MARK R. WARNER soar ANKING, HOUSING, AND URBAN AFFAIRS Wnited States Senate evooet WASHINGTON, DC 20510-4606 INTELLIGENCE ULES AND ADMINISTRATION September 17, 2019 The Honorable Mike Pompeo Secretary of State USS. Department of State 2201 C Street NW Washington, DC 20520 Dear Secretary Pompeo: am writing to express my concer over a recent State Department Office of Inspector General report, which documented the failure of the Department to protect highly skilled explosion- detection dogs trained by the U.S. government and deployed to Jordan, an important U.S. counterterrorism partner, and additional countries. Earlier this month, the Inspector General for the State Department released a report! entitled, “Evaluation of the Antiterrorism Assistance Explosive Detection Canine Program — Health and Welfare,” which evaluated the Department's program to provide Explosive Detection Canines (EDCs) to foreign countries for counterterrorism purposes. Many of these dogs were trained in the Canine Validation Center (CVC) in Winchester, Virginia. As of September 30, 2018, the CVC had trained 100 dogs, which were sent to six foreign partner nations. In addition, 66-89 dogs trained by a pre-existing program run by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) were still active in seven partner nations. The IG report outlined a series of problems in the program, which led to the premature deaths of many dogs due to preventable illness, lack of veterinary care, and poor working conditions. Overall, the report makes clear the Department of State is not adequately monitoring and protecting the canines it provides to these countries. Some specific findings from their investigation include the following: The Bureau of Counterterrorism and the Bureau of Diplomatic Security “do not have ‘mechanisms in place to ensure effective management of the health and welfare of canines in the EDC program” including an absence of policies, procedures, written standards for the Department, or written agreements with partner nations to ensure the dogs’ health and safety + The treatment and care of the dogs in Jordan, where the majority of the dogs are sent, is of particular concern. © Despite longstanding concer over the treatment and care of the dogs in Jordan’s care, at least 100 EDCs have been sent to Jordan since 2008. From " hups://www.stateoig.govisystenvfiles/esp-19-06,pat2008 through 2016, at least 10 dogs died as a result of medical conditions including canine parvovirus and heat exhaustion, © The Department does not sufficiently monitor the trained canines that are provided to partner nations, including through follow-up visits and agreements that outline standards ‘The Department spends millions of taxpayer dollars in order to train the canines, provide appropriate veterinary care, and embed mentors in partner nations, among other expenses associated with the program. Yet once the dogs are deployed, many face mistreatment, malnutrition and unsafe facilities. Task that you provide my office with a plan for how you will improve this program to protect taxpayer resources and ensure the safety and health of these highly-trained bomb-detection dogs. Should you have any questions, please contact Caroline Wadhams in my office at (202) 224- 2023. Sincerely, Mob. © Wenez MARK R. WARNER United States Senator