Lankford Highlights FEMA Reforms, Security Grants, and National Security Priorities at Mullin DHS Secretary Nomination Hearing

WASHINGTON, DC - US Senator James Lankford (R-OK), Chairman of the Border Management, Federal Workforce, and Regulatory Affairs Subcommittee of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC), today questioned DHS Secretary nominee Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) during his nomination hearing, highlighting the impact of the DHS funding lapse on frontline personnel, delays in the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), and the need for reforms at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as well as emerging counter-drone threats ahead of major global events.

Excerpts:

On DHS Funding and Frontline Personnel:

Lankford: "Markwayne, right now is FEMA currently funded?"

Mullin: "No, sir."

Lankford: "Is CISA currently funded?"

Mullin: "No, sir."

Lankford: "How about TSA?"

Mullin: "No, sir."

Lankford: "Secret Service?"

Mullin: "No, sir."

Lankford: "Coast Guard?"

Mullin: "No, sir."

Lankford: "Customs and Border Protection?"

Mullin: "No, sir."

Lankford: "The Weapons of Mass Destruction office?"

Mullin: "No, sir."

Lankford: "Customs professionals?"

Mullin: "No, sir."

On FEMA Reform and Disaster Response Delays:

Lankford: "FEMA is still an undone project… there's a lot to get done on it… What are your thoughts on how to be able to get FEMA into a better place so people aren't waiting forever for a response?"

Mullin: "FEMA was never designed to be the first responder. That's the states. FEMA was designed to be the assistance to the states when the disaster reaches certain levels, which we need to discuss those, too, because I think some of the levels [are] unrealistic…that sometimes in rural areas, they don't - they're not able to meet those thresholds.

"But, working with the state, allowing the state to have their emergency response, FEMA simply help and write checks and assuring that they have the capability and the manpower if need be. But for FEMA to walk in like FBI, walk in on a crime scene and taking over, no one's going to care more about their backyard than the people that live there in that state…"

On Nonprofit Security Grant Program Delays:

Lankford: "…You've been a part of, as I have on the nonprofit security grants that are out there, we have some locations that are higher risk than others. Synagogues and temples have been one of those very high-risk locations that are out there.

"Last week in Michigan, we had another situation where an absolute terrorist drove a vehicle packed with explosives into a Jewish daycare, intending to kill as many Jewish children as he possibly could. I mean, that was his intent was to be able to do that. That location happened to be one of the locations where there's also been this nonprofit security grant to help harden that facility.

"We have multiple challenges here. One of them is when the decision is made and they make a request, go do the paperwork, get approval to be one of those locations that we say, 'Hey, we need to harden this location.' Once the approval is done, it may take months to over a year just for the dollars to actually come on it, because there's more bureaucratic hoops to go through.

"So as you're dealing with things like contracts that are out there and the way decisions are made or FEMA, that's one of the areas I would encourage you to take a look at."

Mullin: "We've got to streamline the process and cut out the redundancies."

"The amount of paperwork… is way too cumbersome."

On Counter-Drone Threats and Major Event Preparedness:

Lankford: "Every high school football game, every college football game, every gathering of people for every festival and gathering across the country has now become a risk location for drones and drone mitigation…."

"We've got to be able to figure out how to do counter drone and to be able to not just identify there it is, but also mitigate the risk. What are your initial thoughts?"

Mullin: "With the lack of funding right now, we have people quitting…we don't have four months with FIFA… Failure's not an option."

Background

Lankford serves as co-chair of the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism and has consistently advocated for robust funding of the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. He has repeatedly called on the Senate to take swift, bipartisan action to address rising threats, violence, and intimidation targeting Jewish Americans and faith-based communities across the country.

As Chairman of the Border Management, Federal Workforce, and Regulatory Affairs Subcommittee on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC), Lankford has led oversight efforts focused on border security, federal workforce readiness, and national preparedness. He convened a subcommittee hearing to examine federal readiness ahead of major global events and the 250th anniversary of the United States.

Lankford has also consistently raised concerns about emerging drone threats. He introduced the Border Drone Threat Assessment Act to require a comprehensive assessment of unmanned aircraft systems at or near US borders and to improve coordination across federal agencies. In 2023, he also introduced the Protecting the Border from Unmanned Aircraft Systems Act to strengthen efforts to counter unauthorized drone activity, enhance interagency coordination, and ensure transparency while protecting Americans' privacy.

Lankford has also worked to streamline Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance. Lankford introduced the Promoting Opportunities to Widen Electrical Resilience (POWER) Act of 2025 to strengthen the reliability of electrical infrastructure following natural disasters and allow FEMA funds to be used for both restoration and resilience improvements, addressing a critical gap in disaster recovery that particularly impacts rural communities.

You can watch Lankford's full exchange HERE. You can download it HERE.

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