U.S. Representative Harold Rogers (R-Ky) Holds Hearing On Department of Homeland Security Management and Operations

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U.S. Representative Harold Rogers (R-Ky) Holds Hearing On Department of Homeland Security Management and Operations

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS: SUBCOMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY HOLDS A HEARING ON DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS

FEBRUARY 17, 2005

SPEAKERS: U.S. REPRESENTATIVE HAROLD ROGERS (R-KY) CHAIRMAN U.S. REPRESENTATIVE ZACH WAMP (R-TN) U.S. REPRESENTATIVE TOM LATHAM (R-IA) U.S. REPRESENTATIVE JO ANN EMERSON (R-MO) U.S. REPRESENTATIVE JIM KOLBE (R-AZ) U.S. REPRESENTATIVE ERNEST J. ISTOOK JR. (R-OK) U.S. REPRESENTATIVE RAY LAHOOD (R-IL) U.S. REPRESENTATIVE JOHN E. SWEENEY (R-NY) U.S. REPRESENTATIVE ANDER CRENSHAW (R-FL) U.S. REPRESENTATIVE JOHN CARTER (R-TX) U.S. REPRESENTATIVE JERRY LEWIS (R-CA) EX OFFICIO

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE MARTIN OLAV SABO (D-MN) RANKING MEMBER U.S. REPRESENTATIVE DAVID E. PRICE (D-NC) U.S. REPRESENTATIVE JOSE E. SERRANO (D-NY) U.S. REPRESENTATIVE LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD (D-CA) U.S. REPRESENTATIVE MARION BERRY (D-AR) U.S. REPRESENTATIVE CHET EDWARDS (D-TX) U.S. REPRESENTATIVE SANFORD D. BISHOP JR. (D-GA) U.S. REPRESENTATIVE DAVID R. OBEY (D-WI) EX OFFICIO

WITNESSES: JAMES LOY, DEPUTY SECRETARY, U.S. HOMELAND SECURITY DEPARTMENT

[*] ROGERS: The committee will be in order.

Admiral Loy, we are pleased to welcome you back here again for what, sadly, may be your last appearance before this subcommittee. Effective March 1st, you are once again retiring from federal service. It's been nearly three years ago that you retired as commandant of the Coast Guard. And that retirement, of course, was short-lived as you immediately took on the challenges of transportation security, both at DOT and the TSA.

Most recently, you've taken on the responsibilities of homeland security. In short, Admiral, it does not sound like you have had much of a retirement since you left the Coast Guard. I hope and trust that you have some serious plans for rest and relaxation as you leave public service on March the 1st. But we hope that we will see you around here in many capacities. You certainly will be missed in this row, and we thank you for almost 40 years of public service for your country.

Admiral, the department is merely two years young. When the department opened its doors, there was a sense of urgency. Homeland security and homeland defense were new concepts. We have never done this before and, of course, born from the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

The department was established to ensure that the nation was prepared to prevent and respond to acts of terrorism. Because the stakes are so high, there have been great expectations for the department to immediately address any and all security gaps. If only it were that simple.

The fact is the work that must be done is complex from protecting our nation's infrastructure to supporting first responders, from stopping contraband at our borders to developing communications inter- operability among law enforcement personnel. Two years ago when the department opened its doors and merged the cultures, missions and management structures of 22 separate agencies, I remember telling Secretary Ridge at that time that it was important that the department not get bogged down in bureaucratic inertia.

We also cautioned that it would unwise to adopt dysfunctional management and financial practices that existed in legacy agencies. I urged the secretary to adopt strong practices and toss out those that were not working. I recognize that a major reorganization such as the one that the department is undergoing can take many years. At the same time, Admiral, in all honesty, I'm concerned by what I see and specifically, by the lack of progress the department has made in key management areas.

There is not a day that goes by that we don't read some critical report about the department. Recent inspector general reports are disheartening. There are material weaknesses within the department's financial management structure.

Watch lists have not been yet consolidated. Information systems have not been integrated. Media headlines are equally discouraging. Infighting cited at homeland security. Poor coordination threatens security. Information sharing among homeland agencies still weak. Plan to protect critical infrastructure overdue. These reports and my own observations lead me to believe that we are not where we want to be.

Most concerning are reports of management and financial weaknesses within the department that are going to bog down any future progress. To be blunt, it is unacceptable that the department has not gotten its financial house in order. The Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement ha...

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