What a pleasure to be here amongst so many old friends to share some thoughts on Counterterrorism in an Era of Competing priorities.

We are almost two decades removed from 9/11, and fortunately, we have been successful in preventing major attacks against the homeland. This success raises the important question of how counterterrorism should stack up against competing priorities, an increasingly relevant issue.

Chairman Johnson, Ranking Member Peters, and members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to be with you today. I will begin with a brief overview of the terrorism threat before discussing related threats to the homeland in more detail. I will close my opening remarks with a discussion of global trends impacting counterterrorism efforts, along with comments on the way forward, from NCTC’s perspective.

Thank you, Chairman Thompson, Ranking Member Rogers, and members of the committee, for the opportunity to be with you today. I will begin with a brief overview of the terrorism threat before discussing homeland and overseas threats in more detail. I will close my opening remarks with a discussion of global trends impacting counterterrorism efforts, along with comments on the way forward, from NCTC’s perspective.

At the main operations room inside the National Counterterrorism Center, the flow of incoming data never stops. Analysts from across the government sit in front of their blinking computers, all facing huge TV screens tuned to news channels.

NCTC Deputy Director Russ Travers delivered an opening address at the annual World Counter Terror Congress convened March 5-6 on the outskirts of London.