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Congressman Thompson’s Statement on DHS Secretary Nomination

October 11, 2017

For ImmediateRelease Contact : Guy King

October 11, 2017 (202) 225-5876

Congressman Thompson's Statement on DHS Secretary Nomination

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representative Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on the news that the President has nominated Kirstjen Nielsen to be Homeland Security Secretary:

"I am pleased that the President has finally made 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," Thompson said. "I am eager to hear from Ms. Nielsen on what her main priorities are for the Department and its 230,000 employees."

He continued: "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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