[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 106 (Thursday, June 17, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4602-S4603]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                       Nomination of John K. Tien

  Madam President, as many of our colleagues know, the Department of 
Homeland Security is still a fairly young Agency, created in response 
to the attacks on September 11, 2001.
  I vividly remember the tragic events of that day, a day as beautiful 
as today--sunshine, blue skies--and then the whole world changed, 
literally, while I was riding the train from Wilmington to Washington, 
DC. I recall also, vividly, how the Members of this body pulled 
together that day and our country pulled together that day. We, with 
the U.S. House of Representatives, we, with the President George W. 
Bush, set aside partisan politics, and we created the 9/11 Commission 
and adopted the great majority of its recommendations.
  My recollection was the cochairs of the 9/11 Commission, former 
Governor of New Jersey, Tom Kean, a Republican, highly regarded, my 
neighbor across the river, and Lee Hamilton, Congressman from Indiana, 
who was chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee, one of my 
mentors--he was a Congressman years ago--they led a group, the 9/11 
Commission. I think they came to agreement unanimously on 42 
recommendations, passed them off to what would become the Committee on 
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. We adopted almost every one 
of them unanimously, and it did a lot of good for our country and 
provided a lot of protection for our country, for our homeland.
  Among the recommendations that he made was the creation of the 
Department of Homeland Security and the expansion of our committee's 
jurisdiction to include homeland security. Before that, we were the 
Committee on Governmental Affairs, which is important. It was an 
oversight committee. But with the addition of the Department of 
Homeland Security, that responsibility grew enormously.
  But since then, our committee has taken on a very different purpose. 
I am proud of the work that we have done that has made Americans safer 
today.
  As someone who was very much involved in helping to stand up and 
assemble the Department of Homeland Security, I am proud of the way it 
has grown and matured over the last 20 years. I remain convinced that 
it is, in large part, the leadership provided by the nominees we 
confirm in this Chamber that enables the Department of Homeland 
Security to carry out successfully as its many missions.
  The Department of Homeland Security is an Agency with a budget of 
over $50 billion and a staff of almost a quarter million men and women 
who are collectively responsible for protecting our Nation from many of 
the threats that we face. From the clear and present threats of both 
foreign and domestic terrorism to responding to cyber attacks on our 
critical infrastructure, to helping distribute relief and assistance in 
the face of natural disasters, there is no shortage of work to be done 
by that Agency and the men and women who work there every single day
  I often say that leadership is the most important ingredient to the 
success of almost any organization on this planet. In sports, in 
business, in government, our leaders set the tone at the top. They lead 
by their example, and they are the ones who guide their team to 
accomplish its mission, or, in the case of the Department of Homeland 
Security, its many missions. That is why it is crucial that the 
Department of Homeland Security have Senate-confirmed, qualified 
leadership at its helm.
  After years in multiple administrations leaving key Senate-confirmed 
posts vacant or held on an ``Acting'' capacity for far too long, this 
Department needs qualified leaders now more than ever.
  It has been without a Senate-confirmed Deputy Secretary for over 3 
years. Let me repeat that. This vital Agency has been without a Senate-
confirmed Deputy Secretary for more than 3 years. That has to change. 
With the confirmation of COL John Tien to serve, this body can do 
something about it, and we can do it today.
  The responsibilities of the Deputy Secretary are daunting. Serving as 
a chief operating officer, the Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security is 
responsible for the day-to-day business of the Agency and the 
management of its operations and 250,000 men and women.
  Colonel Tien is a proven leader and dedicated public servant. He is a 
retired U.S. Army colonel, whose 24-year career includes three combat 
tours in Iraq and national security roles in the Clinton, the George W. 
Bush, and the Obama White Houses. He has worked hand in glove with 
people from different perspectives and commands the respect of 
Republicans and Democrats alike.
  For the past decade, COL Tien has been a leader in the private 
sector, where he has held senior executive roles in our Nation's 
financial sector and managed complex organizations and operations.
  His nomination has drawn bipartisan support. Dozens of national 
security leaders and experts, including several former military and 
civilian government officials who served under Democratic and 
Republican Presidents, have expressed their strong support for Colonel 
Tien's nomination.
  Just a week ago, the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs, on which I serve, advanced his

[[Page S4603]]

nomination by a wide margin--by a wide margin, bipartisan support. 
Given Colonel Tien's past leadership experiences, I am hopeful that the 
Department will finally get the Senate-confirmed leader it needs and 
deserves in this critical post.
  The American people are counting on seasoned leadership at the 
Department of Homeland Security after too many years of vacancies. I 
describe those vacancies as Swiss cheese, executive branch Swiss 
cheese, and that needs to end.
  I applaud President Biden for nominating Colonel Tien. I encourage my 
colleagues to confirm him.
  Let me say on a personal note to Colonel Tien and his wife Tracy--and 
they have a couple of daughters, Amanda and Rebecca--when you serve, as 
he did in the military for 24 years, rising to the rank of colonel, you 
don't just serve that as an individual. It is not just the officer or 
enlisted person who is serving. If they have a family--and we almost 
all do--the family serves as well. If they have a spouse, they have 
children, they serve as well. And we don't often acknowledge that, not 
often enough, at least.
  I just want to take a moment to say to Colonel Tien's wife Tracy, to 
their daughters, Amanda and Rebecca, we are grateful for your service 
as well. And we are honored and privileged that you would share a good 
man in this new role for our country.
  And to Colonel Tien, whose mother recently passed away, I understand, 
just a few months ago, from COVID-19, let me say that I know your mom 
must be looking down from on high today and feeling very proud of her 
son on this day and every day.
  With that, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Whitehouse). The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.