- [John] Tonight, lawmakers are gaining

a better understandingof the biggest threats

to the United States

after receiving an annualassessment on Capitol Hill.

- The heads of threeagencies were supposed

to testify today, but onewas noticeably missing.

CBN national securitycorrespondent, Eric Philips,

joins us now with more on that.

Eric?

- Well, Jenna that's certainlycaused some controversy.

More on that in just a moment,but every year since 911,

the House Homeland Security Committee

has been holding this hearingto try to gauge the threat

against the homeland,

that is the domestic threathere in the United States.

And while election securityis on many minds right now,

for obvious reasons, the head of the FBI,

Christopher Wray made it clear

what remains the number one threat.

- Terrorism remainsthe FBI's top priority.

Although the nature of thatthreat has evolved significantly

since 911.

- [Eric] Specifically evolvingto the home grown kind

due to sympathizers of groups like ISIS

as well as domestic terrorists,

many driven by racist ideologies.

So far this year, therehave been 120 arrests

for domestic terrorism.

- Often lone actors inspiredby foreign terrorists

self-radicalized, online and motivated

to attack soft targets withreadily available weapons.

- [Eric] Wray said there ishard evidence of the Russians

attempting to influence theupcoming presidential election,

and agents are workingovertime to find and prevent

that from succeeding.

- Just recently, for example,we shared threat indicators

with both Facebook and Twitter

that allowed them totake down fake accounts

created as part of a Russiandisinformation campaign

before those accounts coulddevelop a broader following.

- [Eric] Cyber crimeskeeping the authorities busy.

Notably from China,hackers seeming to always

be on the attack.

- Including, I should note,companies developing COVID-19

vaccines testing technology and treatment.

- [Eric] Thursday's hearingwas to also include testimony

from acting secretary ofHomeland Security, Chad Wolf,

but Wolf was a no show,causing some controversy.

- It was not until last week

that the department informedthe committee that Mr. Wolf

would be reneging on thecommitment to testify

in anticipation of being nominated

for secretary of Homeland Security.

I would note that despitehis refusal to testify today,

Mr. Wolf has spoken to the media Friday.

I issued a subpoena for hisappearance in accordance

with House and Committee rules.

Regrettably, he has chosento defy the subpoena.

That he would refuse tocome before the committee

after committing to do so

should appall everymember of this committee.

- Director, ChristopherWray said that violence

against law enforcement isanother growing problem.

He says he has personally committed

to calling every departmentthat loses an officer,

so that he can express his condolences.

He says he understands thatdemonstrators are hurting

and he says they have reason to,

but he wants people to realize

that law enforcement is hurting too.