Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, is in College Station this week to visit several homeland security-related facilities on campus.
McCaul will visit Disaster City, the National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center, the Center for Innovation in Advanced Development and Manufacturing and the Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases.
Tuesday evening, McCaul will hold a discussion about American foreign policy.
Michael O’Quinn, vice president for governmental relations, said interim University President Mark Hussey has wanted a congressman to see the facilities for some time.
“Texas A&M has several homeland security assets that Hussey has wanted to kind of put on their radar for quite a while,” said O’Quinn. “McCaul is going to visit all of these centers of excellence and see what Texas A&M is doing in its involvement with homeland security.”
O’Quinn said these facilities are major government investments and he is glad to see them put in the spotlight.
“People don’t realize how huge it is to have such excellent homeland security-related entities on our campus,” O’Quinn said. “There are a ton of staff and faculty that participate in research at these places and people within the campus community with heavy homeland security interests who will be glad to hear this is going on.”
Lane Stephenson, director of news and information services for the Division of Marketing and Communications, said he is pleased that the congressman sees the value of the University.
“I think we’re all delighted that he’s getting these overviews,” Stephenson said. “Texas A&M has so much to offer as far as resources and personnel in regards to homeland security and we look forward to his visit.”
McCaul will give his address on American foreign policy at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum’s Orientation Theater, with a reception immediately following. The event is open to the public, although reservations should be made by emailing [email protected].