Washington, DC - Statement by Homeland Security Department Secretary Johnson upon the Release of the Recommendations from the Independent Review of the United States Secret Service:

"In October, I announced the formation of a panel to conduct an independent inquiry of the United States Secret Service. I have now received the recommendations of the independent panel. Much of the panel’s assessment and the details of the recommendations are classified or law enforcement-sensitive and cannot be released to the general public. With this statement, however, we are making public a summary of those recommendations.

"The panel’s recommendations are astute, thorough and fair. Acting Director Clancy has already made a number of good improvements to White House security and the manner in which the Secret Service pursues its mission. It is now up to the leadership of the Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security to ensure that all the recommendations are carefully considered. In fact, some of the panel’s recommendations are similar to others made in past agency reviews, many of which were never implemented. This time must be different. 

"The Secret Service itself must commit to change. But the Secret Service cannot, by itself, make many of the fundamental changes recommended by the panel. They also require engaged, sustained oversight by me and other leaders of this Department, to enforce change and ensure that the Secret Service has and utilizes what it needs to get the job done. I commit this Department to this task. 

"I thank the panel members, Tom Perrelli (former Associate Attorney General), Mark Filip (former Deputy Attorney General and former U.S. District Court Judge), Danielle Gray (former Cabinet Affairs Secretary and Assistant to the President), and Joseph Hagin (former White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations), for their important public service." ~ Homeland Security Department Secretary Johnson