    [Senate Hearing 119-3]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

                                                              S. Hrg. 119-3

                         NOMINATION OF HON. KRISTI NOEM

    =======================================================================

                                    HEARING

                                   BEFORE THE

                                  COMMITTEE ON
                   HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
                              UNITED STATES SENATE

                        ONE HUNDRED NINETEENTH CONGRESS

                                 FIRST SESSION

                                   __________

                NOMINATION OF HON. KRISTI NOEM TO BE SECRETARY,
                      U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

                                   __________

                                JANUARY 17, 2025

            Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.govinfo.gov

                           Printed for the use of the
            Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

    [GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

                       U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
    58-506 PDF                  WASHINGTON : 2025

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

            COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS

                         RAND PAUL, Kentucky, Chairman
    RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin               GARY C. PETERS, Michigan
    JAMES LANKFORD, Oklahoma             MAGGIE HASSAN, New Hampshire
    RICK SCOTT, Florida                  RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut
    JOSH HAWLEY, Missouri                JOHN FETTERMAN, Pennsylvania
    BERNIE MORENO, Ohio                  ANDY KIM, New Jersey
    JONI ERNST, Iowa                     RUBEN GALLEGO, Arizona
    TIM SCOTT, South Carolina            ELISSA SLOTKIN, Michigan

                    William E. Henderson III, Staff Director
         Christina N. Salazar, Deputy Staff Director and Chief Counsel
                           Andrew J. Hopkins, Counsel
               Megan M. Krynen, Senior Professional Staff Member
                   David M. Weinberg, Minority Staff Director
         Christpher J. Mulkins, Minority Director of Homeland Security
                  Claudine J. Brenner, Minority Senior Counsel
            Benjamin J. Shubert, Minority Professional Staff Member
                 Julian C. Trevino, Minority Research Assistant
                         Laura W. Kilbride, Chief Clerk
                       Ashley A. Gonzalez, Hearing Clerk

                                C O N T E N T S

                                     ------
    Opening statements:
                                                                       Page
        Senator Paul.................................................     1
        Senator Peters...............................................     2
        Senator Thune................................................     4
        Senator Cramer...............................................     5
        Senator Scott................................................    13
        Senator Hassan...............................................    16
        Senator Hawley...............................................    19
        Senator Blumenthal...........................................    22
        Senator Ernst................................................    24
        Senator Kim..................................................    27
        Senator Johnson..............................................    29
        Senator Gallego..............................................    33
        Senator Moreno...............................................    35
        Senator Slotkin..............................................    38
        Senator Lankford.............................................    40
    Prepared statements:
        Senator Peters...............................................    53

                                   WITNESSES
                            Friday, January 17, 2025

    Honorable Kristi Noem, to be Secretary, U.S. Department of
      Homeland Security
        Testimony....................................................     7
        Prepared statement...........................................    55
        Biographical and professional information....................    59
        Letter from U.S. Office of Government Ethics.................   129
        Responses to pre-hearing questions...........................   133
        Responses to post-hearing questions..........................   176
        Letters of support...........................................   191
        Letters of opposition........................................   204

                                    APPENDIX

    Senator Ernst picture............................................   207
    Senator Hawley's picture.........................................   208
    GLAAD Statement submitted for the Record.........................   209
    SPLC Statement submitted for the Record..........................   212

                                 NOMINATION OF
                                HON. KRISTI NOEM

                                  ----------

                            FRIDAY, JANUARY 17, 2025

                                         U.S. Senate,
                               Committee on Homeland Security
                                      and Governmental Affairs,
                                                        Washington, DC.
        The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 9:01 a.m., in
    room SD-342, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Rand Paul,
    Chair of the Committee, presiding.
        Present: Senators Paul [presiding], Johnson, Lankford, Rick
    Scott, Hawley, Moreno, Ernst, Peters, Hassan, Blumenthal, Kim,
    Gallego, and Slotkin.
        Also present: Senators Thune and Cramer.

                   OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR PAUL

        Chairman Paul. The hearing to consider the nomination of
    Kristi Noem to be Secretary of the Department of Homeland
    Security (DHS) will now come to order
        The Department of Homeland Security, with 260,000 employees
    and nearly 20 distinct components, epitomizes in many ways
    unchecked power. Its vast responsibilities from border
    security, and disaster response, to counter-terrorism, and
    cybersecurity, demand rigorous scrutiny to ensure that they are
    executed within the bounds of the Constitution and with respect
    to the freedoms of the American people.
        Nearly two years ago, when I became the Ranking Member of
    this Committee, my team sought to understand the extent of this
    bureaucratic labyrinth. We asked DHS for a comprehensive list
    of collaborative entities it participates in, task forces,
    advisory boards, coalitions, commissions, and the like.
        The response was astonishingly opaque. They stated there is
    not a single comprehensive list to address all the
    collaborative relationships that the department and its
    components engage in. In other words, we do so much stuff and
    we are so big, we cannot describe it for you. But if we cannot
    describe what we have, we got a problem.
        In plain language, DHS had really no idea. Think about it.
    An agency commanding over $110 billion annually cannot account
    for its own activities. This is not just bureaucratic
    incompetence. It's emblematic of a deeper issue; an agency
    unsure of its own boundaries and commitments. How can an agency
    fulfill its mission or earn the American people's trust if it
    does not even know the extent of its own operations?
        But the problems do not stop there. Instead of focusing on
    critical threats like securing the Southwest border, DHS has
    shifted its gaze inward targeting law abiding Americans. DHS
    under the Biden Administration has often used its vast powers
    to target Americans exercising their constitutional rights.
    It's become an agency more focused on policing speech,
    monitoring social media, and labeling political dissent as
    domestic terrorism than addressing genuine security threats.
        While cartels traffic people and fentanyl across an
    unguarded border, DHS has spent its time and resources creating
    partisan disinformation boards, spying on Americans through
    invasive surveillance technologies. The mission drift is
    dangerous. Every dollar spent monitoring law abiding citizens
    is a dollar not spent securing the homeland. Every moment spent
    targeting political opponents is a moment not addressing real
    threats like border security, cyberattacks, or the rising
    influence of adversarial nation-states.
        The priorities of DHS have been deeply distorted, and the
    American people are paying the price. What about DHS's response
    to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), arguably one of the
    greatest threats to Homeland Security. The answer is clear.
    Nothing. They knew nothing of the origins. They did not study
    the issue, and they had no information about gain-of-function
    (GOF) research.
        We have seen firsthand how unchecked government overreach
    leads to waste, fraud, and abuse. We cannot let DHS become yet
    another agency that operates behind a veil of secrecy. The
    American people deserve transparency, accountability, and
    leadership that puts national security and liberty hand-in-
    hand, not at odds with each other.
        Today, we gather to consider the nomination of Governor
    Kristi Noem to serve as the Secretary of Department of Homeland
    Security. I hope this hearing will set the tone for this
    Committee's work in the new Congress to restore transparency
    and accountability to an Executive Branch that has grown
    unchecked.
        Governor Noem, if confirmed, you will lead an agency that
    has lost its way. Your record as Governor of South Dakota, and
    a former Member of Congress demonstrates your willingness to
    make difficult decisions in the face of significant political
    pressure, and to put the interest of the American people first.
    You have the opportunity today to address how your background
    and vision will translate to leading one of the most critical
    and scrutinized departments in the Federal Government.
        This is the first of many consequential moments for this
    Committee. As we renew our commitment to the constitutional
    oversight role that Congress must assert. I have no doubt that
    the nominees we will consider in the coming weeks and months
    will be up for the challenge.
        Governor Noem, thank you for your willingness to serve, and
    I yield to the Ranking Member for his opening remarks.

                 OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR PETERS\1\

        Senator Peters. Thank you, Chair Paul, Governor Noem, it's
    great to see you here today. I want to first thank you for
    making yourself available not only to the entire Committee, but
    the discussions that we had in my office, going perhaps a
    little more in depth in the issues than is possible in a
    hearing like this. Having that open and frank conversation is
    something that I appreciate. I also appreciate your willingness
    to spend time with Committee staff as we conduct our due
    diligence and review of your qualifications and a background to
    serve as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ The prepared statement of Senator Peters appears in the
    Appendix on page 53.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        As our third largest Federal agency with more than 240,000
    employees and an operating budget of more than $100 billion,
    the Department of Homeland Security requires strong, stable,
    and principled leadership. Our nation faces serious threats and
    security challenges from securing our borders, and combating
    terrorism, to preventing cyberattacks, and responding to our
    nation's increasing number of natural disasters. DHS is the
    first line of defense in all of those areas.
        I appreciated the conversations we had at today's hearing
    where we discussed the importance of ensuring that our nation's
    borders are safe and secure. While we must address the
    significant challenges we face on the Southern border, we also
    need to ensure that there are sufficient resources to secure
    our Northern border, something I know you are very familiar
    with as the Governor of your State, including building out our
    Northern Border Mission Center. This is especially important in
    my home State of Michigan, which has two of the nation's
    busiest border crossings, and we are going to be adding another
    span shortly, the Gordie Howe International Bridge, which will
    open later this year.
        To facilitate the lawful trade and travel of through those
    ports of entry (POE) that are absolutely critical to our
    economy, I have worked on legislation to hire additional U.S.
    Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers to meet increased
    staffing demands. We must secure our borders, but we also know
    it is well time passed to streamline our immigration and our
    asylum process as well.
        In addition to border security, DHS is responsible for
    addressing many threats that face our Nation. Just a few weeks
    ago, unfortunately, Americans were shocked to see two horrific
    incidents in New Orleans and Las Vegas. A deadly reminder that
    terrorism and radicalization remain very real and ongoing
    threats to our homeland. In my role on this Committee, I have
    made combating foreign and domestic terrorism, as well as
    extremism a top priority.
        In this complex environment, it is essential that DHS
    continue to focus on all terrorism threats, track, and report
    data to Congress and to the American people, and coordinate
    between all components to ensure the department is effectively
    addressing all types of terrorist threats. We have also seen
    the persistent cyberattacks are still a very serious threat. In
    fact, an increasing threat. A recent attack from Chinese-based
    hackers infiltrated the Treasury Department on top of ongoing
    Salt Typhoon hack that comprised numerous U.S.
    telecommunications companies.
        There's no question that DHS must continue to lead the way
    in protecting our networks from foreign adversaries, cyber
    criminals, and so-called hacktivists to prevent cyberattacks
    from becoming increasingly devastating to our security as well
    as to our economy.
        Finally, the Department of Federal Emergency Management
    Agency (FEMA) must continue to work hard to address the
    increasing number of natural disasters affecting our
    communities as a result of climate change from violent storms
    like hurricanes that brought destruction to States across the
    south, to the devastating wildfires in California, and
    countless other severe storms and flooding events all across
    our country.
        We need leadership at the Department that will ensure our
    nation effectively responds to communities when disaster
    strikes them. The safety and security of our nation and the
    American people depend on the department's ability to
    effectively address these wide-ranging threats.
        Governor Noem, thank you, again, for your willingness to
    serve in this incredibly important position. Thank you for
    being here today. I look forward to having a comprehensive
    discussion about how you intend to lead this critical
    department through a series of national security challenges, if
    indeed you are confirmed.
        Chairman Paul. This morning, Governor Noem will be
    introduced by Majority Leader John Thune, and Senator Kevin
    Cramer. Senator Thune, you are recognized.

                   OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR THUNE

        Senator Thune. Thank you, Mr. Chair, and Ranking Member
    Peters, and Members of the Committee. I am very pleased to be
    able to be here today to introduce South Dakota's outstanding
    Governor who has been nominated by President Trump to serve as
    a Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
        I have known Kristi Noem for a long time. She has a very
    compelling personal and family story, which inspired her
    entrance into the public arena, and I am sure you will hear a
    little bit more about that from her. But I have observed as she
    has gone through the State legislature as a leader there, State
    House of Representatives, the U.S. House of Representatives,
    where she was our only member from South Dakota representing
    our State's interests there for eight years, and now currently
    South Dakota's Governor.
        I think she brings to this job a number of things that are
    going to be really essential, and one is obviously a skillset
    when it comes to managing hard problems. She led our State
    through the pandemic, managed what were extraordinary
    circumstances all across this country in a way that made South
    Dakota, frankly, a magnet for people from other States who are
    trying to flee or get away from some of the heavy-handed
    requirements that were imposed in other States around the
    country. Our State stayed an open State, free, and that was
    largely due to her leadership.
        I would say, too, as we tackle what is an enormously
    complicated and hard issue, which is our Southern border. It's
    going to require a skillset, which I believe she possesses.
    It's going to require a tremendous amount of persistence and
    determination which I think she has an enormous amount of
    energy, which she has an abundance. Frankly, what I would say
    is just absolute toughness. It's going to take some tough and
    hard leadership to get things back in order.
        I want to refer to something she said in her State of the
    State address earlier this week to South Dakotans. That over
    the past four years, we have seen a complete disregard for the
    security of our borders and the safety of the American people,
    to say nothing for the rule of law. Chaos at our Southern
    borderer under the Biden Administration's left our country
    vulnerable to a whole host of security concerns, from terrorist
    entries to cross border criminal activity like drug
    trafficking.
        I think it's well-documented, and I think it's high time
    that it gets fixed. We have somebody nominated by the President
    that I believe has the capabilities, the qualities, the
    experience, and again, frankly, the determination and toughness
    to solve what is a very tough issue, one which is desperately
    in need of solutions.
        I am pleased to be able to be here today to introduce our
    great Governor, and to thank you for her consideration. I look
    forward to this Committee acting on her nomination, and I look
    forward to voting for her on the floor of the U.S. Senate to be
    the next Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
        Thank you, Mr. Chair.
        Chairman Paul. Senator Cramer?

                  OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR CRAMER

        Senator Cramer. Thank you, Chairman Paul, Ranking Member
    Peters, and colleagues.
        Once again, I find myself in full agreement with the
    Majority leader. It's a good place to be in our business. This
    is a very special opportunity for me. First thing I want to do
    is thank nearly all of you. I got into almost every one of your
    offices with Kristi as her very amateurish sitting Senator
    Sherpa.
        The blessing for me was not only to be with my good friend
    and former colleague, but to learn a lot about this Committee
    that I am not on, and to get an inside view. Gary, especially
    learning how we can work together at the Northern border, and
    how similar, although very different, Michigan and North Dakota
    are. So, thank you for your hospitality. You were all very kind
    to Kristi and to me.
        But Kristi is a former colleague. When you are the only
    member of a body of 435 from an entire State, it's really
    important to have friends. So, together, Kristi and I were two
    out of 435. If we could get Montana, Wyoming, and Alaska, there
    would be five of us that could take on the fight. But I know
    this, I remember our very first year, my first year, it was not
    hers. My first year in the House, the unthinkable happened, and
    the House of Representatives failed to pass a Farm Bill.
        All I can tell you was the least secure homeland person in
    America was the speaker of the House and the Majority leader.
    The next day when Kristi and I doubled-up and eventually we got
    a Farm Bill done, I say that because we are living at a time,
    and Senator Peters you used the words, ``Strong, stable, and
    principled.'' I cannot think of three better words to describe
    Kristi Noem than those three words.
        I would add this. I am not surprised that President Trump
    turned to Governor Noem. Securing the homeland is the No. 1
    priority. Our No. 1 priority, our No. 1 constitutional priority
    as a Congress. It is for sure the No. 1 priority of the voters
    in the last election. It is the No. 1 priority for President
    Donald Trump.
        Naturally, he would say, ``Who is the toughest, smartest,
    most capable protector that I know? I think I would like to
    find a ranch woman, mom, grandmother, who knows how to protect
    her own.'' When you grow up on a ranch in the prairies or the
    West, nobody else is going to look out for your critters, no
    one else is protecting your family. You do it.
        She brings this skillset, as Senator Thune said, as a
    leader, as a legislator, as a Member of Congress, as a
    Governor. A very important--by the way, when I would get into
    the room with other Governors, Senator Hassan, I might as well
    have just left because I was now part of the club where I do
    not belong. But anyway, it was very rich because there's an
    alliance there that's really important. For me, it's just a
    really special opportunity to be able to be here with her, and
    to have had this time in your offices introducing her to you.
        But I want to wrap up because last night I received a very
    touching letter, unsolicited by either Kristi or me, from the
    tribal chairwoman from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, which
    straddles North Dakota and South Dakota. They do not really
    care who wins the South Dakota State, North Dakota State
    football game, but they do care about their reservation.
        Chairwoman Alkire sent me this letter, Standing Rock is the
    home of Sitting Bull. In case you were wondering about the
    credentials of their ability to protect the homeland, I will
    just read a few words. ``On multiple occasions, Governor Noem
    has invited the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe to her table at the
    South Dakota State Capitol to enter into meaningful
    discussions.'' That's what I witnessed when she came to your
    offices.
        Janet writes, ``It is of great excitement and enthusiasm
    that our North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, will be at the helm
    of the Department of Interior (DOI). My hopes remain high that
    you will feel the same about Governor Kristi Noem at the helm
    of the Department of Homeland Security.'' These two Governors
    understand the needs in Indian country, and what words like
    tribal sovereignty, jurisdiction, and consultation mean to the
    indigenous people. It speaks volumes to her leadership and to
    her character.''
        It's my honor to support her and turn it over to her. Thank
    you.
        Chairman Paul. Thank you for those great introductions. The
    Committee has also received several statements in support of
    Governor Noem's nomination, including a letter from 22 fellow
    Governors, the International Association of Firefighters, and
    six other organizations. Without objection, these letters of
    support will be made part of the hearing record.\1\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ The letters of support for Ms. Noem appears in the Appendix on
    page 191.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        I know our Senators are going to have to go, but thank you
    for coming and doing those introductions.
        It's the practice of the Homeland Security and Governmental
    Affairs Committee (HSGAC) to swear in witnesses. Governor Noem,
    please stand and raise your right hand. Do you swear that the
    testimony you will give before this Committee will be the
    truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you,
    God?
        Ms. Noem. I do.
        Chairman Paul. Governor Noem, you are now recognized for
    your opening statement.

      TESTIMONY OF THE HONORABLE KRISTI NOEM,\1\ TO BE SECRETARY,
                    DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

        Ms. Noem. Thank you and good morning, Chairman Paul,
    Ranking Member Peters, and the distinguished Members of this
    Committee.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ The prepared statement of Ms. Noem appears in the Appendix on
    page 55.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        I am honored to appear before all of you today as the
    nominee for the Secretary of Homeland Security. I want to thank
    President-elect Donald J. Trump for his confidence in my
    leadership, and the people of South Dakota for their fantastic
    support throughout my time in public service.
        I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to
    Senator Cramer. He has been an invaluable resource to me
    throughout this process and given me much wisdom, as well as
    insight into the thoughts and the procedures of the Senate and
    this body. I would also like to express my gratitude to Senator
    Thune, the Majority leader of this esteemed body. He's been an
    advisor to me for many years as well as a friend. I am so
    grateful for the generous support of these two men, and their
    willingness to be here this morning to speak on my behalf, and
    to introduce me to this Committee.
        Now, I am a wife and a mother, and a grandmother, a farmer,
    rancher, and business person. I have served in our State
    legislature, in Congress for eight years, and also a Governor.
    I have spent my entire life in rural America. I understand what
    it means to work hard every single day and to build a better
    future for your kids and for all of our communities. I come
    before you today with a deep sense of responsibility and a
    humility as the nominee to lead the Department of Homeland
    Security, and also a commitment to the more than 330 Americans
    who we will work together to help serve, and to keep safe and
    secure in their homes and in their communities.
        Now, before I proceed, I want to introduce to you my
    husband Bryon, who's here with me today. He is my constant 24/7
    reminder of our dedication to public service, and that it's not
    a solo effort or done alone. He has been a rock by my side, and
    I appreciate all of his love over so many years. I am grateful
    that he's here with me today.
        Now, securing our homeland is a serious, sacred trust that
    must be relentlessly pursued and can never be taken for
    granted. Being safe within our borders here in America is
    critical, and yet Americans feel less safe than they have felt
    in decades. For the first time in 30 years, more than 40
    percent of Americans are afraid to walk alone at night within a
    mile of their homes.
        President-elect Trump is going to change that. I have seen
    firsthand the challenges and the opportunities facing our great
    nation. In the 20 years since the Department of Homeland
    Security was formed, the nature of the threats to our homeland
    has grown and they have evolved. This department was created in
    response to the failures of the government that led to the
    September 11, 2011, terrorist attacks. That reality is not lost
    on me, especially in the wake of the recent terrorist attacks
    over New Years.
        Now, I have led South Dakota for the last six years with a
    focus every day on making our State safer, stronger, and freer.
    I focused every day on making the best decisions, not just for
    right now, but for generations to come. I have overseen a State
    budget of over $7 billion, and a State employee workforce of
    more than 13,000, including more than 7,000 that report
    directly to the Governor.
        I have addressed important issues like cybersecurity, human
    trafficking, drug interdiction, and also natural disasters, the
    same challenges that are facing so many of you and the people
    that you represent back home. I have secured our State and
    supported the rule of law. If confirmed as the eighth
    Secretary, that is the same approach that I will take to
    leading the Department of Homeland Security.
        As we face the evolving threats of the 21st century, the
    mission and the success of DHS is more critical than ever. We
    must be vigilant, and proactive, and innovative to protect the
    homeland. The challenges in front of us are extremely
    significant, and we must secure our borders against illegal
    trafficking and immigration. We must safeguard our critical
    infrastructure to make sure that we are protected against
    cyberattacks, respond to natural disasters, and also terrorism.
        I firmly believe that we can meet those challenges head on
    with resolve innovation. We can use collaboration with Federal
    and with State partners. Senators, I want your input. Border
    security must remain a top priority. As a Nation, we have the
    right and the responsibility to secure our borders against
    those who would do us harm. We must create a fair and a lawful
    immigration system that is efficient, and is effective, and
    that reflects our values.
        President Trump was elected with a clear mandate. He needs
    to achieve this mission because two-thirds of Americans support
    his immigration and border policies, including the majority of
    Hispanic Americans. I was the first Governor to send National
    Guard troops to our Southern border when Texas asked for help
    and when they were being overwhelmed by an unprecedented border
    crisis. If confirmed as Secretary, I will ensure that our
    exceptional, extraordinary border patrol agents have all the
    tools, and resources, and support that they need to carry out
    their mission effectively.
        The same is true of my commitment to the outstanding men
    and women of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
    (ICE). They are responsible for apprehending, detaining, and
    deporting illegal immigrants. Getting criminal aliens off of
    our streets and out of the country will help American
    communities be safer again. The bravery and the dedication of
    the Border Patrol and ICE are unmatched, and I will restore
    dignity to their work.
        The rising threat of cyberattacks also demands our utmost
    attention, and our critical infrastructure from energy grids to
    financial institutions is under constant attack by foreign
    adversaries and criminal actors. As Secretary, I will
    prioritize a comprehensive whole-of-government approach to
    cybersecurity.
        In fact, in the coming days, we have to plan bigger, and
    think faster and smarter. I fully acknowledge that people in
    Washington, DC do not have all of the answers, and therefore, I
    will leverage private-public partnerships, I will advance
    cutting edge state-of-the-art technologies to protect our
    nation's digital landscape, and I will have a proven track
    record of doing this in South Dakota to back me up. I have
    helped make Dakota State University (DSU) a global leader in
    cybersecurity education because we recognize the need to
    address this merging threat. I will take a proactive approach,
    if given the opportunity, to serve as Secretary.
        Now, President-elect Trump has been a tremendous friend to
    law enforcement over the years, and I will do the same in my
    role as Secretary. As Governor, I have worked closely with law
    enforcement to make South Dakota safer. I have overseen
    hundreds of State troopers in the South Dakota Highway Patrol,
    and on several occasions, I have convened groups of law
    enforcement from across our State to address policies that will
    make our people safer.
        In fact, while some in this country were attacking law
    enforcement and defunding them, we took the opposite approach.
    In South Dakota, we recruited law enforcement officers to move
    to South Dakota, a State that respects their service and their
    sacrifice, and we revamped our law enforcement training to
    provide the first ever State-led, tribal-focused law
    enforcement training academy. I am very proud of the work that
    we have done in cooperation with our tribes to help make their
    communities more safe.
        We must remain vigilant against terrorism and against
    others who wish to do us harm to our country and to our great
    people. I will ensure that our intelligence and our law
    enforcement agencies are working together hand-in-hand, that
    they are fully equipped to detect, prevent, and respond to
    threats from radical ideologies and foreign adversaries. This
    requires resources, coordination, and collaboration across all
    levels of government. Once again, I will seek your wisdom, and
    I will seek your input into the months ahead for the sake of
    the people that we both represent. We have to get this right.
        Now, I recognize that homeland security isn't just about
    prevention, but it's also about resilience. When disasters
    strike, as we know, they will, the Department of Homeland
    Security must be ready to respond swiftly, efficiently, and
    effectively to protect the lives and the property of Americans.
        As Governor, I have worked with FEMA in response to a dozen
    natural disasters in South Dakota. These have included historic
    floods, tornadoes, blizzards, wildfires, a derecho, and even a
    global pandemic. As Secretary, I will enhance our emergency
    preparedness, and strengthen FEMA's capabilities, and we will
    ensure that no community is left behind, and that lifesaving
    services like electricity and water are quickly restored.
        As Secretary, I will oversee the U.S. Secret Service
    (USSS), an agency that is in serious need of reforms. We all
    saw the threats to President-elect Trump last year, and the
    consequences of failure. Now, that should never happen again. I
    have worked closely with my own gubernatorial protective
    detail, and I am familiar with what works and what does not
    work, and I will bring that experience toward strengthening the
    Secret Service.
        Once again, I am committed to working with this Committee,
    with Congress, and with the dedicated men and women of the
    Department of Homeland Security to fulfill our mission.
    Together, we can ensure that the United States remains a beacon
    of freedom, safety, and security for generations to come.
        Thank you for the opportunity and the honor to appear
    before you today. Thank you for the meetings and the time that
    you took in your office to discuss the Department and what we
    can do in the future to make the American homeland much more
    secure. I look forward to your questions, and I hope to earn
    your trust, and hopefully, also your vote as we embark on this
    critical work together.
        With that, Mr. Chair, I yield back.
        Chairman Paul. Thank you, Governor Noem. We will now
    proceed to questions. Each Member will have seven minutes. We
    will have a vote that will start at 10:00 a.m., but we are
    going to continue the hearing, and keep people in line as you
    come and go to vote. We will keep the hearing moving. I want to
    be clear from the outset that we will not tolerate any
    disruptions. The Capitol Police have been asked to escort
    anyone immediately from the room if they disrupt the hearing.
        This is a standard question, Governor Noem, that we ask of
    all nominees. Governor Noem, do you agree without reservation
    to comply with any request or summons to appear and testify
    before any duly constituted committee of Congress, if you are
    confirmed?
        Ms. Noem. Yes, Mr. Chair.
        Chairman Paul. I am going to reserve the rest of my time
    for my questions and go to Senator Peters.
        Senator Peters. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
        Governor Noem, the DHS Secretary has many competing
    priorities, as you well know, and you outlined certainly in
    your opening comments; from our borders, to wildfires, to
    cyberattacks. But as you and I discussed in length, and I
    appreciate you bringing in up in your opening comments as well,
    we do have a Northern border in addition to a Southern border.
        It's absolutely essential that the DHS has the resources
    necessary at the Northern border to carry out its mission both
    between ports of entry and all along the border. In fact, we
    have seen an increase in unauthorized crossings in recent years
    at the Northern border.
        My question for you is, if confirmed, do you commit to
    ensuring along with the Southern border, that the Northern
    border is sufficiently staffed to maintain its security and
    robust trade between the United States and its neighbors,
    including at the Gordie Howe International Bridge in my home
    State of Michigan have the resources they need to facilitate
    trade while keeping Americans safe?
        Ms. Noem. Yes, Senator Peters. You and I talked about this
    in your office, and also with Senator Slotkin as well, how
    important it is to continue to remain focused on our Northern
    border, and all borders and ports of entry that the United
    States has.
        I think there's been some universal concern from some of
    the Committee Members that as we focus on the Southern border
    and what we are seeing as far as the invasion there and the
    amount of people crossing, that the Northern border would lose
    focus. But that that will not happen, and we will ensure that
    our borders are secure and we are addressing all threats that
    may come in from any direction. Also, with the bridge as well
    and staffing up on that as well. I have assured Senator Slotkin
    as well, that our focus is there to make sure that it is
    staffed appropriately.
        Senator Peters. Very good. As we discussed, the Department
    is diligently working to stand up the Northern Border Mission
    Center at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Michigan,
    following the authorization and funding that I was able to
    secure in the last Congress. This center is critical to
    supporting the Department's Northern Border Security missions
    and addressing evolving threats.
        Quick question, if confirmed, do you commit to working with
    me to fully build out the Northern Border Mission Center?
        Ms. Noem. Yes, Senator. We will look forward, and I look
    forward to working with you to ensure that that is a priority,
    and that it's adequately resourced, and working with Congress
    and Senators to make sure that we have what we need to make
    sure that that mission for that base is fully fulfilled.
        Senator Peters. Great. Thank you. On New Year's, we
    witnessed two incidents that reminded us that terrorism and
    extremism remain serious threats to all Americans. Both DHS and
    the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) have consistently
    said that the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) most
    persistent threat to the homeland is from U.S.-based
    individuals or small groups, radicalized by a variety of
    ideologies, from white supremacy, to ISIS, to al-Qaeda. We must
    certainly continue to focus on people who are radicalized here
    in the United States with the intent of terrorizing our
    communities.
        My question for you, ma'am, is how do you plan to address
    this threat of U.S.-based terrorist?
        Ms. Noem. Senator, that this is a grave concern for our
    country, as we all agree that the No. 1 threat to our homeland
    security is our Southern border. In fact, since Joe Biden has
    been President, we have seen 382 individuals that have come
    over that border that are on the terrorist watch list.
        Behind me, I have the Governor of Louisiana with me. And
    he, and his State, and people in this country went through a
    horrific event on New Year's Day, and one that we never want to
    see repeated again. But this Governor behind me is concerned
    also about an upcoming event, which is the Super Bowl coming
    shortly, which we need to do all that we can to work together,
    that he has the reassurance that the Federal Government, that
    the Department of Homeland Security is prepared to help him
    protect that event and to keep people safe while they are
    there.
        Those 382 individuals are known terrorists that have come
    over our border. We do not know necessarily where they are
    because of what has been happening under Joe Biden's policies.
    Now, President Trump, obviously, won the last election with a
    clear mandate, and that mandate is for the American people to
    secure that border. But also, we need to focus on domestic
    terrorism and homegrown terrorism, which you just referenced in
    your question.
        Homegrown terrorism is on the rise. We see more and more
    incidents of people that are U.S. citizens that have become
    radicalized. Knowing when people are leaving the country and
    coming back, and changes to their behaviors and what their
    actions are is critically important.
        The resources that the Department of Homeland Security has
    needs to be utilized as far as identifying those threats and
    being proactive to prevent them, but also protecting civil
    rights and liberties in that process, and making sure that the
    Department is on mission to do what it was called to do, why it
    was created, and what authorities that Congress and the Senate
    has given them.
        My hope is that Governor Landry, and his staff, and his
    people, and the people that attend the Super Bowl know that the
    Department of Homeland Security is their partner, is on watch
    to protect them and to keep that event safe. I hope all
    Americans know that leadership has consequences. I hope that we
    can get through and get your support for this nomination, and
    get confirmed quickly so that we can address the threats that
    we currently face, and make sure we do not have any repeats of
    the day that we saw just starting this year on New Year's Day.
        Senator Peters. In the last two years, we have seen
    increasingly, aggressive and expansive cyberattacks against our
    Federal agencies. Just last month, Chinese hackers infiltrated
    the Department of Treasury and stole potentially thousands of
    unclassified documents. Given these concerning trends by the
    People's Republic of China (PRC) to hold our Federal networks
    hostage, do you believe that Federal agencies should be
    required to implement cybersecurity upgrades, and maintain the
    highest cybersecurity standards to protect sensitive or
    classified data and U.S. citizens information as well?
        Ms. Noem. Senator, the mission of the Cybersecurity and
    Infrastructure Agency (CISA), the mission of it is to hunt and
    harden. It's to find those bad actors and help work with local
    and State infrastructure, critical infrastructure entities so
    that they can help them be prepared for such cyberattacks, and
    that they can make sure that they are hardening their systems
    to protect them in the future, recognizing the vulnerabilities
    that they.
        But this have gotten far off-mission. They are using their
    resources in ways that was never intended. The misinformation,
    and disinformation that they have stuck their toe into and
    meddled with should be refocused back onto what their job is;
    and that is to support critical infrastructure, and to help our
    local and small businesses and critical infrastructure at the
    State level to have the resources and be prepared for those
    cyberattacks that they will face.
        Salt Typhoon was a campaign of espionage by the PRC in
    China against our telecoms, where large amount of data was
    stolen and taken, and people's private information was taken as
    well. We have also seen China and the PRC go after our critical
    infrastructure with the Volt Typhoon hack. That was extremely
    dangerous because there was no reason for them to do that, just
    to steal people's data and information. The reason for them to
    go after that was to control our critical infrastructure for
    the ability to see if they could shut down a water plant, a
    utility company, and that was to cripple our country.
        These threats are real. CISA needs to be much more
    effective, smaller, more nimble to really fulfill their
    mission, which is to hunt and to help harden our nation's
    critical infrastructure.
        Senator Peters. Thank you.
        Chairman Paul. Thank you. Senator Scott.

                   OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR SCOTT

        Senator Scott. Governor Noem, congratulations on your
    nomination.
        Ms. Noem. Thank you.
        Senator Scott. I think you are going to do a great job.
        Ms. Noem. Thank you.
        Senator Scott. I think it's great that you are a Governor
    and you bring that expertise to the table. I just went through
    the campaign to get reelected and it was after the Butler
    shooting. I had asked people, I said it in all my events,
    ``Raise your hand if you think the acting director of the
    Secret Service is going to tell us what happened.'' Not one
    person. I said, ``What about Secretary Mayorkas? You know, he's
    running Homeland Security. What do you think?'' I said, ``How
    about Christopher Wray, head of the FBI?'' Not one person.
        Can you just talk about in the importance of transparency
    and accountability in government, and how you are going to
    bring that to the table?
        Ms. Noem. Yes. Senator Scott, thank you for that question,
    because that's what I have found across the country as well,
    and I know it's certainly true in my home State of South
    Dakota. Is that people do not trust the Federal Government.
    They do not trust our leadership and this current
    administration that's in the White House right now to tell them
    the truth. To tell them the truth about what the threats really
    are about our agencies and departments when there are failures,
    addressing them and fixing it.
        The Secret Service, is one of those perfect examples. They
    need leadership that understands why that Secret Service was
    created and what it needs to do. There's two elements really
    that the Secret Service is tasked with, and that is protective
    detail, and then also investigations. Yet we see investigators
    within the Secret Service out there investigating antiquities
    and other things that are off-mission when they should be
    focused on making sure we are addressing national security
    events with the protocols that are necessary, and protecting
    the individuals that they are charged with, and getting that
    skill set and training that are necessary that's been
    compromised by not having enough people there, and being
    adequately staffed and resourced.
        But frankly, the leadership has not been honest about
    talking about it. We saw this with the drones over New Jersey
    as well, the Federal Government not answering the questions
    from the public. When they finally got a straight answer out of
    President Trump, they felt reassured that somebody recognized
    that this was something they were questioning and that they
    deserved answers.
        My goal and my mission is to build trust. We will undertake
    a large job and a large duty that we have to fulfill, that the
    American people expect us to do by securing our border to make
    sure that our nation is a nation with borders, or we are no
    nation at all. That we are making sure that those criminal
    actors that are perpetuating violence in our communities, and
    in our cities, and towns and States are removed from this
    country, that there's consequences for breaking the law in our
    country.
        Again, there has to be consequence, because when Americans
    break the law, there's consequences. Why would we ever allow
    someone to come in from another country, and not have
    consequences? Or allow them to continue to go forward and to
    commit rape, and murders, and break other laws that endanger
    our society?
        We have had over 13,000 murderers that are loose in this
    country that have come over that border. We have had almost
    16,000 rapists and sexual assault perpetuators that are loose
    in this country right now. 425,000-plus people have criminal
    convictions that are here illegally in this country that our
    current administration's doing nothing to round them up and get
    them out of our country.
        We will be doing that immediately, and that will be the
    priority. That is one of the reasons that, today, the American
    people have lost their trust. President Trump will build it
    back, and know that their Federal Government is accountable to
    them, and is working to put America first, again.
        Senator Scott. Joe Biden completely opened our Southern
    border and dismantled our entire immigration system. As a
    former Governor, I know that when the Federal Government
    policies are broken and failing Americans, you see the impacts
    in your State, just like I did when I was a Governor. You take
    the steps necessary to protect the families in your State. I
    know you have done that.
        One thing you did is, you talked about before, you sent
    troops, our National Guard to the Southern border. Can you talk
    more about how Biden's open border policy has affected your
    State and communities, and the role your State resources placed
    in helping secure the border?
        Ms. Noem. We certainly have seen the effects in South
    Dakota that many of your States did. I would say every State
    has seen the effects of an open border and the policies that
    have been under the Biden Administration. We saw increased
    crime, but we also saw increased drug activity. We saw cartels
    and their affiliates moving into our State to proliferate
    trafficking, and we saw people being victimized and a lack of
    accountability with the Federal Government.
        When Texas was addressing the situation and asked other
    Governors for help, we sent help. I know many of the other
    Governors at the time were sending law enforcement. But I made
    the decision that, at that time, it was more appropriate to
    send the National Guard. That our National Guard could be
    activated under Title 32 and sent to assist another State from
    the invasion that was happening.
        Because the National Guard is trained for just such a
    mission, because of this invasion that it is a war zone down
    there with what they are going to see, the threats that they
    would see, and that they are trained specifically to interact
    with other agencies. The National Guard is used to falling in
    with other agencies and cooperating with them, and could do
    that seamlessly. Their families and their communities are
    normalized to them being deployed.
        We have in South Dakota, deployed our National Guard to the
    Southern border eight different times. Two of them were Federal
    deployments that the Biden Administration sent them down there.
    One was to send our Lakota helicopters, which were used for
    surveillance in the drug interdiction that was going on down
    there. But six other times, I sent them under State activation
    to partner with Texas and other States in securing our Southern
    border.
        They did security operations, they also did building of the
    wall, and partnered with Texas recognizing the failures of the
    Federal Government. The failures of the Federal Government are
    significant. We have seen our families and communities
    devastated by those effects; by the drug epidemic, by the
    trafficking that's going on, the increased crime.
        We recognized that just because the Federal Government was
    not doing their job, we could not fail our State, and I needed
    to protect the people of South Dakota. The people of South
    Dakota were overwhelmingly supportive of these deployments and
    very proud of our National Guard.
        Senator Scott. When I was Governor of Florida, there was a
    terrorist hack in Paris by Syrian refugees. President Obama was
    President, and I said I would like to know if you are going to
    send refugees to my State, that you give us some background on
    them. I assume you vetted them and tell us what's going on. You
    have to tell me, but you ought to tell our State law
    enforcement and our local law enforcement. That they said, go
    jump in the lake. They had meaner than that, but they said, you
    have no rights as a Governor, which had made no sense.
        We had over 70,000 people come here after Afghanistan on
    planes into this country, completely unvetted. Right? They have
    never given our Governors any information. Would you change
    that?
        Ms. Noem. Yes. The communication between States and the
    Federal Government has been absolutely broken. That's what I
    love about this Committee. Is you do have Governors sitting on
    this Committee that have been in that role as a commander-in-
    chief, and have the responsibility for being the Chief
    Executive Officers (CEOs) of their State.
        It's a different perspective than serving. I served in
    Congress, too, and both are extremely important and they are
    just different in that responsibility that weighs on your
    shoulder. I often told folks that that is the thing that, that
    most times, if something was going to keep me up at night, it
    was the responsibility that I had being commander-in-chief,
    recognizing the decisions that I made. I am sure you had this
    feeling as well, Senator Scott, as Governor, that impacted
    those families, those soldiers and it impacted their
    communities when we pulled them out and the importance of that.
        When they were bringing refugees into the country, I as
    well communicated that to the Federal Government. They were
    bringing refugees, and I asked how they were vetted, how we
    were working with their home countries to find out who they
    really were, what their intentions were, and why they were
    coming to the United States and we received no information from
    this administration. That the vetting process was being done,
    that we knew where they were going. In fact, they kept us in
    the dark and did not communicate to us even what States and
    where those refugees were being placed.
        That is something that we need to change when we have
    programs that fall under the purview of the Department of
    Homeland Security. There needs to be communication, especially
    with the Governor, so that we can coordinate to ensure that
    it's the right thing for that State.
        Senator Scott. Thank you.
        Chairman Paul. Senator Hassan.

                  OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR HASSAN

        Senator Hassan. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Welcome Governor
    Noem. Really appreciate you being here. Welcome to your family
    as well.
        Ms. Noem. Thank you.
        Senator Hassan. Families do share in this kind of public
    service, and we appreciate them very much.
        As we discussed at our meeting last month, as a former
    Governor, I appreciate the important responsibilities that
    Governors have to ensure the safety and security of their
    communities, including by managing public safety and emergency
    agencies.
        I will say that, in many ways, I agree with some of the
    things that Senator Scott just said about improving
    communication between the Department of Homeland Security and
    Governors around who is being sent to States. It's a critical
    issue, and something that I was frustrated by when I was
    Governor. I look forward to hearing more today about your
    priorities, if confirmed, about how your experience as Governor
    would help you run the Department of Homeland Security.
        Let me just start by following-up with a question that
    Senator Peters had also touched on. We have recently in New
    Hampshire seen a dramatic increase in unauthorized border
    crossings at the Northern border. When I was at the Northern
    border recently, law enforcement told me about the need for
    more personnel and resources. We still don't have cell phone
    coverage in a lot of the stretch of our Northern border. I have
    worked with Senator Cramer on bipartisan legislation to
    strengthen our Northern border strategy because it's clear more
    support is needed.
        Governor, if you are confirmed, would you deploy additional
    full-time personnel and upgrade equipment along the Northern
    border?
        Ms. Noem. Senator, I enjoyed our meeting that we had, and
    you identifying the Northern border issues that are going on,
    the lack of security and the lack of technologies that you
    really need to cover some of the landscapes that are there.
    Very different than the Southern border. Some just as equally
    challenging, but all need to be addressed.
        I definitely will be working with you to ensure that our
    Northern border is adequately resourced as well. We do have to
    have the resources in order to be successful. That's something
    I want to work with Congress, with the Senate and the House on
    to ensure that the resources are there to meet the challenges
    that we have.
        We have not fully utilized the technologies that are
    available that are necessary to really secure this country and
    to compete with those bad actors which wish to infiltrate our
    country. Having the ability to utilize them will make it make
    us much more safe. I will work with you, most definitely, in
    ensuring the Northern border is protected.
        Senator Hassan. I appreciate that. I just note, too, that
    at the same time, there's real concern in New Hampshire and all
    along the Northern border that we strengthen the border and
    have the resources we need. We also have a really strong
    economic relationship with our partner, our friends to the
    north, and a lot of family relationships. I think it's
    important that we are smart in the deployment of technology. We
    don't want to impede that flow of economy and people that's
    lawful, but we do want to make sure that we have the resources
    we need.
        I want to turn to the Southern border now at the Southern
    border. We need significant technological investments to
    support law enforcement personnel in their efforts to catch
    fentanyl smugglers, to stop human traffickers, and seize the
    cash and illegal guns that criminals traffic southward to the
    cartels. We talked about this a little bit.
        There's bipartisan support for these investments, and I
    have worked with colleagues, including Senators Lankford and
    Cornyn on legislation around these issues. Governor Noem, could
    you identify specific technological investments that you would
    make at the Southern border, and are you willing to work with
    me on increasing southbound inspections if you are confirmed?
        Ms. Noem. Yes, certainly, Senator. You have heard President
    Trump talk about the need to build a wall. The wall and
    infrastructure is critically important, but also at our 382
    legal ports of entry. We need to have technology so that flow
    can happen north and south, and it can happen in a legal manner
    to ensure that our commerce can continue to operate, and that
    we can continue to make sure that we are also secure.
        I think de minimis shipments are a concern, and the need to
    look at those and how traffickers and fentanyl distributors are
    using that. I think we also need to use scanners surveillance
    operations. There's new technologies out there to cooperate
    with satellites in some area where the topography does not
    necessarily facilitate having actual infrastructure.
        Also the ability to make sure that we are utilizing that
    technology that allows us to know what is going south that
    might be fueling some of the violence that ends up coming back
    north, and ensuring that we are stopping that before it has the
    chance to supply those cartel and bad actors that would come
    in.
        Senator Hassan. Yes. I really appreciate that because the
    southbound flow, particularly of cash and weapons, fuels the
    cartels and strengthens them and it's something that we really
    have to focus on. I also want to follow-up on the issue of
    cybersecurity. Recently, criminals launched a successful
    cyberattack on PowerSchool, a cloud-based record management
    system that contains personal information about tens of
    millions of kindergartners through high school seniors,
    including many students and teachers in New Hampshire.
        This cyberattack on PowerSchool comes as schools and local
    governments across the country have seen a surge in
    cyberattacks on their systems. When a small school of maybe
    1,000 students or so has to pay $2 million in ransom, I want
    you to think about what that does to one of our small
    communities.
        Governor Noem, if you are confirmed, how will you empower
    the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to improve
    the cybersecurity of State and local governments in the United
    States?
        Ms. Noem. Absolutely. Thank you, Senator. If I am confirmed
    and have the opportunity to service as Secretary of this
    Department, I will be following the Constitution and the rule
    of law, and then getting these departments back on mission to
    why they were created and why they are existing.
        What CISA should be doing is helping those small entities,
    those schools, those local city governments, the State
    governments, and the small businesses that are critical
    infrastructure that do not have the resources to stay on top of
    the critical protections that they need to enact.
        Senator Hassan. Let me follow-up just quickly on that one
    point. It's something we discussed when we had our meeting. I
    worked with Senator Cornyn on a bipartisan bill. It became law
    that created a cybersecurity grant program for State and local
    governments. This is an addition to each State getting a cyber
    coordinator to help on the ground. We discussed this program,
    and I know you as Governor had some reservations about the
    structure of the program.
        But if confirmed, will you commit to working with Congress
    to adjust it? I would love your input about what gave you pause
    as Governor. I think there were only two Governors who did not
    participate in the program. I hope that as we work on the
    concerns you have, you would work with me to adjust and
    reauthorize the program.
        Ms. Noem. Yes. All grants within the Department will be
    evaluated when I come in and be looked at to see what we can do
    to make sure that they are actually fulfilling the mission to
    which they were established.
        What I would say about the cybersecurity grants, in South
    Dakota when I came in as Governor, one of my main priorities
    was to bring the next industry into the State. I determined
    that that would be technology and cybersecurity. In fact, we
    have Dakota State University in our State, which is a
    cybersecurity national leader in training those cyber warriors
    that we need to protect us and keep us safe. I have since then
    partnered to grow and double the size of that school. We train
    a lot of National Security Agency (NSA) employees in South
    Dakota.
        And so, understanding cybersecurity and my experience in
    that, I think, is critically important to the Department and
    bringing it to the table to do this. You talked about why we
    did not take that cybersecurity grant in South Dakota, and it's
    because the requirements of that grant would have caused me to
    grow my State government. The administration costs of it would
    have been much more than what had been able to facilitate at
    the local level. Our State was already proactively helping
    these individuals that needed the resources to secure their
    systems.
        Senator Hassan. I appreciate that. I am way over time.
    There were very few requirements purposely in that grant
    program, other than to make sure the money was being spent the
    way we authorized. But let's continue to talk about that. Thank
    you.
        Ms. Noem. Thank you.
        Chairman Paul. Senator Hawley.

                  OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR HAWLEY

        Senator Hawley. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Governor Noem,
    welcome. Congratulations on your nomination. I am delighted to
    see you here. I do notice the Chairman of the Ways and Means
    Committee is over your shoulder there. I would have to question
    your judgment about who your friends are based on that. The
    great chairman from the State of Missouri. It's fantastic to
    have you here.
        The Department of Homeland Security is not particularly
    old, but you already have what I hope will soon be the
    distinction of succeeding the worst secretary in the history of
    the Department of Homeland Security. Alejandro Mayorkas has
    been an absolute disgrace to that department, and frankly to
    this country, and I am delighted to see you willing to step up
    and serve.
        Let me just ask you something. I repeatedly asked your
    predecessor when he sat where you are sitting, whether the
    Southern border was secure. He repeatedly told me under oath,
    ``It is secure, Senator.'' He repeatedly said under oath, ``Our
    policies are working, Senator,'' meaning the Biden
    Administration policies that, of course, gave us this
    devastating open border. Let me just ask you, is the Southern
    border secure as we find it today?
        Ms. Noem. Senator, no. The Southern border is not secure
    today. But in just three days, we will have a new President in
    this country, President Donald J. Trump, and he will secure our
    border.
        Senator Hawley. That is refreshing candor. I am glad to
    hear it. Let me ask you about a young man from my State. This
    is Travis Wolfe,\1\ who's 12 years old when he was killed just
    over a year ago by an illegal migrant who mowed him down--and I
    choose my words carefully--mowed him down in a motor vehicle,
    hit him head on doing 75 on a 40, and killed him. Others were
    severely injured.
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        \1\ The picture of Travis Wolfe appears in the Appendix on page
    208.
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        Just yesterday, a witness sitting where you are sitting
    today told this Committee that migrant crime is, ``Not an
    actual concern,'' not an actual concern, in a hearing before
    this Committee advising us to drop the Laken Riley Act and not
    focus on migrant crime.
        In my State, with the death of people like Travis Wolfe and
    Officer David Lee, who was assaulted and killed in St. Louis,
    and officers in Kansas City who have been assaulted by illegal
    migrants, and others who have been carjacked and stabbed, would
    you agree with me that migrant crime sure as heck is an actual
    concern and that you intend to do something about it?
        Ms. Noem. Yes, Senator, absolutely. I am so sorry about
    Travis, my prayers go out to his family. I can't even imagine
    what that is like. Thank you for telling his story, because
    there's so many families in this country that have that same
    story. They do not understand why the Federal Government is
    allowing people to come into this country illegally and then
    perpetuate crimes against their people, and then give them
    resources, and shelter, and food, and debit cards to go take
    care of their families when they go to work every single day to
    make sure that they are providing for their families and are
    held accountable to when they break our laws.
        Senator Hawley. Let me ask you this. Will you work with
    President Trump to reinstate the Remain in Mexico program that
    the President had in place in his first term, which does so
    much to ensure that those who would seek to abuse our asylum
    system are not allowed into the country. Those who have
    legitimate asylum claims, their claims are processed in due
    order and in due course, but they wait in Mexico until those
    claims are fully processed. Will you work to reinstate that
    program?
        Ms. Noem. Yes, Senator. The President and I have talked
    extensively about this, and will 100 percent partner with him
    to reinstate the Remain in Mexico policy and make sure that
    it's in place.
        Senator Hawley. Fantastic. I think Travis might be alive
    today if that policy had been in place. Let me ask you about
    CBP One. The phone app that I have called concierge service for
    illegal immigrants. I am sure you are familiar with it. This
    was the Biden Administration's effort to allow asylum seekers
    to apply ahead of time using their phones, but not actually to
    provide any evidence that they needed asylum.
        There was a newspaper report, a press report, that said the
    only problem with the app is it never asks users are you
    seeking asylum? They do not ask for any asylum evidence. They
    simply release these so-called asylum seekers who use the app
    into the country on parole. Sometimes they are never given a
    hearing.
        The Inspector General (IG) actually did a report, a full
    investigation report on CBP One, and found that frequently,
    users of this app were claiming the same addresses in the
    United States as their intended destination even though they
    did not know each other, they were not family connections. In
    other words, it has been completely abused. The idea that the
    Federal Government would pay for this kind of concierge service
    for illegals, I think, is outrageous. Will you end the use of
    the CBP One app?
        Ms. Noem. Yes, Senator. If confirmed, and I have the
    opportunity to be Secretary, on day one, CBP One will be shut
    down. There's data and information in there that we will
    preserve so that we can ensure we know who's coming into this
    country and who's already here that we need to go find. But
    also, we make sure that there's another program, Cuba-Haiti-
    Nicaragua-Venezuela (CHNV), which I am sure you are very
    familiar with, where our Federal Government actually paid to
    fly people into this country directly from other countries
    without any vetting or knowing who they are.
        There's several of these programs that need to be
    eliminated, and we need to ensure that we are following legal
    immigration laws.
        Senator Hawley. I am glad you just mentioned CHNV. This is
    a mass parole program. Of course, as you know, our law allows
    parole in only very limited circumstances. There are two
    circumstances, and it requires case-by-case evaluation. The
    present administration, soon to be gone, has granted mass
    parole and in direct defiance of the law, not case-by-case
    evaluation. The CHNV program is one of those instances. Will
    you put a stop to this abuse of our parole law in our asylum
    system?
        Ms. Noem. Yes. We will go back to case-by-case evaluation
    of these parole cases and ensure that we have more resources,
    if you will partner with us, to make sure that our legal
    immigration system is fully utilized, that we have more judges,
    more immigration courts, so that we can process people legally
    and make sure that they are going through that process rather
    than the--well, like Joe Biden has done, use this as an excuse
    to allow people to come into our country with no consequences.
        Senator Hawley. Let me ask you about another lowlight. Not
    a highlight, but a lowlight of this last administration and
    DHS, your predecessor. The current Secretary of DHS established
    a disinformation board using taxpayer resources to police
    speech on the internet and elsewhere to tag American citizens'
    viewpoints as either legitimate or not legitimate, and use the
    power of the State to censor them, including having them
    removed and perhaps penalized.
        This has to be the darkest chapter, I think, in DHS's short
    history. He eventually withdrew the board under intense
    criticism, but has never fully repudiated it and never promised
    not to do it again. Will you pledge to us, here today, that
    under your leadership, there will never be a disinformation
    board or anything like it at DHS, and you will be a champion
    for the free speech and First Amendment rights of all
    Americans?
        Ms. Noem. Senator, there will not be a board such as that
    under my leadership at the Department of Homeland Security.
    Absolutely.
        Senator Hawley. Fantastic. Let me ask you in my remaining
    seconds just one more thing about the Secret Service. You have
    mentioned this, and I am so glad that you did. This Committee,
    and it has been bipartisan, this Committee has done bipartisan
    work on the attempted assassinations or the assassination
    attempts, I should perhaps say, of the former President, soon
    to be the President, President Trump.
        We were stymied at every turn, and I should use the present
    tense. We are currently being stymied at every turn by the
    current Secret Service leadership, and frankly, by the
    leadership of DHS who have refused to turn over documents, who
    refuse to make people available for interviews.
        We finally had to pass my own law in this Committee, which
    we unanimously adopted as law, a statute mind you, which would
    require DHS and Secret Service to turn over relevant
    information to us about the assassination attempts. It's
    unbelievable.
        When you come to this office, I hope very soon, will you
    pledge to us that you will open the books on all of the facts
    associated and around these assassination attempts? That you
    will make available to us and to the public, most importantly,
    all the facts, so that we can ensure that this never happens
    again, and that the needed reforms in the Secret Service are
    put into effect?
        Ms. Noem. Yes. Senator, if I am the Secretary of Homeland
    Security, I will certainly work with you to build transparency
    and make sure the facts are shared with you and your Committee.
        I know that you have been very frustrated by the lack of
    transparency from the Department, and I want to thank those of
    you that have worked on that report that was put together on
    these assassination attempts. I know it was a bipartisan report
    and investigation that this Committee conducted, and I
    appreciate you focusing on that. I will work with you to get
    the information so that you have the truth of really what
    happened there and the failures so they can be fixed.
        Senator Hawley. Thank you. That's a great place to end, and
    a high note as I see my friend, Senator Blumenthal, who did
    fantastic work on this effort. It will be an incredible new
    day, and incredibly refreshing to have a DHS Secretary who will
    tell us the truth, who will be honest with us about the facts,
    honest with the American people, and who will enforce our law.
    I know you will do that, Governor Noem. I look forward to
    supporting your nomination. Congratulations.
        Ms. Noem. Thank you.
        Senator Johnson [presiding.] Senator Blumenthal.

                OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR BLUMENTHAL

        Senator Blumenthal. Thank you, Senator Johnson. Welcome,
    Governor Noem, and thank you for being here. Thank you for
    visiting with me, and thank you to your family for their
    service as well.
        Let me begin on a high note, thanking Senator Hawley for
    his leadership on the effort that I led with him to essentially
    get some basic facts out of the Secret Service when we were
    investigating, Senator Johnson and I, as leaders of the
    Permanent Subcommittee on Investigation (PSI), helping to lead
    it with the Chair and Ranking Member here. I am hoping that you
    have read our report and that you will agree to begin
    implementing its recommendations, which call for major reforms.
    In my view, a house-cleaning, top to bottom, in the Secret
    Service and greater transparency with this Committee and with
    the American public.
        Ms. Noem. Yes, sir. I will certainly work with you to do
    that and to work to make sure that we have that transparency,
    and the Committee has the information that it needs to do due
    diligence of its oversight.
        Senator Blumenthal. Our investigation is continuing.
    Senator Johnson and I have discussed it, and we will be making
    more requests to pursue the fact finding that is so important.
        I want to ask you about disaster relief. California's on
    fire. The fires raging, they are going to leave destruction and
    devastation. That is heartbreaking. I am really disappointed
    with some of the statements that President-elect Trump has
    made. For example, saying that, ``We won't give him--''
    referring to Governor Newsom, ``money to put out all his fires.
    If we do not give him money to put out fires, he's got a
    problem.''
        The specter is there of potential discrimination based on
    politics, withholding money from California or other States.
    It's not an unfounded fear. In the last administration, there
    were public reports about President Trump withholding money
    from the State of Washington because of his disagreements with
    Governor Inslee.
        Connecticut, like the rest of the Nation, suffers from
    these natural disasters. Most recently, in August, we were hit
    by major flooding, and these natural disasters are going to
    become more frequent, as will be the need for the Federal
    Government to meet the requests for declarations of natural
    disaster.
        I assume you will agree with me that withholding disaster
    relief by President Trump or any other Chief Executive of the
    United States is a violation of his duty and of law?
        Ms. Noem. Senator, leadership has consequences, and looking
    at the tragedy that's happening in California----
        Senator Blumenthal. I want to ask you yes or no with all
    due respect. It's an easy----
        Ms. Noem. What's happening in California is the
    ramification of many decisions over many years. But under my
    leadership at the Department of Homeland Security, there will
    be no political bias to how disaster relief is delivered to the
    American people.
        Senator Blumenthal. If President Trump were to say to you,
    we are going to withhold money from Connecticut or Michigan, or
    any of the States, Iowa, because we do not like the Governor,
    or we do not like the politics of the State, you would stand up
    to him and say, ``Mr. President, we need to allocate that
    money.''
        Ms. Noem. Senator, in three days, President Trump will take
    an oath to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law in this
    country. He will do that, and I will be glad to have him back.
        Senator Blumenthal. I assume that's a yes?
        Ms. Noem. I do not speak to hypotheticals, which is what
    you are asking me to do. But what I will tell you is that as
    Secretary, I will do the same. I will deliver the programs as
    the laws dictate----
        Senator Blumenthal. It's more than a hypothetical, with all
    due respect. I apologize for interrupting you, but my time is
    limited, as you know, as a veteran of these hearings. It's more
    than a hypothetical. It's based on experience with President
    Trump withholding money from Washington State and elsewhere.
        I need to know from you, will you stand up to the President
    and say, no, the Constitution and the Impoundment Act requires
    us, for example, to allocate the $100 billion dollars that we
    have just appropriated in the last session to States like
    Connecticut, $3 million, Texas, $10 million, almost every one
    of the States represented here. Will you say no to the
    President if he withholds that money?
        Ms. Noem. Sir, I do not know about the scenarios that
    you're referencing with President Trump, but what I will tell
    you is that if given the chance to be Secretary of Homeland
    Security, that I will deliver the programs according to the
    law, and that it will be done with no political bias. If the
    programs change, or if you decide to change the rule of law,
    then I will follow that while adhering to the Constitution.
        Senator Blumenthal. So, you pledge to allocate and
    distribute that $100 billion?
        Ms. Noem. According to how the program is written with no
    political bias.
        Senator Blumenthal. Thank you.
        Ms. Noem. Every American deserves to be there and have
    disaster relief the same as their neighbors.
        Senator Blumenthal. Basically, following the law?
        Ms. Noem. Yes.
        Senator Blumenthal. Let me ask you. Senator Peters asked
    you about homegrown terrorists. The New Orleans tragedy, was
    the result of a homegrown terrorist born in this country,
    radicalized by ISIS. It reflects the reason why the
    intelligence community (IC), the FBI, almost all of our law
    enforcement has said repeatedly; domestic violent extremism is
    the most lethal and persistent threat to our security.
        That terrorist was radicalized by ISIS. The investigation
    is underway. We do not know all the facts, but we do know that
    he was a military veteran, and ISIS was responsible for
    radicalizing him. Shouldn't we focus on ISIS as a threat to
    this country's security?
        Ms. Noem. Senator, certainly, we should be focused on all
    threats to this nation's security. That's the mission of the
    Department of Homeland Security. Homegrown terrorism is
    growing. We have more and more incidences. The tragedy we saw
    and the terrorist attack in New Orleans----
        Senator Blumenthal. What will you do to combat it? What
    will you do to stop ISIS and other extremist organizations from
    radicalizing people in this country?
        Ms. Noem. Certainly, Senator, I will continue to work with
    the administration, and our partners, and the Department of
    Defense (DOD), the intelligence agencies also within Secretary
    of State, and the other branches, and cabinet officials to make
    sure we are bringing all resources to bear to identify and to
    stop these types of terrorist activities.
        What I would say is the cybersecurity and intelligence
    elements that we have within the Department of Homeland
    Security have been incredibly siloed. They have not
    communicated with other intelligence agencies like they should
    and partnered. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) has
    some interaction, but not enough. We also need to have CISA
    have interaction with the FBI, Central Intelligence Agency
    (CIA) to make sure they are working together to stop these
    types of threats, and identify when they are growing among our
    citizens and how they become radicalized.
        Senator Blumenthal. My time is expired. This area of
    questioning, I think, is supremely important. I know there's a
    lot of focus on the border. We all want more border security.
    We want to stop migrant crime, but let's not take our eye off
    the ball. The Governor of Louisiana for the Super Bowl ought to
    be really riveted on the potential for homegrown terrorism as a
    threat. I hope that you will help him and other Governors to do
    their duty to protect the people of the United States from that
    homegrown terrorist threat. Thank you.
        Ms. Noem. Yes. I look forward to working with them.
        Chairman Paul. Senator Ernst.

                   OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR ERNST

        Senator Ernst. Thank you, Senator Johnson.
        Governor Noem, thank you so much for being here today, and
    I want to thank you for your continuing service. The service
    that you had as a Member of Congress the service that you have
    displayed as a Governor of the great State of South Dakota, our
    neighbor to the Northwest, and for being willing to step up and
    take on this immense responsibility. Thank you so very much.
        We had such a good discussion when you came to my office in
    the last several weeks. We talked about the importance of
    securing our border and fixing our broken immigration system. I
    would like to start today by sharing a story about one of my
    constituents from Council Bluffs, Iowa. What we have seen
    through this broken border is tragedy that strikes so many
    families across the United States.
        Very similar to the story that was shared by my colleague
    from Missouri with his constituent, Mr. Wolfe. I have a young
    woman by the name of Sarah Root, who encountered tragedy on
    January 31st, 9 years ago.\1\ Sarah Root was struck and killed
    by an illegal immigrant who was drunk driving. He was driving
    at three times the legal limit of alcohol. Sarah's killer was
    bonded out, bonded out before the Roots laid her to rest. He
    fled the country and has not been seen or heard from since. The
    Root family has not seen justice.
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        \1\ The picture of Sarah Root appears in the Appendix on page 207.
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        Governor, how do you plan to prioritize the detention and
    deportation of illegal immigrants like Sarah's killer?
        Ms. Noem. Senator, thank you for telling Sarah's story. I
    remember when this happened because it was so close to home and
    so devastating for her and her family and the entire State of
    Iowa, and our country.
        President Trump is focused on making sure that these types
    of situations do not happen again. That we do not continue to
    lose our children and our family members to illegal immigrants
    that come in and perpetuate crime with no accountability, and
    then are released with no consequences.
        The No. 1 priority of the President is to secure the
    border, and to deport these criminal actors immediately as soon
    as possible. They will be the No. 1 priority to make our
    communities safer, and so that we don't have this kind of
    situation going forward. In fact, people, I think when they
    first heard my name being mentioned and nominated for the
    Department of Homeland Security, maybe thought it was a little
    bit of a surprise. Like, ``Oh, I didn't think about Kristi
    doing that job.''
        But I tell people the reason that I asked for it is because
    I knew it was the President's No. 1 priority. I knew that it
    needed to have someone in the position that would do what the
    President promised the American people, would be strong enough
    to do it and follow through to make sure that we are protecting
    our communities and America.
        But that also came at it from a perspective of how these
    families feel, that was a wife, and a mom, and a grandmother,
    and would be able to stand up and communicate to the American
    people what we were doing and why we were, because it's what
    they asked us to do.
        I have three grandchildren and one more on the way. When I
    look at little Miss Addie every day, I just think what kind of
    a country is she going to grow up in? What kind of a country
    will we leave her, and her brother, and a sister? I do not want
    them to think that their grandma sat on the sidelines and did
    not do all that she could.
        So, I will enforce the constitution and the law, and I will
    make sure that when people enact horrific things like this or
    that happen to Sarah and her family, that there will be
    consequences for it.
        Senator Ernst. Yes, absolutely. As a fellow grandma, I know
    that you are perfectly positioned to enforce this.
        I do want to move on to another topic that we visited about
    in my office. I am the founder and the chair of the Department
    of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Senate Caucus. We do need
    greater government efficiency, and I do believe in order to do
    that, we need less of our employees teleworking and more of
    those government workers back in the office working for our
    constituents.
        To that end, it ties together then, too. We just found out
    that the Treasury Department had a cyberattack on December 8th
    from China. No surprise here, they accessed servers through
    work-from-home software. It all ties together. We need more
    people back in the offices, making sure that any communications
    are secured, any work is secured.
        And to that, I know the Biden Administration has put a huge
    emphasis on the cyber bureaucracy, but they have not really
    done anything about it, and they have not given any authority
    to those that are enforcing the standards. We need to enforce
    the standards that are set forth to make sure the cybersecurity
    is truly there.
        But what can DHS do? One with telework, how do we get the
    employees back? Then, two, how do we make sure that our systems
    are secure from these cyberattacks?
        Ms. Noem. Senator, thank you for focusing on remote work
    and the need to get people back in their offices and
    accountable to the work that they do. In fact, I have heard
    since being nominated for this position that many of the
    agencies within the Department are not showing up. They are not
    doing their jobs.
        But even FEMA, who is responsible for disaster response,
    that they have the alternative of some of these employees to
    not even respond to a disaster which might explain the horrific
    results that we saw in North Carolina when they had such a
    terrible disaster that impacted families and communities. FEMA
    failed them so miserably. If it's not even a responsibility of
    them to show up when terrible things happen, what other day-to-
    day activities are not getting done because they are working
    for home or not doing their job at all.
        You talked about cybersecurity and the need to ensure that
    our systems are safe and secure. One of the things that
    disturbs me the most is that we do not necessarily even know
    how some of these espionage attacks that have infiltrated our
    systems have happened. We do not know how to stop them yet. We
    do not have the knowledge, and that our departments and
    intelligence agencies, and cybersecurity agencies have become
    siloed and are not working together to stay in front of these
    bad actors.
        But many times, our most vulnerable area happens at the
    State and local level. Some of these smaller entities that
    feeds information into our systems is where they choose to
    infiltrate, and get our data, and to really hold for ransom
    many of these companies, and then impact our Federal systems as
    well.
        One of the first meetings I had when I was elected Governor
    with a former Governor during the transition was he said the
    No. 1 priority you are going to have as Governor is to secure
    our systems.
        Senator Ernst. Yes.
        Ms. Noem. He said our systems are so antiquated and we have
    had over 16,000 hacking attempts in just the last month. You
    need to secure our systems and get it done. That was a priority
    for me and to do that. We fully funded it and got it done in
    South Dakota, and it's being implemented today. I look forward
    to doing that at the Federal level to make sure that people's
    data and information is safe, but also our country is safe from
    these bad actors that have a plan to take us out.
        Senator Ernst. Thank you. My time has expired. But I do
    want to end on a note that another thing that I do truly
    appreciate about you and your nomination is that as a Governor,
    you have worked with those local constituencies as well and
    those local governments. I know that this will be an incredible
    strength that will ensure continued success for you within the
    Department. Thank you, Governor, very much. Thank you, Mr.
    Chair.
        Chairman Paul [presiding.] Senator Kim.

                    OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR KIM

        Senator Kim. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Governor, it's good to
    see you.
        Ms. Noem. Good to see you.
        Senator Kim. Thanks for coming before our Committee. I
    wanted to just ask you, not just about your work, but how it's
    going to fit into the broader incoming Trump Administration.
    Particular, I guess I am uncertain about roles and
    responsibilities regarding your position and Tom Homan's. I
    guess I just want to ask you just point blank, like who's going
    to be in charge of the border?
        Ms. Noem. The President will be in charge of the border.
    It's a national security issue. The President is in charge of
    this country and has made a promise to the American people, and
    we will fulfill his agenda.
        Senator Kim. That was a good answer to the answer I would
    have given as well, but I guess I got confused when Trump made
    the announcement about Tom Homan. He said quote I am pleased to
    announce that Tom Homan had said that he's in charge of our
    nation's borders.
        I guess, again, I would just like to go back to you. How
    are you going to work with Mr. Homan? What is the division
    there? I am trying to get a better sense of who's in charge.
        Ms. Noem. Yes. Tom Homan is an incredible human being who
    has over 30 years of experience----
        Senator Kim. Incredible experience, I get that.
        Ms. Noem [continuing]. At the border, and the insight and
    wisdom he----
        Senator Kim. I am just trying to think through the
    decisionmaking process. When it comes to your work, for
    instance, will he be giving orders directly to CBP, ICE, U.S.
    Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)?
        Ms. Noem. Tom Homan has a direct line to the President. He
    is an advisor to the President, the Border Czar. I obviously
    will be, if nominated and confirmed, and put into the position
    of being the Department of Homeland Security Secretary and
    responsible for the authorities that we have in the actions
    that we take.
        Senator Kim. I say this because I actually want to make
    sure that we are empowering the next Secretary of Homeland
    Security.
        Ms. Noem. Yes.
        Senator Kim. In the legislation that was codified by
    Congress and moved forward that started this after September
    11, 2001 (9/11) said, ``All functions of all offices, employees
    and organizational units of the Department are vested in the
    Secretary.''
        I guess, the reason why I mentioned this is I have just
    seen some quotes from Mr. Homan where he said, ``I will be
    making decisions on border security and deportation.'' He was
    asked in another interview about the stronger role that he will
    play, and he said, ``Absolutely, I will be making decisions on
    how we do the border.''
        I just raised that as a concern of mine because not only is
    that about the function of our Executive Branch, but also the
    capabilities of this Committee to be able to properly do our
    constitutional duties for oversight. The ability for us to be
    able to have that conversation. We can talk to you, engage with
    you, that is the direct way. But if he is going to be making
    decisions, then he should come before this Committee as well. I
    know that that's something where, as far as I know, his role
    will be directly at the White House. It's not something that
    will be under the purview directly of this Committee. I just
    wanted to raise those concerns.
        Ms. Noem. Yes. Tom and I work very well together, and talk
    and communicate all the time, and we will be working together
    on a daily basis when we are in our positions under the new
    administration. I would say there's no authorities being
    planned to be taken away from the Department or myself, if I am
    in the role.
        Senator Kim. But it sends some mixed signals that you can
    understand how people in my home State, maybe around the
    country, when they hear Mr. Homan saying, I am making the
    decisions when they hear President-elect Trump say he's in
    charge of our border. So, I urge that we are going to try to do
    our best to try to make sure we are empowering the Department,
    empowering the next Secretary, because that's where our laws
    are invested in our decisionmaking.
        Ms. Noem. Yes. Thank you, Senator. We will make sure you
    have all the information that you need, and Tom working
    directly with the President, and I working directly with the
    President, hope to help you get all that you need to be
    reassured that the authorities will stay the same as they
    currently are, but we will continue to work to secure that
    border and make sure that we are working together in that way.
        Senator Kim. I want to switch gears about, you raised the
    concerns about terrorism, especially foreign terrorist groups.
    I guess I just wanted to ask you, what are the major foreign
    terrorist groups that are out there that we are tracking, which
    are the ones that are concerns to us in terms of potentially
    trying to inspire or coordinate an attack upon us? If you can
    just give me a sense of what their current capabilities are to
    try to enact that.
        Ms. Noem. I think we face a lot of threats, Senator, and
    since I am not in the role today, I should not get into
    specifics with you.
        Senator Kim. Can you at least get specific about what
    organizations that are out there.
        Ms. Noem. Yes.
        Senator Kim. I just wanted to get a sense of your knowledge
    of the organizations.
        Ms. Noem. All the traditional terrorist organizations that
    have always threatened the United States----
        Senator Kim. Such as?
        Ms. Noem [continuing]. I would say Hamas, ISIS, continuing
    down that path of those terrorist organizations. But we will
    continue to also focus, not just on those, but the cartels,
    their partnership with the Chinese and what they are doing.
        For over 30 years, I have worked on national policy, on
    food policy, on agriculture policy, and I have seen the Chinese
    agenda to infiltrate our country, control our food supply
    chain, but also their manipulation of their currency, and
    stealing our internet protocol (IP). I believe that this
    fentanyl crisis that they have flooded our country with is
    geared, and the purpose of it is to kill our next generation of
    Americans----
        Senator Kim. No, I do not discount the importance of those.
        Ms. Noem [continuing]. It is to control us.
        When you focus on one or two groups, I think it takes your
    eye off the ball as to where all the threats could come from.
    We just spent a significant amount of time talking about
    homegrown terrorism as well, and about----
        Senator Kim. Correct. I am glad we are having that
    conversation. But the reason why I mentioned it, I was not
    trying to quiz you or anything of that nature, it's just that
    when the Department of Homeland Security, when their threat
    assessment for 2025 lists three organizations; lists Al-Qaeda,
    lists ISIS, in particular, ISIS-Khorasan, and the Islamic
    Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the threat from Iran.
        We all understand that we want to work with the incoming
    administration to try to have an orderly process. One with
    that. But I just want to make sure that, in particular, with
    DHS, the primary mission if we look at the founding
    legislation, the primary mission, the very first mission is
    prevent terrorist attacks within the United States and do
    everything we can to minimize that type of threat.
        Yes, I do think it's important for us to focus in on one,
    two, or three, or just wherever these terrorist groups are at.
    Yes, I know that part of that effort to try to minimize
    terrorist attacks is through the war that we try to do to
    secure our borders. All of them; air, sea, and land. But the
    primary mission still is about preventing terrorism, not just
    the border security. That's a tool to be able to accomplish
    that.
        I just raised that with you. I want to make sure that the
    next Homeland Security Secretary has a very detailed knowledge
    and understanding about the terrorist groups, their
    capabilities, and is tracking that on an absolute daily basis,
    and that they understand that is their top mission. With that,
    I will yield back to the Chair.
        Chairman Paul. Senator Johnson.

                  OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR JOHNSON

        Senator Johnson. Governor Noem, welcome, and thank you for
    your willingness to serve.
        You will be taking over a massive Federal Government
    agency, 240,000 employees. It's probably too massive. I think
    had I been there back then, I do not think I would have
    assembled these 22 different agencies in this massive
    Department. But that's what we have.
        It's a department that the previous administration, I
    think, has completely misused. Instead of using Customs and
    Border Protection to do that, to protect our border and secure
    it, they have utilized those resources to incentivize a massive
    influx of illegal immigration. Instead of using the
    Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to do that,
    they instead engaged in mission creep and utilized it to censor
    Americans with the misinformation board.
        I am concerned about disaster relief, just Federal disaster
    relief in general, creating greater and greater and increasing
    levels of moral hazard, resulting in higher costs of these
    disasters. Let us cover each one of those kind of in order. How
    do you gain control over a massive agency whose resources and
    personnel have been misused? How do you root out those
    individuals who instead of securing our border, opened it up
    and facilitated this.
        Ms. Noem. Senator, this has been a big topic of
    conversation in most of the meetings that I have had with the
    Members of this Committee, was how do we fix this agency, which
    the reputation is that it's broken and dysfunctional. I think
    the question I get asked the most is, ``Why would you want to
    head up such a dysfunctional department?'' I would say that
    because the mission of the Department is to secure the homeland
    and our people.
        It's our biggest vulnerability right now, and we have a
    President that's not enforcing the law. I do not believe the
    law should be unequally applied. Everyone should be subject to
    our laws, and a nation without laws and without borders is not
    a nation at all.
        I will work by ensuring one of the things that Senator
    Ernst talked about, people have to show up for work. I think
    there's going to be a majority of people who do not have their
    primary mission to secure the homeland. That if they do not
    want to show up for work, then maybe they are just not truly
    passionate about protecting America. I think they need to do
    that, and they need to recognize what their job is.
        The morale in DHS is very low. I am going to let people do
    their jobs. I am going to remind them what their jobs are. Some
    of these border patrol agents have not been able to do their
    jobs for a very long time. They have been processing paperwork
    and facilitating an invasion when they should be back securing
    our border, which is why they were recruited and wanted to
    serve there to begin with.
        We are going to build partnership with local law
    enforcement, with ICE, and task forces. We are communicating,
    again, with local sheriffs, and mayors, and law enforcement to
    partner together. When you talk about the fact that this is
    such a broken agency that needs so much improvement, a lot of
    it goes back to why we are created, and are we fulfilling that
    mission and making sure that these individuals are getting back
    on task.
        Senator Johnson. Under my chairmanship and under the Trump
    Administration, we did rename a part of DHS, so the
    Cybersecurity and Information Security Agency. I, in no way,
    shape, or form ever contemplated that the sub-agency within DHS
    that was really focused on securing us against the cyber
    threats and other threats to our infrastructure, would ever be
    used to violate the Constitution the way it was used to violate
    the Constitution under the Biden Administration.
        This administration's been completely opaque. We do not
    have the information to know and the communication in terms of
    what all happened here. So, my question relates to how they
    misused CISA. Will you commit to providing the transparency,
    providing the information, investigate it yourself, but provide
    this committee, my subcommittee, the information to expose the
    truth to the American public. But even more importantly,
    propose a piece of legislation based on our investigation,
    based on those results, to fix it so that no administration can
    ever misuse the language of the law to commit that kind of
    unconstitutional act and violate people's First Amendment
    rights.
        Ms. Noem. Yes Senator, I look forward to working with you
    on that. I think what we saw during the COVID pandemic, the
    actions of CISA, their misinformation and disinformation.
    Campaign materials they were putting out was shocking. Shocking
    at what they were doing to decide what was truth, what was not,
    and how they were trying to manipulate the American people. We
    saw it in elections and Russia influences as well.
        Ensuring that they cannot do that in the future under any
    administration would be a priority. That they stay doing what
    they are supposed to do, and hardening our systems, and working
    with local officials to do that is a priority. I would look
    forward to working with you on legislation should you wish to
    reign them in.
        Senator Johnson. The first step in that process is to
    expose the truth. To find out who these bad actors were, expose
    who they were, hold them accountable. I mean, that is crucial
    that we take that first step. Again, I look forward to working
    with you on that.
        The tragedy of the fires, the more we learn, the more we
    understand that not only was it predictable, it was predicted,
    which means it was in preventable. Again, you cannot prevent
    the initiation of those fires, but you certainly can prevent
    them from raging into the tragedy that they became.
        The dozens of people who have lost their lives, the
    hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of property damage. It's
    not just California, though. I mean, again, that was grotesque
    mismanagement. That could have been prevented. You cannot
    prevent a hurricane. You cannot prevent floods, but you
    certainly can try and start reducing the moral hazard that we
    have allowed to explode, quite honestly, by the Federal
    Government rushing in immediately, no questions asked.
        Just tell us how big a check you want. What can you do in
    your new role to try and start reducing, over time, the moral
    hazard that we have created in this country with Federal
    disaster relief?
        Ms. Noem. Senator emergencies and disasters are always
    locally led. They are led by the local communities and leaders.
    That's because they are much more responsive, and much better-
    informed on how to bring relief, and to get those emergency
    services there to meet the need. Then it's State-supported and
    federally resourced.
        Which means that when we come in, that we are supporting
    what the mission is, what those emergency operations and plans
    are that the local city and county, and then also the State,
    has implemented, and do what we can to fulfill the mission of
    our programs.
        One of the things that FEMA's not doing today that I think
    we should be doing is streamlining communications. We saw this
    in New Orleans, we saw it in other terrorist attacks in the
    country, and you just referenced it as well about the American
    people not getting the truth. Senators, not getting the truth
    and the transparency that we need is that I believe FEMA can
    always put out a blueprint for what a response would be should
    something terrible happen.
        When we look at the Secret Service, what happened in
    Butler, we saw that communication was an issue. That the Secret
    Service was not communicating, and balls were getting dropped
    with local authorities, local law enforcement. We can put
    forward a blueprint for how communication can happen and be
    streamlined between the Federal Government, the State, and the
    local entities so that should something happen, this is how we
    talk to each other, to make sure that the public has the facts.
    They are not getting misinformation, which happened with the
    New Orleans terror attack just recently, but also up in
    Pennsylvania as well.
        That blueprint is what we do at the State level that FEMA
    has failed to do. To proactively educate the public on what
    everybody's roles are, what we do should something happen.
    Whether it be a natural disaster, or a terrorist attack, or an
    emergency response needed, that we can put out those blueprints
    ahead of time, educate people, train those local entities,
    which they currently do to a certain extent today. But not good
    enough to really know that not only can the resources be pre-
    deployed in many of these situations so that they are more
    readily accessible, but also how are we going to communicate
    and make sure everybody's on the same page so that we can be
    much more efficient.
        I wish that we would have had different leadership and a
    different Governor in California, or we might have a different
    result there. But in the Department of Homeland Security, we
    can do all that we can to make sure that the people that live
    in California know that they are going to get a response from
    the Federal Government that's appropriate. That we did all that
    we could to make sure that they had the information ahead of
    time so they could protect their selves when they do have a
    failure in leadership like we have seen.
        Senator Johnson. Thank you, and good luck.
        Ms. Noem. You bet.
        Chairman Paul. Since Senator Johnson brought up California
    fires, I have to interject here. We talked about burn policies.
    These are local policies, how we try to not have so much brush
    and things like that. They are also next to the largest body of
    water in the world, the Pacific Ocean. I see these homes all
    burning on the beach in Malibu, and I am like, ``Wow, if they
    just had a generator and a hose, you start sucking the water
    out of the Pacific Ocean.''
        But you could do more than that. You could pump it and put
    it in cisterns up in the hills, a mile or two in. It does not
    rain very much there. But why don't they take the ocean water,
    put it in cisterns, and have a bunch of water ready when a
    wildfire shows up. But it's like, once again, bad local
    government. Senator Gallego.

                  OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR GALLEGO

        Senator Gallego. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Governor,
    for your attention. I appreciate us meeting last week and our
    frank conversation.
        In partly following-up to our conversation. In recent
    years, I have been in very close contact with our Arizona
    border communities, which are unlike other border communities,
    and about the funding needs to address migrant influxes through
    the Shelter and Services Program (SSP). Without this funding,
    border communities must bear all the financial burden for
    national immigration challenges and the broken border, in
    general.
        That means police, fire, hospital systems, in general,
    anything of that. At the same time, they will also face the
    potential challenges of street releases. Again, these are very
    small towns on the border. Having thousands of people being
    released becomes both burdensome security issues and just not
    fair to them.
        We get lumped in with places like New York and Chicago
    about how they do their shelter programs. Our shelter programs
    are not the same as New York and Chicago. We do not permanently
    put people in apartments or anything of that nature. We are
    trying to move people away from the border so that way they do
    not become a burden on these very small communities.
        I am very highly concerned, as I told you in our meeting,
    when the SSP program becomes politicized and to the point where
    we get lumped in with those programs. I do not think are
    effective and are actually counterproductive. It ends up
    depriving our small Arizona borders of these very vital funds
    that they need.
        As DHS Secretary, how would you ensure that border
    communities are not left to respond to and pay for these
    immigration influxes, the broken border system on their own?
    Will you commit to helping really not politicize or destroying
    the Social Service Block Grant (SSBG) program to the point
    where places that are doing things correctly, like Yuma,
    Arizona, like Pima County, like Cochise County, are not lumped
    in with the people that are doing things incorrectly, like New
    York State and Chicago.
        Ms. Noem. Senator, thank you for the conversation in your
    office about the program, FEMA, the Southern border, and the
    challenges. Then also the difference between your State and how
    you utilize funds versus other States.
        I would say that my hope is that if given the opportunity
    to serve as Secretary, that the Federal Government would no
    longer, and I believe as President Trump has promised the
    American people, facilitate an illegal alien invasion, and that
    your communities in Arizona would no longer have the issue with
    having people in your small towns and communities that you need
    to figure out how to take care of and get them to where they
    want to go in other places of the country.
        The President has promised he will secure the border. That
    we will uphold our nation's laws, and that he will do that to
    the benefit and be putting America first, again. I know we
    talked extensively about the SSP program and how you have
    utilized it. But getting these programs back to what they were
    intended is important to FEMA as a disaster response agency.
    Some of the facilities that have been utilizing these types of
    funds and dollars need to be reevaluated to make sure that it's
    truly doing the service that is upholding our nation's laws.
        Senator Gallego. Certainly, understand reevaluating,
    especially how some of these States have been using it. In the
    ideal world, we do not have to have a program like that because
    we do not have this mass of humanity that's coming toward our
    borders. But even under the first Trump Administration, we
    actually still needed it also. This is why my concern is to not
    get rid of this program because, again, these small
    communities, I am talking communities of maybe 10,000 people,
    maybe only six or seven cops are going to end up really bearing
    the brunt.
        We are not a big State. We cannot really compensate for
    these types of losses. These small communities are also largely
    in counties that are mostly rural with a lot of Federal land.
    They actually do not even have a tax base.
        When the broken immigration system sends people to these
    borders, and it, we end up not having to have enough, these
    communities do not have enough money to pay for cops,
    firefighters overtime for hospital systems. It's that type of
    program that keeps us, keeps these small communities afloat. I
    just want to make sure you know that, again, this does not
    become politicized and that we are kept separate from, I think,
    the mistakes that other States have taken on.
        Moving on, in Arizona, we have large parts of the border.
    They run through tribal lands. We have 22 recognized tribes and
    have great relationships with these tribes. They want to be
    collaborative partners when it comes to border security. We
    have some great programs that have worked in the past. For
    example, the Shadow Wolves Program with the Tohono O'odham
    Nation. It's a really good example, collaborative program of
    tribal law enforcement that worked with DHS to make sure they
    stop human smuggling and cartels going through their borders.
        But as DHS Secretary, what is your plan to consult with our
    border tribes and work together to balance both national
    security, but also their sovereignty?
        Ms. Noem. Senator, I believe that my experience as Governor
    and my relationship with working with our tribes is going to be
    an incredible, powerful tool for me to bring to bear at the
    Department of Homeland Security to work on how we secure our
    Southern border, but still respect their sovereignty, and still
    be able to work with them.
        This year, when looking at public safety issues that we had
    in South Dakota and their lack of ability to hire tribal
    officers on our reservations in South Dakota, I offered to
    train Federal law enforcement officers, Bureau of Indian
    Affairs (BIA) officers, but also their tribal police in South
    Dakota at no cost to our tribes. It's been an incredible,
    powerful tool that we have had to build relationships. Those
    tribal police had the chance to go through academy with the
    local, maybe, deputies from the counties and the State highway
    patrol troopers that were coming on board.
        Those relationships have built partnerships in our State
    that we did not have before. The Shadow Wolves training
    opportunity is incredible that was down in Arizona, that you
    spoke of, too. In looking into that program, I would like to
    continue to build on that and perpetuate in the future so that
    our tribes not only have an opportunity to have a secure
    border, but also have it reflect their values and their
    culture, and have their own people be a part of the solution.
    Then even when it comes to the infrastructure of the wall, that
    we are respecting that, and their landscapes, and their land as
    well.
        I look forward to working with you as we move into this
    next administration to be able to protect our country, and then
    work and respect our tribes as we do so.
        Senator Gallego. Thank you. President Trump and some of his
    other potential staff and advisors have been very vocal about
    implementing a mass deportation strategy. Talking to my
    agricultural community, my dairy community, they have concerns
    that this approach will lead to workforce shortages that will
    further drive up the costs of everything. Something that we
    have really been working hard across, I think, a bipartisan
    manner, to bring down the costs of everything. Unfortunately,
    this would reignite inflation.
        What is your plan to ensure safe and legal immigration
    processes for agricultural workers while protecting local
    agricultural operations, including those both in of our home
    States?
        Ms. Noem. Senator, President Trump has been very clear that
    his priority is going to be deporting criminals. Those who have
    broken our laws and perpetuated violence in our communities.
    That will be the priority. As I spoke earlier with our
    statistics, having over 425,000 of those with criminal
    convictions in our country, that will be a focus that we need
    to tackle right away. It will be a big one. Beyond that, his
    next priority is going to be those with final removal orders,
    and focus on those individuals who have long overstayed and
    that there is a consequence for ignoring our Federal laws.
        Beyond that, we will continue conversations. As you know, I
    am a farmer, and a rancher, and come from an agricultural
    State. We will work together to make sure that laws are
    followed. It is the Senate and the House that puts forward the
    laws. I, as Secretary, uphold the law. You determine what that
    is and debate and discussion. I will be transparent, and share
    as much information and insight as I have with my background
    and experience, and continue to work with you.
        Chairman Paul. Senator Moreno.

                  OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR MORENO

        Senator Moreno. First of all, thank you, Governor, for
    being here to testifying before this Committee, and for your
    service. Not just to your State, but to America.
        Nine years ago, today, we met in probably the coldest day I
    have ever been in my life in Iowa.
        Ms. Noem. Yes that's true.
        Senator Moreno. As you and I were making phone calls and
    whipping up votes for Republicans in Iowa, my wife, Bridget,
    who's here, got a chance to meet you, and we left Iowa saying
    that person's really going to go far. Here we are, nine years
    later. You have been an amazing Governor, amazing
    congresswoman, and now you are going to make an even better
    Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
        I think sometimes in DC we tend to complicate things. There
    is a current Secretary of Homeland Security. Why don't we take
    this opportunity to do a little job review and compare and
    contrast him to you. If you don't mind, I will ask you some
    questions and you can give me an answer.
        Secretary Mayorkas allowed about, you said it, just about
    400 people on the terror watch list to come into this country
    illegally. If you were confirmed as Secretary of Homeland
    Security, how many people on the terror watch list would you
    allow into this country?
        Ms. Noem. Senator, we would work every single day until we
    had that number was zero. If you look at the previous Trump
    Administration over his entire four years in comparison to Joe
    Biden's number, President Trump, it was 11 that were then
    removed from the country and faced consequences. When you look
    at the 382 that Joe Biden has let in and the policies continue,
    it is shocking and needs to be changed immediately.
        Senator Moreno. Mayorkas has let in about 12,000 murderers.
    How many would you target to let into this country?
        Ms. Noem. My goal every day would be have no murderers
    allowed into this country in our communities.
        Senator Moreno. Mayorkas has allowed 16,000 rapists. How
    many would you target to let in?
        Ms. Noem. Every day I would work to make sure that there
    was none let into this country.
        Senator Moreno. He let 600,000, Mayorkas, 600,000 people
    with criminal convictions. How many would you allow in?
        Ms. Noem. We would work every day to make sure people are
    safe, and that those with criminal convictions are immediately
    removed.
        Senator Moreno. How many private jets would you have the
    United States taxpayers have fly into foreign countries to pick
    up people to bring them here?
        Ms. Noem. Senator, we will no longer be undertaking that
    mission of the Department of Homeland Security.
        Senator Moreno. So, not 700,000 individuals on private jets
    over the last four years. You would not have any. No.
        Ms. Noem. I will be working with President Trump to put in
    place his agenda and adherence to our Federal laws.
        Senator Moreno. How many illegals will you plan to house in
    luxury hotel rooms in Manhattan at a cost of $6,000 per month?
        Ms. Noem. Clearly, Senator, during this election, the
    American people said they did not support that, and that that
    would not be a part of this new administration.
        Senator Moreno. How about sex change operations for
    illegals? How many would of those would you suspect you would
    fund?
        Ms. Noem. Senator, I believe that the Department of
    Homeland Security will be reevaluating its mission in this
    country to not allow that going forward under President Trump's
    goals.
        Senator Moreno. If you had any legal migrant that was in
    this country and they committed a crime, would you offer them
    airfare from one State to another to evade law enforcement?
        Ms. Noem. Sir, I will be following this nation's laws and
    the Constitution, and make sure that all laws are adhered to.
        Senator Moreno. If you had been the head of the Department
    of Homeland Security a year or so ago, would you have closed a
    detention center in Georgia that would have allowed the release
    of somebody charged with a crime?
        Ms. Noem. Sir, I do not have the specifics to that
    situation, but certainly that would not be something that I
    would want to have under my watch.
        Senator Moreno. Just to be clear, Laken Riley would be
    alive today if you had been the Secretary of Homeland Security?
        Ms. Noem. Yes. Senator, my hope is that that would be true.
        Senator Moreno. Let's switch to another part of the
    disgraceful immigration laws that Biden and Mayorkas, by the
    way, objectively, has been the worst cabinet member ever in the
    history of the United States of America.
        Let's talk about temporary protective status, temporary
    being the operative word. Mayorkas and Biden just extended
    temporary protective status again through 2027. Will you
    continue to corrupt Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to allow
    some sort of open borders agenda? Will you use hot weather of
    80 degrees and sunny beaches in El Salvador as a reason why
    people have to stay in America and not safely return?
        Ms. Noem. Senator, this program has been abused and
    manipulated by the Biden Administration, and that will no
    longer be allowed and these extensions going forward. The way
    that they are, the program was intended to be temporary. This
    extension of over 600,000 Venezuelans as well, is alarming when
    you look at what we have seen in different States, including
    Colorado with gangs doing damage and harming the individuals
    and the people that live there.
        Senator Moreno. In terms of our border, like the physical
    border. I have been there many times. You have been there many
    times. Who should be in charge? Who should have operational
    control of our border? The United States government or the
    Mexican drug cartels?
        Ms. Noem. Senator, the United States needs to control our
    borders and secure them.
        Senator Moreno. If this were a job interview in the private
    sector, and you had somebody like Alejandro Mayorkas in charge,
    and we had the opportunity to upgrade to you, this would be the
    greatest upgrade in history of the United States of America.
        But I am going to end my time with a startling statistic
    and actually a challenge to the Democrat Party. When Mayorkas
    was confirmed, every single Democrat voted to confirm him, and
    six Republicans joined. All 50 Democrats in that confirmation.
    If we get to the vote, and hopefully, Mr. Chair, we could do
    that Monday, because we cannot wait one single day without you
    being in charge of that department. We should have 100 percent,
    100 Senators vote for your confirmation.
        This will be the litmus test in my mind as to whether we
    have a Democrat Party that's actually serious about doing
    bipartisan things like securing this country and protecting our
    citizens. Any Democrat that voted for Mayorkas that does not
    vote for you, should be in front of their voters and removed
    from office.
        Thank you for serving, Bryon. Thank you for being here, for
    putting up with the nonsense that you guys have had to put up
    with over the years. You are going to make an amazing Secretary
    of Homeland Security. Thank you for being here.
        Ms. Noem. Thank you, Senator.
        Chairman Paul. Senator Slotkin.

                  OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR SLOTKIN

        Senator Slotkin. Thanks for being here, and thanks for our
    time in my office. Governor, I am a former CIA officer, joined
    right after 9/11, and served three tours in Iraq alongside the
    military. I am actually the first CIA officer in the Senate. To
    me the most important thing, again, as a Democrat from a State
    that Trump won, right, on the same ballot, we both won, I
    understand we are going to have different policy opinions.
        I certainly understand that the President or incoming
    President has the right to nominate whoever he wants. Those are
    not the issues for me that I am going to spend my time on. The
    ones that I care about the most relate to the mission of the
    organization when it was founded, protecting the homeland.
        I think, to me, it's one thing when there's campaign
    rhetoric or politicization of things, everyone does that on
    both sides of the aisle in this Committee and in our line of
    work. But when it comes to actually protecting the country, you
    do have to be clear and honest about facts and not conflate
    things.
        It is just important to me that I know, particularly since
    you do have one of the intelligence agencies within the
    Department of Homeland Security, that you are going to call a
    spade a spade. Right? The most recent acts of domestic
    terrorism in New Orleans, horrible incident in Nevada, had
    nothing to do with migrants. Correct?
        Ms. Noem. Correct.
        Senator Slotkin. They were homegrown American citizens. One
    of them was actually in a very elite military unit. It is
    horrible. It's one of the hardest things to catch; the sort of
    lone wolf, radicalized American citizen.
        But I want to protect ourselves. Our most recent examples
    of domestic terrorism were not what we have spent the majority
    talking about today; crime from a migrant. I do not dispute
    there is crime, but I just want to know, and I want to hear
    from you as an intelligence officer, that you are going to
    speak about real threats and not blow something up, politicize
    something, make something more exciting, because that's maybe
    what the President wants to hear. But your mission to protect
    and defend the Constitution means calling honestly what the
    threats are to the country. Can you just give me a yes or no,
    please?
        Ms. Noem. Yes, Senator. I will be as transparent and
    factual every day with you and the American people as possible
    based on the information that I have. I do not know if the
    investigations are closed in New Orleans and in Nevada, but
    what we know so far and needs to be relayed to the American
    people needs to be the truth and facts.
        Senator Slotkin. We have talked a lot about border security
    as a CIA officer, I think one of the only people on this
    Committee who's actually worked on protecting the homeland. I
    am a Middle East terrorism and militia expert by training. I
    believe deeply in it. Every country of the world gets to decide
    who comes inside its borders. That's not a radical concept.
        But I think I have been open with this Committee that it is
    also on us to fix the deeply broken legal immigration system. I
    am glad to hear that you are going to carry out the laws on the
    immigration system. Democrats and Republicans are to blame that
    we have not fixed this system. But I also believe you cannot
    fully control the border unless you give people that we need
    for our companies, for our economy, a legal, vetted way to come
    here.
        Do you believe in legal, vetted immigration and that we
    need more of it in the United States?
        Ms. Noem. I do believe we need to follow our legal
    immigration laws and that it needs to be vetted.
        Senator Slotkin. Do you believe that our economy depends
    and needs some level, just like your family came from Norway
    and on economic drive and wanted a better life?
        Ms. Noem. Immigration's always been a part of our history
    and will be a part of our future. We just need to make sure
    that we are adhering to our nation's laws, which this body has
    the ability to continue to change and to put in place.
        Senator Slotkin. I am with you.
        Again, going back to the fact that you will pledge an oath
    to the Constitution, not to President Trump, just like every
    other nominee. President Trump said in November that he's
    willing to use law enforcement, National Guard, or even active-
    duty military to go after, ``The threat from within the United
    States.'' I don't know exactly what he was talking about.
        But we have recent examples from your predecessors at DHS
    where Federal law enforcement were sent into a State, in this
    case, Oregon, without coordination with the Governor. Those
    Federal law enforcement officers (FLEO), at the time, were
    putting down threats to Federal buildings, and they were
    legitimate threats. I do not dispute there was destruction of
    property going on during a bunch of protests and riots. I do
    not dispute that.
        But they were not wearing insignia. We talked about this.
    They were not wearing any markings. People were arrested by
    folks in fatigues with no names, no idea who they were, like
    right out of a bad Hollywood movie. If the President asks you
    to send in Federal law enforcement to a State without
    coordination of that Governor, would you support that action?
        Ms. Noem. Senator, my job, if nominated and sworn in as
    Secretary of Homeland Security, is to uphold the Constitution
    and follow the rules of this country. Yes, that will be the
    oath and the pledge that I will be making. My goal also is to
    work with you to ensure that we have situations that are always
    appropriate, that we are well defined on who we are----
        Senator Slotkin. I just need to know. You are a former
    Governor.
        Ms. Noem. Yes.
        Senator Slotkin. You can imagine that if Joe Biden sent in
    700 Federal law enforcement under Secretary Mayorkas, without
    coordinating with you, I think we can agree you would be a
    little upset. I just ask that you give the same respect for
    coordination and we are very sensitive. People are worried
    about politicizing of law enforcement and the uniformed
    military. That's a bad thing. I hope we can agree.
        Last, I look forward to visiting at the Northern border,
    the Gordie Howe Bridge, your help staffing that. We know across
    many administrations, staffing goals at DHS have not been met,
    and that's a problem. We really want to make sure that opens on
    time.
        But I also want your assurances. You received FEMA
    assistance from Joe Biden's administration. Right? You had
    historic floods. You asked and requested of the administration,
    and you were given millions of dollars to help with that. I
    understand you do not like Gavin Newsom, but can you say in
    front of the American people that you will open the books to
    this Committee who does have oversight over FEMA, right? That
    you will give, open the books in a bipartisan way to ensure
    whether it's North Carolina, or California, or anywhere in
    between, that the American people can know that you are not
    playing politics with disaster assistance.
        Ms. Noem. Yes, Senator, I will work with you in this
    Committee to make sure I am following the Federal law and
    ensuring that you have information and transparency from us,
    and from DHS, and FEMA.
        Senator Slotkin. Thank you. I yield back.
        Chairman Paul. Senator Lankford.

                 OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR LANKFORD

        Senator Lankford. Governor Noem, great to see you.
        Ms. Noem. Yes, great to see you, too.
        Senator Lankford. Thanks for being here. Thanks for
    accepting this nod that the President has given you. For Bryon,
    thanks for both of you. You have walked through a lot. I have
    had the privilege of knowing you for a very long time since we
    have served together in the House of Representatives. I have
    the benefit of knowing your qualifications, and how strong you
    are in all these background issues, and how hard you work on
    these things. Because I have seen it firsthand. I appreciate
    you stepping into this because a lot of attention across the
    country will be focused on this. You know that fully well, and
    you have stepped into it.
        For Governor Landry, my State and many folks in my State
    are praying for you and for your State. You have done a great
    job in leadership at this moment in a very tough time for
    Louisiana. We do not want to see acts of terrorism anywhere in
    our country. It's incredibly difficult days for a Governor.
    Thanks for your leadership on that as well.
        I also have to tell you, Kristi, I have whined to my wife
    occasionally about the temperature that's coming on Monday. I
    am very excited about Trump's inaugural. But we are all going
    to be sitting outside in about 12 degrees. I thought just for
    fun, I would check South Dakota on Monday. It's 1. [Laughter.]
    For a high.
        Ms. Noem. Yes, for a high.
        Senator Lankford. I am going to stop whining about the
    temperature on Monday here in Washington, DC on it.
        Look, I am going to run through a couple of things here.
    Because I know you, not everybody in Oklahoma knows you. The
    questions that I get from people, though, in Oklahoma, I want
    to be able to run past you, because they want to be able to
    know the answer to these things. I am just going to blitz
    through a whole bunch of them.
        Will you use the legal authority that DHS already has to be
    able to close our border?
        Ms. Noem. Yes, Senator, I will work with President Trump to
    ensure that we are securing our border.
        Senator Lankford. Thank you. There's a lot of things that
    this Congress needs to do. It has already been mentioned by
    Senator Slotkin as well, that we need to do to be able to close
    loopholes to be able to give you additional authority. But
    there's a tremendous amount of authority currently not being
    used, and Oklahomans, they are saying, ``Is that about to be
    used?'' They will be grateful to be able to hear that.
        No other President has ever created a phone app to be able
    to facilitate a faster processing of aliens, called the CBP One
    app. It's been mentioned several times here. Will you use your
    authority to stop facilitating faster processing of illegal
    aliens into our country with the CBP One app?
        Ms. Noem. Yes, Senator. We will eliminate the CBP One app,
    maintain some of the data that's in it, that's critical to
    knowing who's in our country. But that app will no longer be in
    use.
        Senator Lankford. Thank you. No other President has ever
    used the parole authority, just in general, humanitarian parole
    to facilitate faster processing of aliens into our country.
    Which leads to the catch and release we have all heard about.
    The Oklahomans that I talked to say, are we about to end the
    abuse of parole, and end catch and release. Is that about to
    stop?
        Ms. Noem. Senator, President Trump's been very clear that
    he will end catch and release.
        Senator Lankford. Terrific. Folks want to know, will you
    use your authority with the funds that were given to you by
    Congress to actually build more wall rather than use the
    funding that's given to you, as the Biden Administration did,
    to do environmental remediation around the border rather than
    actual border wall and border structure?
        Ms. Noem. Yes. Senator, President Trump has been clear that
    he wants to build the wall.
        Senator Lankford. Will you use your authority to be able to
    scan more vehicles? Obviously we have to get you the funding to
    be able to do this, to be able to scan more vehicles and
    individuals that are carrying fentanyl into our country through
    our ports of entry.
        Ms. Noem. Yes, Senator. We will continue to use
    technologies, but hopefully be able to use more with the
    resources that were granted to scan those vehicles and know
    what's coming in and out of this country.
        Senator Lankford. Last year, FEMA employees during disaster
    relief, were instructed by one of their supervisors that if
    they see a Trump sign or a Trump flag flying, to skip that
    house. To not stop by there, and tell them what their Federal
    Government can do for them. Will you allow FEMA employees, or
    any within DHS, to politicize their role in to pick and choose
    who gets help and who does not as an American?
        Ms. Noem. Senator, under President Trump's Administration,
    disaster and emergency relief will not be handed out with
    political bias. Every American will be responded to and treated
    equally.
        Senator Lankford. That's what folks want to know. Will you
    review the Secret Service responsibilities to be able to go
    back through it and to say; are they focused on their primary
    mission, or is there something it could distract? Secret
    Service still chases down financial crimes. They are still
    chasing down child exploitation. Those are serious things for
    Treasury or for FBI to do. But there's a question is if that's
    the first priority for Secret Service?
        Ms. Noem. Senator, the Secret Service is in need of
    dramatic reforms. They do have a protective detail element that
    is their priority and also an investigation side. My
    understanding is that that investigation side is often used to
    train the protective detailed officers, but clearly, they are
    not focusing on what their true duty is. It needs to get back
    onto what they were created for, and that was the protective
    detail mission and emergency situations that they need to help
    plan, and prepare for, and defend.
        Senator Lankford. Thank you. This Committee made a request
    to the Secretary of Homeland Security last year, and by the
    way, also the head of the FBI, to be able to come before this
    Committee and to do what every Secretary of Homeland Security
    has done for the last 20 years. Every single year, unbroken
    until last year. Then the Secretary refused to come before this
    Committee in an open session and talk about national threats.
        Now, the former Chairman protested strongly to the Biden
    Administration and DHS they were not coming, but they still
    refused to be able to come. Will you come before this Committee
    and talk about the threats, openly, so the American people can
    hear them in a public forum?
        Ms. Noem. Yes, Senator. Senator Peters and I discussed this
    quite a bit in our meeting as well. I have committed to come
    and give that briefing to this Committee and to the American
    people.
        Senator Lankford. Thank you. We need that. Let me tell you
    another challenge we have had with Homeland Security in the
    past four years. When we ask for data and for information, we
    get, ``I will get back to you on that.'' When we ask again, and
    again, and again and again, we get the same statement, ``I will
    get back to you on that.''
        Now, I can go down the street to the command center where
    they actually get the data in live and they have it up on big
    screens, and they are tracking exactly what's happening on the
    Southern border to the minute. But if I ask for what happened
    last month, they will say, ``We are still gathering that
    data.'' We are not asking for anything other than what Congress
    is supposed to get; that's the ability to be able to see data
    and to have real oversight over DHS. That has been a failure of
    this DHS, along with multiple other issues on that.
        When we requested the data for basic things like how many
    special interest aliens were allowed across the border. If it
    was last year, we had to find out on our own. It was 70,000
    people that were targeted by this administration as a potential
    national security risk that were not just founded at the
    border, that were released when they were founded at the
    border. 70,000 people just from last year in the country right
    now that this administration declared at the border they are a
    potential national security risk.
        Now, I know you are not going to do that. But when we ask
    for the data and for the information, when we say, how's the
    National Vetting Center (NVC) working, do you have the
    connection between it to be able to screen individuals there?
    We are just doing our oversight responsibility. You have served
    in Congress before, and did a great job on that, and did
    oversight. We want to still be able to do the same thing. Will
    you provide data to this Committee so that we can cooperate
    with you to help.
        Ms. Noem. Senator, I will follow the law and be transparent
    with you, and allow you to do the due diligence toward
    oversight that you are tasked with.
        Senator Lankford. I have absolutely no doubt about that,
    Governor. I have absolutely no doubt. Looking forward to you
    serving that role. Thank you.
        Ms. Noem. Thank you.
        Chairman Paul. Congratulations, Governor Noem. You are
    almost done. We have been through a lot of questions. I think
    you have handled the questions very well, and I am going to ask
    a couple questions, and I think the Ranking Member has a few,
    and I think we will be done very shortly.
        I think a lot of Americans, including some conservatives,
    misunderstand the First Amendment. They think the First
    Amendment says that Facebook has to publish my opinion, or The
    Wall Street Journal has to publish my opinion, or we need to
    force them to be fair. That's not what the First Amendment's
    about at all. The First Amendment really does not apply to
    telling private companies what we can or cannot say. YouTube
    censored me, and I despise their policy. They actually took
    down speeches I made on the floor. But really, I do not have a
    legal recourse other than I can complain about YouTube being
    unfair and not hosting both sides of an issue.
        However, with the government, though, there is a rule. The
    First Amendment specifically says, Congress shall pass no law
    banning or abridging speech. This is what really got us worried
    about what, not only the FBI was doing, but the Department of
    Homeland Security, actually meeting with these companies on a
    weekly basis.
        And imagine the chilling effect of this. Imagine that there
    are cameras here that they are going to end their filming of
    this interview and then decide, well, what she said or what he
    said really was misinformation, and we should edit that out.
    Can you imagine? It is just hard for me to imagine that the
    media has not--which once defended the First Amendment--has not
    been in more of an uproar of the government meeting with the
    media to decide things. Some of this we did not know.
        Then Elon Musk bought Twitter. People ask him, they said,
    you have paid $44 billion for Twitter. Isn't that too much? He
    said, I paid $44 billion to defend free speech. It has been an
    amazing service not only to open up the forum to more
    viewpoints, but to point out what the government was doing.
        In this last week, we heard from Mark Zuckerberg who said
    that the pushiness, the coerciveness of government meeting with
    them was unprecedented, and that they pushed back. But he also
    said, worse than them just sort of telling him he should
    restrict speech, they also threatened him. They threatened to
    come after him through antitrust law. They threatened to remove
    parts of Section 230 of the liability protection. Just to
    imagine this bully nature of government.
        I know you are opposed to that, but if you are confirmed
    and you are in a position of saying; we are just no longer
    sending people to meet with media. The way I describe it is to
    talk about constitutionally protected speech. Because some will
    say, ``Oh, well, what about pornography or what about child
    trafficking?'' Those are illegal. Those are not constitution
    protected speech. You have every ability to meet with that.
        But for constitutionally protected speech, will you tell us
    in America that you will no longer be sending government agents
    to meet with the media?
        Ms. Noem. Yes, Senator. I will work with you to ensure that
    civil rights and liberties are protected, and that we are not
    in the misinformation and disinformation space, like the
    current DHS is.
        Chairman Paul. The only other thing I would ask on this
    basis is we will send requests. We sent requests previously,
    sometimes, and often, bipartisan requests, for information. The
    Twitter Files--Michael Shellenberger, Matt Taibbi, Bari Weiss--
    did a great job of showing what was happening in Twitter and
    how they were cooperating with government.
        I think the other investigation that needs to occur is, who
    were the people in government they were talking to? Do they
    still work at DHS, and can we make sure that they are not in a
    position of authority? This is not something I am going to tell
    you to do. It's just a request that you have your own
    investigation. That you have people who work for DHS to say; we
    are going to look for people who are bringing their political
    bias to work and trying to influence speech, and restrict
    speech based on their bias, and help us in rooting that out and
    making sure that these people never again have that
    responsibility.
        Because I do not think there's ever been anything like this
    as far as the restriction of speech. I think the election is
    largely going to stop and tilt things the other way. But will
    you help us by looking internally for those who are trying to
    restrict speech?
        Ms. Noem. Senator, I look forward to working with you on
    that mission.
        Chairman Paul. I do not have any other questions now, but I
    think Senator Peters and Senator Blumenthal, and we will see
    how it goes. We are going to start with Senator Peters with one
    more five-minute round.
        Senator Peters. Yes, I will be fairly brief.
        We have had opportunity to talk at length about many
    issues. Again, I appreciate that, Governor. I just want to
    stress, going forward, and we have heard a lot of comments
    here, I think there's been a fair amount of political theater
    not as much as I know exist in other committees.
        I have always strived, and I know Ranking Member, or now
    Chairman Paul, share the notion that we want to be a fact-based
    Committee and try to find tangible solutions to the tough
    problems that we face. Data is important. We have heard a lot
    of numbers being thrown around here. I do not have time to go
    through and challenge those numbers, some of them we do not
    even know where they came from. I do not think that's helpful
    to the very important mission, if confirmed, that you are going
    to be dealing with.
        I hope in the future that we are actually dealing with
    facts. You have mentioned many times that you do want to deal
    with facts and real data. Again, we heard a lot here that's not
    real data. We should not operate that way. If confirmed, when
    we move forward, I am going to look forward to working with you
    based on the facts so you can understand where the real threats
    are, how we need to appropriate resources to make sure we are
    meeting those threats.
        Let us take this hyper-partisanship out of such an
    important issue of homeland security. We have way too much
    partisanship in this country, and it's resulted in a
    polarization of people here. We have to come together as this
    country. We have to lock arms and understand that we are all
    proud Americans. We all want to do what's best for the American
    people and solve the issues so that are before us.
        In that spirit, and certainly you have communicated that
    spirit to me. But in that spirit, I hope if confirmed, that is
    exactly what you will be bringing to this office. Let's move
    away from of this toxic political environment that we have in
    the country and celebrate what's great about our country and
    the spirit of bringing the American people together.
        I have one question before we turn it over to other
    Members. As a Member of this Committee as well as the Armed
    Services Committee, I have focused a great deal on the safe
    integration of drones in our airspace while addressing the
    growing threats that drones possess. We certainly see what
    drones are doing in changing the face of warfare, whether it's
    in Ukraine and other battlefields around the world.
        We are very concerned about the weaponization of those
    drones and what it could mean to the security here in the
    United States. I have proposed comprehensive legislation to
    extend authorities beyond just the FBI, and the Department of
    Justice (DOJ), and Homeland Security to local law enforcement.
    You mentioned in your comments about security for the Super
    Bowl, which is incredibly important, but we have to remember
    that that threat exists for all games.
        In fact, one of the biggest supporters of my legislation is
    the National Football League NFL. In fact, we just had a recent
    playoff game that was delayed because of drones that flew into
    that playoff game. We are very concerned that you could have a
    drone with a grenade or an explosive device, which would be
    absolutely catastrophic. It's absolutely essential that we
    address this threat. What we are seeing around the world and
    what we are seeing in daily activities should be a concern. I
    think this is just a matter of time. It's not if, it's when,
    and we need to be on the front end of that.
        With that in mind, I want to remind folks that Congress
    just recently extended critical Counter-UAS Authority, Counter-
    drone Authority, only for a short time basis for the 12th time,
    we only do these little tiny short-term extensions, and we are
    not dealing with the problem comprehensively as we should.
    Those are going to expire on March 14th, a very short time from
    now.
        My question for you, Governor, is if confirmed as DHS
    Secretary, will you commit to working with me and my colleagues
    to pass durable long-term authorities that will protect this
    country from what is a real threat? It's just a matter of time,
    and I do not want to have a horrible incident occur and people
    wonder why we did not take action beforehand. Please address
    that.
        Ms. Noem. Senator, I look forward to working with you in
    this Committee to address the threats we may face and the usage
    of drones in this country, and in relation to our national
    security interests and our Homeland Security interests. Thank
    you for bringing up the conversation today, because it is one
    of the areas within DHS that we have a responsibility to
    address in cooperation with Congress.
        Senator Peters. My first comments on bringing people
    together, please comment on that.
        Ms. Noem. I am looking forward to working with everyone,
    Republicans and Democrats, and everyone else in between that in
    this country that is focused on keeping America safe and secure
    for our future.
        I would just point, Senator, to my background and my
    history. When I came to Congress, I worked with Republicans and
    Democrats on both sides of the aisle on many pieces of
    legislation. I was very happy to do so and focus on priorities
    on where we could agree, knowing we may disagree on some
    issues, but there was areas where we could keep the Federal
    Government accountable and do due diligence by the people that
    pay their taxes, and get up and go to work every single day.
        As Governor, as well, I was Governor for every single
    person in the State of South Dakota, and they were my No. 1
    priority. Everyone knew there that it did not matter if you
    were Republican or Democrat. That my focus was on them, and
    keeping our State thriving and free.
        I look forward to continuing the work that I always have to
    be coming up with solutions and in a bipartisan manner, and
    hopefully my visits to your office and conversations reflected
    that and my intention on how I would conduct the role as the
    Department of Homeland Security Secretary.
        Senator Peters. I got a brief follow-up to that.
        Ms. Noem. Sure.
        Senator Peters. So, it's data and facts that we can all
    agree on that drive our policy and not political theater. Would
    you agree?
        Ms. Noem. Yes, certainly, sir. We need to be addressing
    facts and information rather than political theater. We also
    need to speak truth to facts. I think it's important that we
    are willing to confront our challenges head on and have those
    conversations. You will see me back at your office door very
    soon to continue our work together.
        Senator Peters. Very good. Thank you.
        Chairman Paul. I want to second, basically, what Senator
    Peters has said on like records requests, I have told him and I
    plan on it, it is going to be administration of my party, but
    if he wants records and they are legitimate records, we are
    going to sign requests together, and we would like to get the
    records.
        It also helps, though, and I think Senator Lankford
    mentioned this, is you ask a question, not you, but to the
    administration or any administration, they are like, ``Oh, we
    will get back to you on it.'' Many times, I have even asked in
    advance, and I would suggest that we ask you in advance
    together. We ask in advance, if you are coming in a month, we
    say, we want this data, be prepared to talk about it. If you
    are, you will have many more friends on both sides.
        Because what usually happens, and that's why I do not like
    springing the question, if it's a technical question that needs
    data, we are going to tell you in advance. At least I will. We
    want you to come prepared with that. That goes a long way
    because really what happens is we get stiff-armed. They say, we
    will get back to you, and we have no way to force you really
    other than we could cut the money off. And nobody ever does
    that.
        But you will have 200,000 people working for you. My
    goodness, send your experts out, scour the records. It is true,
    I mean, facts are difficult, and sometimes there's different
    spins on the same set of facts, but I think that will help.
        On the drones, I think we need more facts. I am more than
    willing to work with the Ranking Member on doing something on
    drones, but I do not want every sheriff out there shooting up
    in the sky at stuff. We got to figure out, we got to get the
    truth about do we really have drones everywhere flying all the
    time? How many of them are planes? How many of them are drones?
    Let's go through this and then let's figure out, and then let's
    talk about how we bring drones down.
        If we interrupt and collect a lot of cellular signal
    through that, are we doing it with a warrant? What are we going
    to do with all the Americans data that we have collected to
    take down drones? If we have to take a wholesale tower's worth
    of data, there's a lot of innocent people's data going to be
    collected in that. Is that being gotten rid of?
        I think there are ways we can get to the right place.
    Everybody, obviously, nobody wants drones coming down. The only
    other thing that I would add on drones before I turn over to
    Senator Lankford is, look, I am all for the NFL being
    protected. The Super Bowl being protected. They need to pay.
    They are a very rich organization. They want drones flying over
    in New Orleans. I am all for it. The NFL ought to pay the
    government if the government's doing it, or we ought to have
    private contractors doing it, but they should not just get it
    for free. Senator Lankford.
        Senator Lankford. Thank you. Thanks, again. Senator Paul,
    you will remember this, there used to be a public-facing
    website that all Americans could actually get the data, what's
    happening on the border, what's actually moving. Then when the
    numbers got bad, that seemed to disappear, and then we could
    not even get the data anymore.
        I look forward to actually finding ways to be able to have
    everybody have the ability to be able to see some of this data
    as well on it. There's a reason that the DHS Secretary is the
    very first week of nominations. This is a really important
    role, and it is a nonpartisan role. It is a national security
    role, and we are grateful that you stepped into this. But it is
    important that we actually get you on the task to be able to
    make sure that it's out there.
        You mentioned earlier in your testimony that we do have a
    morale problem at DHS right now. I think a lot of that is
    because people that signed up to be Federal law enforcement, to
    be able to protect the United States of America, have felt like
    they have been sidelined and they have not been able to do
    their job that they are really signed up for.
        What I am hearing from you is you are going to allow them
    to do their job again. What has been historically true for a
    long time, that Federal law enforcement is there to actually
    help protect the country and the citizens in those communities,
    that you are going to allow them to do that. That is helpful.
        Two quick things that I want to be able to mention on this.
    One is, right now, just in the structure of this, and we can
    talk about this a different time, but CBP facilities that are
    along the border are really run by a different entity called
    General Services Administration (GSA). They are not allowed to
    be able to do updates on their facilities or to design their
    facilities. Somebody who lives 3,000 miles away and who does
    not actually do border patrol work, they actually design and
    oversee their facilities. That's a problem that we have to be
    able to fix.
        We have worked to be able to give more flexibility to CBP.
    That when they have difficulty and challenges there, they have
    the ability to be able to make those changes. But I am not
    going to ask you to make a commitment to this because this is
    just one of those detailed areas, but will you commit in the
    future to working with us? That this Committee and you can work
    together to be able to figure out how the folks that are on the
    field can actually make decisions about the facilities they
    work in?
        Ms. Noem. Yes, Senator, I commit to working with you on
    that issue.
        Senator Lankford. That's terrific. Then I had a constituent
    in Oklahoma that is a hunter, like you are, like I am. He had a
    bag that he had some additional rounds that were in his bag
    that were left over from a hunting trip months before he packed
    his bag. Went on a vacation trip overseas. Went through
    security with his bag, when he got overseas and then left and
    came back, they scanned his bag and said, you have bullets, you
    have rounds in your bag. And he had, five that were in his bag
    that he did not even remember were left over in an outside
    pocket from a hunting trip before. They promptly put him in
    jail, and held him there and detained him there. Now, we worked
    through all the process to be able to get him back.
        My question is that same bag went through Transportation
    Security Administration (TSA) security in my State before it
    went through security overseas. One of the questions that I
    have asked is why were those rounds picked up there and not
    here? Now, we do not have the full answer to that yet, but
    that's just one of those TSA questions that we need to have.
    Americans right now are on planes all over the country, and
    they count on a certain level of security when they go through
    that process.
        In the days ahead, will you work with me to be able to
    identify what are the challenges that we still face with the
    screening process, and to be able to correct those for the
    security of all Americans.
        Ms. Noem. Yes, Senator, I will work with you on that.
        Senator Lankford. Thank you.
        Ms. Noem. I was surprised TSA did not come up more today,
    but that is an area in need of reform as well, and I look
    forward to working with you there.
        Senator Lankford. I look forward to that. Thank you. I
    yield back.
        Chairman Paul. The government needs a healthy dose of
    common sense. You know, bullets in your bag. I had a guy with
    bullets in the back of his pickup truck coming back from
    Mexico. We arrested him and took his truck. Only because the
    Institute of Justice fought for him for three years did he get
    his truck back. I mean, that's crazy. The things we do. Let's
    have some common sense, and hopefully someone overseeing it
    will allow that. Senator Blumenthal, you are going to finish
    this up.
        Senator Blumenthal. Thank you, Chairman Paul.
        I am the last of your questioners, so that means I get
    unlimited amounts of time. [Laughter.]
        Ms. Noem. OK.
        Senator Blumenthal. No, not really. Not even close. I want
    to sort of continue the emphasis on bipartisanship and most
    especially on immigration reform. What this nation needs is
    comprehensive immigration reform. We know about the need for
    more H1-B visas, and other kinds of extensions of the visa
    program that enable the United States to have more workers that
    are desperately needed in certain areas of our country.
        We know that there has to be better border security
    generally. We know we need to provide some kind of path to earn
    citizenship for a lot of the undocumented people in this
    country. We know it's possible because we did it in 2013. The
    U.S. Senate, as you will recall, passed a comprehensive
    immigration reform measure, overwhelmingly, it was bipartisan.
        I was proud to be a part of it going through the Judiciary
    committee, but obviously, it will involve Homeland Security. I
    hope that we can continue, as Senator Lankford was a part of
    the effort in the last session, to expand on those efforts and
    move forward on a bipartisan basis toward bipartisan
    comprehensive immigration reform.
        I want to talk to you a little bit about domestic terrorism
    which we discussed during my previous round, and I know you
    have discussed it afterward, including not just migrant crime
    and radicalization by ISIS, which are real and present
    problems. I also want to ask you about domestic terrorism
    events unrelated to groups outside our borders. We have seen a
    rise in antisemitism in this country. It has spiked beyond any
    prediction. I want to know of your concerned with anti-Semite
    racist events; Charlottesville, Buffalo, Pittsburgh. There's a
    shorthand for these violent terrorist acts against people in
    the United States.
        Ms. Noem. Yes, Senator. I am very concerned about what we
    have seen in this country as far as antisemitic violence that
    has happened. In fact, last year during our legislative
    session, I brought legislation to more clearly define it so
    that we could fight it in our home State. I am hopeful I can
    work with you to continue to do what we can to make sure that
    we are addressing this rising threat and not facilitating it in
    this country.
        Senator Blumenthal. I just want to make sure that when you
    say we are protecting Americans against terrorism, that we are
    protecting all Americans, including, people in mosques, in
    churches, in synagogues, people regardless of their worship,
    their race, their background. We need to protect all Americans
    from antisemitism, racism, Islamophobia. I hope you will commit
    to that effort.
        Ms. Noem. Yes, correct. Thank you, Senator, and I look
    forward to working with you to do that.
        Senator Blumenthal. In my closing minute and a half, I just
    want to call your attention to an effort that I have led to
    help reunite children with their parents, children who were
    separated as a result of the so-called family separation policy
    in the last administration.
        I have introduced a measure called Keep Families Together,
    not only to limit separation of families at or near ports of
    entry. But also, the Families Belong Together Act for several
    Congresses to help bring the children, the kids who were
    victims of this policy, and who still are not back with their
    parents. I hope that you will support that kind of effort.
        Ms. Noem. Senator, the Trump Administration never had a
    family separation policy. They had a zero-tolerance policy,
    which said that our laws would be followed. What I'm alarmed by
    is the over 300,000 children that went missing during the Biden
    Administration. When we talk about children and what they are
    potentially facing as far as victimization in this country, and
    the trafficking that's going on this administration's lack of
    desire to find out where those children are or what they may be
    going through is alarming to me.
        I want to stop that.
        Senator Blumenthal. Because, my time is expiring, I am just
    going to interrupt, again, with apologies, to say let's put
    aside----
        Ms. Noem. I cannot put aside 340,000 children.
        Senator Blumenthal. Let's put aside what happened in the
    past. There are still 1,000 children who are separated and
    waiting to be reunited. I would like your commitment that you
    are going to continue the effort to reunite them with their
    parents.
        Ms. Noem. Senator, keeping families together is critically
    important to me and to this country. I am concerned about Laken
    Riley's family that they no longer have her. I am concerned
    about the fact that we have people in this country that do not
    know where their children are, or people in other countries who
    sent their children here and they have been lost by this
    administration.
        Yes, my focus will be to keep families together. We will
    uphold our law, and we will make sure that we are doing
    everything we can to keep our children safe from the
    trafficking and the drug epidemic that's hit this country.
        Senator Blumenthal. I am going to end on an optimistic note
    and say I take that as a yes. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
        Ms. Noem. Thank you, sir.
        Chairman Paul. Thank you for your testimony. The nominee
    has filed responses to biographical\1\ and financial
    questionnaires, answered pre-hearing questions submitted by the
    committee, and had their financial statements reviewed by the
    Office of Government Ethics.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ The information for Ms. Noem appears in the Appendix on page
    59.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Without objection, this information will be part of the
    hearing record with the exception of the financial data which
    are on file and available for public inspection in the
    Committee offices.
        The hearing will remain open until 5 p.m. today, Friday,
    January 17th for the submission of statements and questions for
    the record. This hearing is adjourned.
        [Whereupon, at 11:33 a.m., the hearing was adjourned.]

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