Central New York Rep. John Katko (R-Camillus) got the committee assignment he wanted as he prepares to return for a fourth term in Congress.
Katko, a former federal prosecutor, has served in a number of roles on the House Committee on Homeland Security in his six years in Congress. When the next session of Congress begins in January, he’ll be the highest ranking Republican on the panel.
“I really have a passion for keeping this country safe and free from terrorism and free from crime, to the extent you can,” Katko said.
The Homeland Security Committee was created after 9/11 to deal with threats from terrorism and ensure border security. Katko said one area he expects to focus on in the coming year is cybersecurity and election security. It’s something he says is an issue in central New York.
“Companies and businesses and individuals have real vulnerabilities in respect to cyber,” he said. “And there’s more work to be done to make sure our elections are secure as well.”
He said terror is still an issue as the nation approaches the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks in 2021.
