the ISIS and al-Qaeda threat to the 
homeland?
    Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.

                                 [all]