July 28, 2010

Opening Statement of Chairman John Tierney
Prepared Statement of Mr. John Pendleton
Prepared Statement of Dr. James Schear
Prepared Statement of Mr. Thomas Countryman
Prepared Statement of Ms. Susan Reichle

“National Security, Interagency Collaboration, and Lessons from SOUTHCOM and AFRICOM.”

On Wednesday, July 28, 2010, at 2:00 p.m. in 2247 Rayburn House Office Building, the Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs held a hearing entitled, “National Security, Interagency Collaboration, and Lessons from SOUTHCOM and AFRICOM.” The Hearing continued the Subcommittee’s oversight of interagency cooperation. Emerging threats, from piracy to narcotics trafficking, are increasingly multijurisdictional in nature and require an innovative approach to interagency efforts.

This hearing examined the mechanisms and processes for collaboration between different U.S. agencies and the Department of Defense’s regional combatant commands. Using the findings and recommendations of two new Government Accountability Office reports on U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) as a point of departure, the hearing looked at how the Department of Defense, the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and others are cooperating to advance U.S. national security interests. Witnesses discussed each agency’s approach to interagency collaboration as well as what procedures, personnel, and organizational structures can be put in place to ensure that the agencies are able to work together efficiently and effectively.

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