Title page
Contents
August 2021 1
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS RELATED TO DHS SPECIAL EVENT DESIGNATIONS' APPLICABILITY TO JANUARY 6 3
1. WHAT IS A NATIONAL SPECIAL SECURITY EVENT AND WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DESIGNATION? 3
2. WHAT IS A SPECIAL EVENT ASSESSMENT RATING EVENT AND WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DESIGNATION? 4
3. WHAT ARE CHARACTERISTICS OF PAST NSSE AND SEAR EVENTS? 6
4. TO WHAT EXTENT WERE THE EVENTS ON JANUARY 6 CONSISTENT WITH FACTORS USED TO DESIGNATE EVENTS AS NSSE OR SEAR? 7
5. WHAT RATIONALE DID FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL ENTITIES PROVIDE FOR NOT REQUESTING AN NSSE OR SEAR DESIGNATION? 9
CONCLUSION 10
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EXECUTIVE ACTION 11
AGENCY COMMENTS AND OUR EVALUATION 11
APPENDIX I. AGENCY COMMENTS 18
APPENDIX II. AGENCY COMMENTS 23
APPENDIX III. GAO CAPITOL ATTACK WORK 25
TABLE 1. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (DHS) SPECIAL EVENT ASSESSMENT RATING (SEAR) LEVELS 4
FIGURE 1. U.S. CAPITOLBEHIND SECURITY FENCINGIN APRIL 2021 1
FIGURE 2. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (DHS) SPECIAL EVENT DESIGNATION PROCESSES FOR REQUESTED EVENTS 5
FIGURE 3. EXAMPLES OF NATIONAL SPECIAL SECURITY EVENT (NSSE) AND SPECIAL EVENT ASSESSMENT RATING (SEAR) EVENTS FROM 2020 AND 2021 6