[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 116 (Thursday, September 15, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10114-S10115]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           NOMINATIONS OF STEWART A. BAKER AND JULIE L. MYERS

  Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, regrettably, I was detained at a Veterans' 
Affairs Committee business meeting which precluded my presence at an 
important nomination hearing before the Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs Committee on two critical nominations for key 
positions within the Department of Homeland Security. The Senate has 
the responsibility to ensure that the best qualified and most able 
people serve our country. I ask unanimous consent that my statement for 
that hearing be included in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

       Thank you Chairman Collins. I wish to add my welcome to Mr. 
     Baker, Ms. Myers, and their families and friends.
       You are both here because you wish to continue your careers 
     in public service by serving as Assistant Secretaries in the 
     Department of Homeland Security (DHS). These positions demand 
     individuals who have demonstrated extensive executive level 
     leadership and the ability to manage a sizable budget and 
     diverse workforce. Mr. Baker, if confirmed, you will be the 
     first DHS Assistant Secretary for Policy, and you will help 
     define the role of the Office of Policy.
       Ms. Myers, you have been nominated to lead Immigration and 
     Customs Enforcement, an agency that is currently facing 
     significant financial and human resource management 
     challenges.
       While every nomination considered by the Senate is 
     important, I believe that today's hearing will be watched 
     carefully by the American people, who are looking to this 
     Committee to make sure we ask the appropriate, and sometimes 
     tough, questions. The people of Hawaii, like all Americans, 
     want to make sure that those leading DHS have the necessary 
     experience and qualifications.
       The creation of DHS in 2003 was the largest reorganization 
     of the federal government since the Department of Defense was 
     established in 1947. The merging of 22 legacy agencies into a 
     single agency has created management challenges that DHS will 
     face for years to come. Because of these significant 
     challenges, DHS needs strong leaders. A qualified candidate 
     must possess extensive experience managing people and budgets 
     in addition to having experience in immigration or law 
     enforcement or intelligence.
       I am especially concerned about the current state of ICE, 
     which is the second largest federal law enforcement agency 
     with a $4 billion budget and over 15,000 employees in over 
     400 offices around the world.
       ICE has extraordinary reach, extraordinary responsibilities 
     for our national security, and extraordinary problems.
       Financial difficulties have resulted in hiring freezes and 
     reductions in training, bonuses, and travel. ICE's financial 
     crisis has resulted in DHS reprogramming $500 million in FY 
     04 and FY 05 funds and requesting an additional $267 million 
     in the April 2005 emergency supplemental. Despite assurances 
     that ICE's financial problems have been resolved, DHS 
     Inspector General Richard Skinner testified in July 2005 that 
     ICE cannot properly account for millions of dollars every 
     month due to its deficient financial management system. This 
     financial crisis has had an adverse impact on the readiness 
     and morale of the ICE workforce.
       ICE needs strong, experienced leadership to repair these 
     management problems.
       Mr. Baker, the Administration has submitted legislation to 
     the Congress that this Committee is now considering which 
     would create the position of an Undersecretary for Policy. 
     According to Secretary Chertoff's transmittal letter to the 
     Congress on his proposal, dated July 13, 2005, the new Office 
     of Policy ``will lead a unified, mission-focused policy 
     approach'' and will include a number of existing units, such 
     as the Office of International Affairs, the Special Assistant 
     to the Secretary for Private Sector Coordination, the Border 
     and Transportation Security Policy and Planning Office, 
     elements of the Border and Transportation Security Office of 
     International Enforcement, the Homeland Security Advisory 
     Committee, and the Office of Immigration Statistics. In 
     addition, the Secretary is proposing to add a strategic 
     policy planning office and a refugee policy coordinator.
       This is an enormous range of new responsibilities and will 
     require someone with extensive management experience and 
     vision.
       I would argue that the key focus of this office should be 
     on strategic planning. Given the nature of the Department's 
     enormous size and breadth of responsibilities, someone is 
     needed who can provide focus and direction to the mission of 
     preventing and responding to terrorist attacks and natural 
     disasters.
       Mr. Baker, you are being nominated for the position of 
     Assistant Secretary with the expectation of moving into the 
     Undersecretary position should the Congress pass the reform 
     proposal. One of the issues this Committee will have to 
     address is whether you will need to be reconfirmed at a later 
     date for that higher position should you be confirmed for the 
     Assistant Secretary position.
       One of the lessons learned from the Hurricane Katrina 
     response is that the senior officials of an agency should 
     have demonstrated leadership skills. The positions of 
     Assistant Secretary for ICE and Assistant Secretary for 
     Policy are no exception.
       I would like to draw the attention of my colleagues to one 
     measure of leadership skills: the standards the Office of 
     Personnel Management has developed for the government's 
     career Senior Executive Service (SES).
       To qualify for an SES position, a candidate must possess 
     the following five executive qualifications: leading change; 
     leading people; being results driven; having business acumen; 
     and building coalitions/communications.
       SES candidates demonstrate these qualifications through 
     experience in key executive skills such as leading others to 
     rapidly adjust organizational behavior and work methods; 
     supervising and managing a diverse workforce; developing 
     strategic human capital management plans; establishing 
     performance standards and plans; managing the budgetary 
     process; overseeing the allocation of financial resources; 
     and developing and maintaining positive working relationships 
     with internal groups and external groups such as Congress, 
     the Office of Management and Budget, and the White House.
       These qualifications and experiences help ensure that the 
     federal government's senior executives have the ability to 
     establish a clear vision for the organization and to drive 
     others to succeed. While political appointees are not 
     required to meet these qualifications, I believe it would be 
     difficult for an agency head to be successful without them.
       I look forward to this opportunity to hear from Mr. Baker 
     and Ms. Myers. Thank you Madam Chairman.

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