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U.S. Senator Katie Britt, R-Ala., on Wednesday hosted Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel along with Senator Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., in Huntsville to tour FBI’s facilities on Redstone Arsenal.
“It was an honor to welcome Director Patel to Alabama today. His visit reaffirms his support for Redstone Arsenal’s invaluable role in American national security. I’m grateful he was able to meet some of the Alabamians who put in the work, day-in and day-out, to protect our homeland. The FBI’s operations on Redstone Arsenal are at the forefront of 21st-century innovation and training needed to combat the threats of the future, and I am confident Redstone will be instrumental in fulfilling the FBI’s core mission for decades to come. Promises made, promises kept – and we’re just getting started,” said Senator Britt.
“Director Patel’s visit fulfills his commitment to Senator Britt in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing earlier this year to visit Alabama’s capabilities at Redstone Arsenal,” Britt’s release shared. In the hearing, Senator Britt followed up on her initial invitation in a meeting prior to Director Patel’s confirmation, saying, “I really want you to come and visit with me the state-of-the-art facilities that we have there. They’re pretty incredible . . . we have the ballistics research facility, the hazardous devices school . . . the terrorist explosive device analytics center . . . we have the sprawling North and South Campus of the FBI.”
Yesterday, Patel visited the capabilities Senator Britt highlighted including the Terrorist Explosive Device Analytical Center and the Ballistic Research Facility.
They also received a demonstration on the FBI’s Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Here the FBI discussed their C-UAS authorities and the role it plays in securing our air spaces. Experts at FBI Redstone also briefed the director and senators on the technological developments and advancements which have made drones more lethal.
The tour of FBI Redstone also follows Senators Britt and Tuberville’s letter to Director Patel immediately following his confirmation vote urging him to assign additional employees to FBI’s operations in Huntsville to begin to fill the open seats on campus. “This will send a message to our adversaries that the FBI’s leadership is back to prioritizing the pressing threats to our homeland. We look forward to working closely with you to Make America Safe Again,” stated the senators in their letter.
In his first act as FBI Director, Patel announced his plans to fill 500 open seats in Huntsville. Senator Britt applauded the news, saying, “Our dedicated FBI agents should be out enforcing our laws, not sitting at desks in Washington DC. And there’s nowhere better for them to work from than FBI-Redstone in Huntsville!”
