Oak Ridge Today

Second House panel questions federal officials on Y-12 security breach

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The U.S. House of Representatives has a second hearing this afternoon on this summer’s security breach at the Y-12 National Security Complex.

Today’s 2 p.m. hearing is before the House Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, and it can be watched live online.

Today’s hearing follows one yesterday by the House Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee. During that hearing, House members called the July 28 security breach at Y-12 “appalling” and an “all-out failure,” and they asked who had been fired and who was responsible for various problems—such as security cameras that didn’t work.

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U.S. House subcommittee grills federal officials on Y-12 security breach

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Transform Now Plowshares

During a Wednesday hearing, a House subcommittee questioned federal officials about a July 28 intrusion into a high-security area at the Y-12 National Security Complex by the three anti-nuclear weapons activists pictured above. From left to right, the three are Michael R. Walli, Megan Rice, and Greg Boertje-Obed. (Submitted photo)

Members of a U.S. House subcommittee grilled federal officials during a Wednesday morning hearing on the July 28 security breach at the Y-12 National Security Complex, calling it “appalling” and an “all-out failure,” and asking who had been fired and who was responsible for various problems—such as security cameras that didn’t work.

Some of the harshest criticism came from U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, a Republican who represents the 7th District in middle and west Tennessee.

She cited a Washington Post report published online on Tuesday that said government investigators had warned of lax security at the site in classified reports nearly two years ago. Among the issues identified then were security cameras that didn’t operate, sloppy equipment maintenance, and poorly trained guards, the Post reported.

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Y-12 security breach subject of congressional hearing

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Note: This story was updated to add a link for watching the hearing live.

The July 28 security breach at the Y-12 National Security Complex is expected to be one of the topics discussed during a Wednesday morning hearing in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Witnesses scheduled to testify during the hearing of the U.S. House Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee include Department of Energy Deputy Secretary Daniel B. Poneman and DOE Inspector General Gregory H. Friedman.

Poneman will be accompanied by Thomas P. D’Agostino, National Nuclear Security Administration administrator, and Glenn S. Podonsky, DOE’s chief health, safety, and security officer.

A webcast could be available on this page: http://energycommerce.house.gov/studio/webcasts. The Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee should be Webcast A.

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