Rep. Rogers Opening Statement - Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee Hearing with DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Thank you, Mr. Chairman and welcome to Secretary Chertoff.
Mr. Secretary, I am convinced that despite the daunting challenges facing our country, despite the constant threat of natural disasters, and despite the all too real and persistent danger of violent extremism around the globe, this great Nation is unquestionably safer and more secure today than it was before 9/11—and that’s in no small part due to the laudable efforts of thousands of DHS employees on the front lines and the resolve with which you have approached your job as Secretary over the last three years.
So, as you make what is perhaps your final appearance before this Subcommittee, I want to first thank you for your service. We should all recognize that while there is certainly much more work to be done, tremendous progress has been made under your watch. Some noteworthy successes for DHS include:
- Aiding in the disruption of several terrorist plots;
- Ending the flawed practice of catch and release;
- Hardening our critical infrastructure;
- Developing a sound National Response Framework;
- Integrating the IDENT and IAFIS databases;
- Strengthening the controls at our seaports and ports of entry; and,
- Layering the security framework across all modes of transportation from passenger aviation to seaborne cargo.
Acknowledgement of these achievements is in order. From this side of the dais, I’ve watched as DHS has labored through the largest Federal reorganization in more than half a century. This task – creating the third largest Cabinet agency with a complex mission set of protecting and preparing our country and responding to threats and disasters, while simultaneously facilitating legitimate travel, immigration, and trade – has certainly presented many challenges for both the Administration and the Congress. So, as I think about the expectations for a maturing Department, I must remind myself that DHS is, in fact, only five years old.
But, I am the last person to make excuses for DHS. Failure is not an option. We cannot tolerate poor performance or inaction in an arena of such criticality. Since this Subcommittee was formed, we have stressed results, and that mantra has continued under Chairman Price’s leadership.
As I reflect upon these early formative years, I believe DHS’s fundamental struggle has been with finding the proper balance across all of its functions:
- Balancing legitimate commerce with security.
- Balancing privacy concerns with appropriate information analysis.
- Balancing Federal roles with the responsibilities and obligations of State and local government. And,
- Balancing finite resources with competing priorities that range from border security and cyber security to disaster response and marine safety.
Which brings us to today and a discussion that I believe will transcend your budget request for FY 09. I see this hearing as an opportunity to not only look back upon these early years, but also to take stock of where DHS is today and, perhaps most importantly, discuss how prepared the Department is for the future.
And, as we look to the future, I offer a note of caution: as we’ve discussed the missions of medical preparedness and cyber security over just this past week—tasks with leadership responsibilities that are more like a labyrinth, rather than a chain of command—I am concerned about accountability. As the old saying goes, if two people are in charge, then no one is in charge. And, if three people are in charge, well, I believe they call that a “bureaucracy”.
While the mission of homeland security is not confined to the Department of Homeland Security, there must be clear lines of responsibility for all critical security functions—especially as we approach the transition to a new Administration. It is extremely important for DHS to have a strong foundation when you depart—a foundation that allows the Department to rise above and beyond traditional hurdles and jurisdictional infighting. This and future Congresses and Presidents must not allow typical bureaucratic inertia which so often grips and expands government to take hold.
I hope this Subcommittee and your successors at the Department will all strive to allow DHS to mature into what it was initially conceived to be: a nimble, effective organization that successfully interacts with the private sector and across the government to realize the security this great Nation both needs and deserves.
Mr. Secretary, I sincerely appreciate you appearing before us today and look forward to a candid discussion of these issues. No one wants to see DHS succeed as much as this Member and the other Members of this Subcommittee.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.