[ banging gavel ] this hearing will come to order. Good morning. We are meeting today to consider the nomination of kirstjen m. Nielsen to be the next secretary of the United States in Homeland Security. I want to thank her, her family. Our senators making introductions later on. I certainly want to call out mrs. Karen kelly, general kellys wife. Shes here also. Showing her support for the nominee. And i know ms. Nielsen will introduce her family in her Opening Statement. Americas facing enormous challenges. Our National Debt exceeds 20 trillion and theres no serious effort being made by either party to significantly reduce the 30year projected deficits that are currently expected to exceed over 100 trillion. Our enemies are on the rise. Russia continues to destabilize its neighbors and is partnering with iran to increase both countries influence in the middle east. The Iranian Nuclear agreement did modify irans behavior. For the worse. North Korea Remains determined to develop the capability to target the United States with nuclear weapons. And the threat of islamist terrorism has evolved, metastasized and spread all over the world, including to our homeland. The challenges facing the next secretary of the department of Homeland Security are equally daunting. We have just experienced unprecedented destruction caused by three hurricanes and multiple wildfires. Dhs and fema, together with their budgets, are already stretched thin responding to these disasters. As the use of the internet spreads and increases, so do the threats posed by social mediainspired acts of terrorism, hacking and cyberattacks. This committee has held more than 20 hearings laying out the sad reality that our borders are far from secure. As a result, illegal immigration persists. Illicit drugs flow virtually unabated and we are more vulnerable to external forces. Unfortunately, enemies from within may currently pose our greatest danger. Five years ago, on august 5th, 2012, evil struck in oak creek, wisconsin. When six worshippers were senselessly slaughtered at a sikh temple. Since then, the list of mass killings has persistently and depressingly grown. Im going to read a list. December 14th, 2012. 26 killed, 2 wounded at an Elementary School in sandy hook, connecticut. April 15th, 2013. Three killed, 264 wounded in a bombing at the boston marathon. September 16th, 2013. 12 killed, 8 wounded, at the navy yard here in washington, d. C. April 2nd, 2014. Three killed, 12 wounded, ft. Hood, texas. Five years after an Even Deadlier shooting that took 13 lives and injured 30 others. April 13th, 2014. Three killed at a Jewish Community center in overland park, kansas. May 23, 2014. Six killed, 14 wounded. Near the campus of the university of california, santa barbara. May 17th, 2015. Nine killed, 18 wounded in a motorcycle fight, gang fight, at a restaurant in waco, texas. June 17th, 2015. Nine killed, one wounded, at the Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in charleston, south carolina. July 16th, 2015. Five killed, two wounded at a military recruiting center at a Naval Reserve center in chattanooga, in tennessee. November, 27, 2015, three killed nine wounded outside a clinical in colorado springs, colorado. December 2nd, 2014, 24 killed, 24 wounded at a Christmas Party in san bernardino, california. June 12th, 2016, 49 killed, at least 68 wounded at the pulse nightclub in orlando, florida. July 7th, 2016, five Police Officers killed, 11 wounded near parking garage in dallas, texas. July 17th, 2016, three Police Officers killed and three more officers wounded at a Shopping Plaza in baton rouge, louisiana. January 6th, 2017, five killed, six wounded at the airport in ft. Lauderdale, florida. October 1st, 2017, 58 killed, 546 wounded at a music concert in las vegas, nevada. October 31st, 2017, eight killed, 12 wounded along a bicycle path in new york city. November 5th, 2017, just this last sunday, 26 killed and at least 20 wounded in the First Baptist church in sutherland springs, texas. During that list, i just called out, the deaths of 262 americans, more than 1,000 wounded. Id like to just take a moment of silence to reflect and remember those victims and their families. Later sunday evening my 34yearold daughter asked me the questions we are all asking ourselves, what is happening . Why is this happening . What can we do about it . Those are the questions the next department of Homeland Security secretary will be asked to address. It will not be an easy task. The department of Homeland Security employees approximately 240,000 people and manageds a budget of 66 billion. It is a department created by fusing 22 separate agencies with diverse missions. The result has been a department that is struggled to unify its effort and manage a workforce with low morale relative to other federal agencies. Fortunately, when ms. Nielson served under secretary kelly, she witnessed first hand how quickly and dramatically morale can be improved by providing the support they need to perform the task they were hired to do. In many conversation with general kelly, he called ms. Nielson a superstar. Hes also sent this committee a letter of endorsement. We also received a letter endorsement from tom ridge as well as a letter from 44 white house federal officials. I ask that these be entered into the record. Ms. Nielson, i thank you for your past service and your willingness to serve again and i look forward to your testimony. With that ill turn it over to our Ranking Member. Thank you, mr. Chairman. I appreciate this hearing and i thank the nominee for her willingness to serve. Today we convene to perform one of our most important constitutional functions to provide advice and consent for the president s nominee for senior positions in our government. On october 16th, President Trump nominated ms. Nielson to lead the department of Homeland Security. Recent events have only reinforced the need for the department to have strong permanent leadership, american citizens in texas, florida, puerto rico, the Virgin Islands and other regions have had their lives and livelihoods up ended by hurricanes. Our west, oust west raging wildfires have forced thousands of families from their homes, record breaking floods have ravaged communities across my home state of missouri and last week, new york city suffered its most deadly terror attack since 9 11. In times of crisis the American People come together and they crave leadership that brings it together. Brings us together. Dhs plays a Critical Role in insuring that the federal government provides that leadership and supports that effort. If confirmed as secretary, ms. Nielson will lead the Third Largest department in the federal government, oversee a workforce that includes more than 240,000 employees and contractors and coordinate 22 separate components including customs and border protection, immigration and customs enforcement, transportation security administration, u. S. Citizenship and immigration services, the federal Emergency Management agency, the coast guard and the secret service. While i was already aware of ms. Nielsons intellect and work ethic as well as her expertise in cyber, i appreciate the chance the other qualities she would bring to dhs. My hope is todays hearing will explore some of the challenges currently facing dhs and that will confront her if she is confirmed. For example, i look forward to learning how ms. Nielson plans to inform the counterterrorism capabilities despite the dramatic cuts included in the president s budget. I want to know what steps shell take to stop the illegal flow of drugs and contra bands in spite of the failure to address the need for more port officers, Border Patrol officers that serve at youre ports of entry. I would like to hear how ms. Nielson and will apply Lessons Learned from Hurricane Katrina and recent disasters to improve the oversight of dhs contract practices in crisis situations. Perhaps most importantly, i want to learn about the Management Experience and philosophy that she plans to bring to dhs. It is, in fact, judgment, Management Experience and philosophy that she will have the most important duties. Because of course she will try to surround herself with Department Heads and other high ranking officials that will do the daytoday operation of the department. No one that served as dhs secretary has had perfect knowledge of the breadth and depth of issues facing the department. I certainly think ms. Nielson is very knowledgeable and has great breadth and depth of the policies and issues facing the department, but the secretary must also have a leadership and management and communication skills to lead a complex and sprawling enterprise on day one. I hope ms. Nielson will discuss her strategies among the various components. I want to know how shell build employee morale and ensure that whistleblowers can manage to report waste, fraud and abuse without fear of retaliation. Final little and maybe most importantly, i hope to receive the public commitment from ms. Nielson that dhs will comply with oversight request from all members of this committee, including several of mine that remain outstanding. Ms. Nielsons predecessor, general john kelly was willing to speak frankly, even when his message was one that would not be particularly well received. It was the thing i found most qualifying of general kelly for the position that he held and the position he currently holds. Under his leadership, dhs was willing to answer requests from information from both the majority and the minority and while not perfect was far more responsive than many other departments. We have a constitutional duty to perform oversight of the department and i would like to continue the cooperation that general kelly showed to the majority and minority members of this committee. The department of Homeland Security is compromised of talented americans. They develop an implement counterterrorism and cybersecurity policy, they defend our border, think administer or Immigration Laws, protect our National Leaders and Critical Infrastructure and execute Disaster Preparedness and response. We must continue to ensure that these Public Servants have the support necessary to succeed in their mission and i look forward to working with ms. Nielson in that effort should she be confirmed as our nations sixth secretary of Homeland Security. Thank you, mr. Chairman. We have two of our distinguished colleagues who offer some words of introduction and support. Im going to yield to senator rubio who has to go run well start with senator rubio. Thank you, senator portman, mr. Chairman and to the Ranking Member and the members of the committee. I am honored to be here today to introduce a fellow floridaen as the president s nominee to be the secretary of Homeland Security. Ms. Nielson grew up in clearwater and among her many professional experiences began here in the u. S. Senate where she served on the staff of former Florida Center connie mac. She worked on issues that are matters that are not only important to our home state of florida but also critical matters for the National Security of our country. She has a long and distinguished career in Homeland Security matters that span more than two decades, earning a nationally respected reputation. She is an internationally recognized expert in resiliency and risk management, Critical Infrastructure, cybersecurity and Emergency Management. We have before us a nominee to serve in this critical position who understands the extraordinary and wide range of Homeland Security related challenges and the ever evolving threats we as americans face including hurricane preparedness, combatting Drug Trafficking and ensuring safe and Efficient Air travel. Ms. Nielson recently serve as the department of Homeland Security chiefofstaff under then secretary kelly and during that time i had the opportunity to get to know her better while working with secretary kelly on a number of Homeland Security issues. Id like to read a short excerpt from a letter from general kelly who could not be here to help introduce her because he is traveling with the president in asia. He wrote in part the following to this committee, quote, you have read of kirstens accomplishments. You have heard the accolades of her success and devotion to duty. What truly sets her apart is her integrity, sense of service to our nation and dedication to the men and women who risk their lives serving our great country every day. She is qualified to serve as the next secretary of Homeland Security and implore the committee to ensure a swift confirmation for the sake of our nation, end quote. Mr. Chairman, i would ask if appropriate that the full letter which i have here from former secretary kelly be entered into the hearing record. Without objection. Aside from ms. Nielsons impressive qualification i know her to be prepared for challenges, devoted to finding solutions and committed to working with us here in congress to ensure safe and secure homeland. I thank you for allowing me the opportunity to introduce this wellqualified nominee and i truly hope that the committee will quickly move forward with her nomination and that the senate will soon confirm her as the next secretary of the department of Homeland Security. I thank you again. Thank you senator rubio. Senator portman. Thank you, mr. Chairman. I appreciate you giving me the privilege to be able to introduce the nominee today. Kirstjen nielsen is as was just said by my colleagues so qualified for this job and i must say, mr. Chairman, when you laid out the challenges we face its sobering and we need to have somebody with the experience and qualifications that she has and we need that right now and before coming further on her gished career and qualifications i want to take a moment to acknowledge elaine duke for her service. She took over the secretary duties at a challenging time. I know shes worked closely with the mr. Chairman and the Ranking Members. Im equally excite today introduce her this morning. We serve concurrently at the white house in the george b. Bush white house where she was a trusted hand. Senior director for prevention, preparedness and response. I saw a decade ago a professional dedicated to Public Service and the mission of securing the homeland just as i see that today in her actions more recently at Homeland Security and at the white house and im delighted, again, that she is stepping forward to take on this responsibility. I appreciate the opportunity to sit down with her a couple weeks ago to hear her priorities. Its exciting. To have someone with her energy and enthusiasm, work ethic and again her qualifications to do this. She has this hill experience we talked about a moment ago. She also has private secretary experience in the area of Homeland Security. I think most importantly, perhaps, she is the First Department of Homeland Security secretary nominee with previous experience at dhs. Thats important given the serious challenges again you just described for us, chairman johnson. With this Homeland Security expertise and experience from those years from the department and white house, her industry in homeland consulting experience and the most recent roles she will be the kind of experienced and capable leader we need now in this ever involving threat we find ourselves in. She served the chiefofstaff to secretary john kelly. She proved herself in the early stages of the Administration Transition and saw first hand the challenges of managing this diverse and sprawling agency and senator mccaskills right. Its a management challenge. Throughout her career and government, shes developed expertise in Homeland Security strategy, cybersecurity, transportation security, emergency resiliency. She speaks regularly about the need for resiliency in her Homeland Security posture. Thats incredibly important for the next secretary. Mr. Chairman you noted in your opening comments tha