Thompson Statement on DHS Secretary Nomination
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on news that the President will nominate Kirstjen Nielsen to be Homeland Security Secretary:
“I am pleased that the President will finally put forward a nomination for Secretary of Homeland Security after letting the critical national security position remain vacant as the nation faced multiple major hurricanes and a domestic terrorism attack. I am eager to hear from Ms. Nielsen on what her main priorities are for the Department and its 230,000 employees.”
“However, I am very concerned about her past work in the Bush Administration during its botched response to Hurricane Katrina and am fearful that DHS – as well as this President – has not learned all the lessons from that tragedy given what we are seeing unravel in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.”
“It is extremely important that the DHS Secretary stay above the partisan fray and not allow the position be a political pawn of the White House. DHS has not been without problems, but has made great strides in improving its workforce since its creation and we must not allow these gains go to waste.”
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