[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 198 (Tuesday, December 5, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S7850]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    CONFIRMATION OF KIRSTJEN NIELSEN

  Mr. CARPER. Mr. President, we just concluded a few minutes ago the 
confirmation of the President's nominee for the next Secretary of the 
Department of Homeland Security.
  As it turns out, the Presiding Officer is the chairman of the 
Committee on Homeland Security, which has jurisdiction over the 
Department of Homeland Security. I have the privilege of being the 
immediate past chairman of the committee. The Presiding Officer and I 
have worked together on a wide range of issues that actually pertain to 
the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security.
  I don't want to speak out of turn, but I believe both the Presiding 
Officer, who is as well the chairman of the Committee on Homeland 
Security and Governmental Affairs, and I believe that one of the most 
important ingredients of success of any organization--I don't care 
whether it is a football team, a body such as the U.S. Senate, a 
hospital, a school, a State, a country--the key is always leadership. 
The key is leaders who are always interested in figuring out what is 
the right thing to do; people who believe in the Golden Rule, treating 
other people the way they want to be treated; and leaders who focus on 
excellence in everything they do. They surround themselves with the 
best people they can find. They embrace the idea that if a program or 
whatever is not perfect, let's make it better. The best leaders with 
whom I have been privileged to serve are those who just don't give up. 
When they are sure they are right, they just don't give up.
  We have had a series of leaders, and I have been privileged to know 
every Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security since the very 
beginning of time, when I served as Governor and when I served in the 
Congress. I served with the first Secretary we had and others who have 
succeeded him--most recently, John Kelly, retired Marine four-star 
general who came from his command in SOUTHCOM to become Secretary of 
Homeland Security. He is now at the White House serving as the Chief of 
Staff to the President. We are grateful to him for his service.
  Since he has moved on to that post, it has left a vacancy to lead the 
Department of Homeland Security. I think Elaine Duke is filling in 
quite nicely as the Acting Secretary. She was previously Deputy 
Secretary of Homeland Security. Now that Kirstjen Nielsen has been 
confirmed, we will see whether Elaine Duke will step back and be the 
Deputy. I think a number of us hope that she will, but that is not our 
decision to make.
  The vote today in favor of Kirstjen Nielsen's confirmation was, I 
believe, 62 ayes and 37 nays. Every now and then, we have the 
opportunity to vote and it is a close call. Not all of our votes are 
easy; some are more difficult than others. But for a number of us, this 
was a close call.
  I think Kirstjen Nielsen is arguably bright. She is well-spoken. She 
has appeared before our committee and taken any number of questions. 
She was asked and has answered hundreds of questions from committee 
members and questions for the record. She has been good enough to meet 
with me not once but twice. I said to her yesterday when we met that I 
think she is a person with a good heart and good values--again, well-
spoken and bright. She is especially strong with respect to cyber 
security.
  The real question mark for me--one of the question marks for me, 
among others--was, for someone who has at best only led organizations 
with maybe a couple dozen people to now be thrust into--or selected to 
serve in this position, where she will be leading 240,000 people at the 
Department of Homeland Security, spread out all over the world, is a 
daunting challenge. As someone who has been privileged to spend 23 
years of my life in the Navy as a naval flight officer, then as a 
treasurer, a Congressman, a Governor, a Senator, and I led the National 
Governors Association--for me, leading an organization of that size 
would be daunting. I would expect that the same is true for Kirstjen 
Nielsen.
  John Kelly, who for 6 months was our Secretary, has a lot of 
confidence in her, and I have a lot of confidence in John Kelly. John 
McCain and I introduced him as the ranking member and the chairman when 
General Kelly was nominated to be Secretary. John McCain sat on one 
side of the nominee, and I sat on the other. I think we have taken his 
recommendation to heart, and that was maybe the tie-breaker for some of 
us.
  When I spoke with Kirstjen yesterday, we talked about her core values 
and what guides her in making decisions. I think some of it is faith-
based, which I find encouraging; the idea of treating other people the 
way we want to be treated; the willingness to welcome people to our 
home, our country, who are strangers.
  So we will see how it plays out. I think it is critically important 
that--just as I try to surround myself with people who have strength 
and fill in for my weaknesses, my hope is that is exactly what will 
happen when she assumes the responsibility to lead the Department of 
Homeland Security.
  So I would say to Kirstjen Nielsen: Congratulations on your 
confirmation, and we look forward to working with you, hopefully 
agreeing a lot more often than we disagree. Good luck and God bless.

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