Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The House Committee on Homeland Security’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Management Efficiency convened a hearing Tuesday morning on, “Oversight of Federal Efforts to Address Electromagnetic Risks.” The hearing centered on a recent Government Accountability Office review of the federal efforts to counter electromagnetic risks, such as an electromagnetic pulse (EMP), to the Nation’s critical infrastructure.

Subcommittee Chairman Scott Perry: “America’s energy infrastructure is the heart that pumps our  economy. Long-term power outages from an attack on our critical infrastructure not only could cripple our economy, but jeopardize Americans’ health and safety. The most serious EMP risk would result  from a nuclear detonation at high altitude; causing long-term damage to the power grid. While some believe the likelihood of such an attack is low, the potential damage and economic aftershocks demand that we address these risks. We cannot discount that other nation-states - North Korea for example - or sophisticated terror groups may  employ an EMP to wreak havoc on our economy and welfare."