Chairman Carper Statement on the Independent Review of the U.S. Secret Service

WASHINGTON – Today, Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released the following statement regarding the recommendations produced by an independent review of the U.S. Secret Service:

“The U.S. Secret Service is a critical agency and its mission is an essential part of our national security. However, incidents over the past several years, including some as recently as this fall, have raised serious questions about the agency and its ability to fulfill its responsibilities. Today, an independent panel, appointed by Secretary Johnson, issued a number of recommendations to improve the Secret Service. While my staff and I are still reviewing the panel’s full report, its recommendations offer substantive, corrective, and common-sense steps that the Department of Homeland Security and Secret Service should carefully review and build into the agency’s operations, training, and mission. Change at the agency won’t happen overnight. As the panel noted, it will take strong, stable leadership and an unwavering commitment by the Department, the Secret Service, and its agents. It will also take resources, and those of us in Congress must be mindful of this need when determining the Department’s budget early next year. Given the importance of leadership to any organization, particularly one like the Secret Service, I urge Secretary Johnson to work with the President to find a permanent director as soon as possible so he or she can help guide the agency into this new chapter. Our committee will continue to monitor the Secret Service’s progress closely.”