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STATEMENT OF THE HONORABLE WILSON LIVINGOOD SERGEANT AT ARMS, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2009 BUDGET SUBMISSION OF THE OFFICE OF THE SERGEANT AT ARMS
Good morning Madam Chairwoman, Mr. Latham and members of the Committee. I am grateful for this opportunity to appear before you to discuss the Office of the Sergeant at Arms Budget request for Fiscal year 2009. Before I begin my statement, I want to express my deep appreciation to the members of this Committee for their continuing support throughout the past year. Your assistance enables us to provide a safe and more secure environment for Members of Congress, their staff, visiting world leaders, and the general public. As Sergeant at Arms, I review and implement all security matters relating to the House of Representatives. As a member of both the United States Capitol Police Board and the United States Capitol Guide Board, I take part in establishing policies and guidelines to safeguard the Capitol complex and its occupants. Being able to continue to provide the maximum degree of security, while allowing the Capitol complex to remain open to the public has proven to be one of my most challenging tasks. The situation here is quite unique. The Capitol is both a working building and an internationally recognized symbol of democracy; therefore, we remain at an elevated threat level. The Sergeant at Arms office provides services to the House of Representatives through the following six divisions: Administration, Police Services/Special Events, Chamber Security, Garages and Parking Security, Information Services, and the House Security Office. Several responsibilities of the Sergeant at Arms office include the distribution of Member and spouse identification pins, staff identification badges, and parking permits. We facilitate the security clearance process for House staff and provide assistance and advice to Member offices and
Committees on the protocols of handling classified information. In addition, we provide logistical and security support for special events both on and off the Capitol grounds. This includes events such as the President’s State of the Union Address, Member Issues Conferences, the Presidential Conventions, and the Presidential Inauguration. I oversee access to the House Floor and Galleries and also manage the Appointments Desks in both the Capitol Building and Rayburn tunnel. Since I last spoke to you, we have made significant progress in a number of areas regarding emergency planning: 1. To increase our ability to get people out of the Capitol and the office buildings safely in the event of an emergency, we are developing a request for proposals to model the Longworth Building, the Capitol, and the remaining House Office Buildings. The goal will be to model all three emergency protective actions: evacuation (routes and assembly areas), shelter in place (office and adjacent hallways), and relocation to additional internal safe areas if necessary. In addition we are working to validate existing Office Emergency Plans, creating ‘boiler plate’ emergency plans where none exist.
2. Emergency Alert Systems. As background, the House and Senate maintain separate and technologically distinct alerting systems. The only common, campus wide system is the public address system operated by the Capitol Police. The radio frequency annunciator system is campus wide, but operating policies, equipment acquisition and maintenance differ between the House and Senate. My goal is to ensure that we have a campus-wide, multi-modal, emergency alert system capable of reaching each Member or employee within an acceptable time frame. This system should be an integrated operating platform that will facilitate communication, eliminate the time delays and minimize operator errors inherent in the current stove-piped systems. To this end, we have met extensively with numerous companies providing multi-modal alert services in the private and state/ local sectors. In addition, we have facilitated meetings on alert systems with key U.S. Capitol Police personnel and technical experts from both the House and Senate. I will continue with the CAO’s office the review of new and emerging technology, and we will conduct further evaluation of the existing Roam Secure System to determine if its operating capabilities can be leveraged to provide the desired expanded service.
3. USCP Evacuation Outreach Program. In an important joint effort with the Architect of the Capitol fire marshal and the U.S. Capitol Police, we have reached out to every office in the Office Buildings and the Capitol. Offices and Committees have been issued updated evacuation route maps which detail the primary and alternate evacuation routes, as well as maps of the assembly areas. We have also reviewed with each office information on the “Buddy System” for mobility impaired persons.
4. Floor Warden Program. I am working to develop a Floor Warden program to assist staff and visitors during an evacuation of the House Office Buildings.
While we have made steady progress, training remains the key element. It is vital that the Congressional community continues to participate in regular evacuation drills and training for escape hoods. It might be a cliché, however, it is always better to be prepared for any eventuality. We also continue to monitor the physical security throughout the Capitol complex. As you know, the opening of the Capitol Visitor Center will present both a considerable opportunity and a challenge. With such a large expansion of the Capitol set to open to the public in a few short months, I look forward to working closely with the Architect of the Capitol, the Senate Sergeant at Arms, and the Capitol Police to ensure that it is a seamless transition from construction to operations. Because of the ongoing War in Iraq and the situation internationally, this office maintains a vigilant oversight of all CODEL travel. I continue to work with the Department of State, the Department of Defense, military liaison offices and various security entities, to coordinate the safe travel of Members of Congress into any hostile threat environment. To accomplish the mission and goals of this office, the total funding requested for fiscal year 2009 is $8,480,000. This consists of $7,345,000 for personnel expenses and $1,135,000 for non-personnel expenses.
The increase of $1,061,000 in personnel funding is due in part to the following fiscal year 2008 cost of living annualized; fiscal year 2009 cost of living prorated; overtime pay; and longevity and meritorious increases. Of that increase, $700,000 was requested to fund fifteen new FTE. Twelve of these fifteen new FTE are needed to support the Sergeant at Arms operations in the Capitol Visitor’s Center (CVC). • Eight will serve as Support Services staff within the Sergeant at Arms Office of Chamber Security. Support Services staff will operate the gallery check stands and assist with the movement of visitors to the galleries from the CVC. • Four will operate the two Appointments Desk locations in the CVC. Of the remaining three FTE one will serve as a Tactical Communications Specialist in the United States Capitol Police (USCP) Command Center. This FTE will operate out of the Command Center and act as a liaison between the USCP Command Staff and the Sergeant at Arms office. One will serve as an Emergency Management Specialist and will assist with emergency preparedness and planning activities for the Sergeant at Arms office. One will serve as an Assistant in the Identification Services Division and will perform administrative tasks such as the production of ID badges. Funds requested for non-personnel items will be used in part for security related purposes such as travel to advance and support Member issue conferences, special events and funerals, and attendance at training seminars and educational conferences. Funds will also be used to provide contractor support for the Sergeant at Arms Emergency Continuity Preparedness Program. This contractor support will also assist in the development and implementation of the emergency preparedness requirements and strategy for all divisions within the Sergeant at Arms office. This will involve continued tabletop and functional exercises to ensure Sergeant at Arms staff are well versed in their roles and responsibilities relating to contingency planning. Contractor support will also provide assistance in establishing a Sergeant at Arms risk management program and developing a joint House/Senate Sergeant at Arms Emergency Continuity Preparedness Program strategy. Funding will also allow the continuation of consultant services which provide advice and expertise on threat mitigation, force protection, counter-terrorism, and emergency preparedness, response, and recovery. Consultant services will continue to review and advise on security related emerging technology. Additionally, these non-personnel funds will be used for administrative costs to include transit benefits for eligible employees, telecommunication costs, printing needs, office supplies, materials, and equipment. Funding will also be used to provide continued training in the
following areas: chem/bio, crisis management, threat reduction/force protection, information technology, leadership, management and office administration. The increase of $553,000 for non-personnel items can be primarily be attributed to services dealing with emergency planning and preparedness, however, this increase is off-set by reduced spending in other areas. Specifically, projected travel costs are reduced due to convention support funded in fiscal year 2008. Additional reductions are reflected in the budgeting and purchasing of new Congress supplies and materials in even number fiscal years only. In closing, I want to thank the Committee once again for the privilege of appearing today. I think each you know how deeply I consider it an honor to serve this institution. I want to assure you of my constant vigilance and continued dedication to the safety and security of all Members, staff and visitors. At this time, I would be happy to answer any questions about this budget request, or any other questions you may have.
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