Nomination of Gordon England

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, the Presiding Officer had the misfortune last night to be presiding when I presented the qualifications of Secretary Gordon England to be the Deputy Secretary of the new Department of Homeland Security. Unfortunately for the Presiding Officer, the vote did not occur last night, so he is going to once again hear a little bit more about Secretary England. But since Gordon England is such an unusually well qualified candidate for this position, I will beg the indulgence of the Presiding Officer as I outline for my colleagues who were not here last evening his qualifications for this important post.

Last Wednesday, the Senate voted unanimously to confirm Tom Ridge to be the first Secretary of Homeland Security. Today, I am confident that the Senate will unanimously confirm Gordon England to be Secretary Ridge's Deputy at his side at the helm of this critical new Department.

The Department of Homeland Security opened its doors last Friday. Together, Secretary Ridge and Deputy Secretary England make a formidable team to chart the new Department on a course to protecting our Nation from the threat of terrorist attacks.

As President Bush has said:

Our enemy is smart and resolute, [but] we are smarter and more resolute.

Part of our resolve must be to place the best possible leaders in charge of the new Department of Homeland Security. Gordon England is such a leader. The Committee on Governmental Affairs, which I have the honor of chairing, thoroughly considered his nomination. We held a hearing last Friday. The nominee also responded to extensive prehearing questions. And yesterday the committee unanimously agreed to discharge the nomination to expedite floor consideration.

Gordon England is extraordinarily well qualified for this important post. He currently serves as Secretary of the Navy, a position he has held since May 2001. Moreover, he came to the Navy with an impressive portfolio of management experience. He served as executive vice president of General Dynamics and he was responsible for two major sectors of the corporation: Information systems, and international affairs.

Earlier in his career, he served in various executive capacities at a number of divisions of General Dynamics. But as preparation for becoming the Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, it would be difficult to beat a tour as the Secretary of the Department of the Navy. As Secretary, Gordon England headed a department with a budget of over $100 billion and consisting of 462,000 sailors and 212,000 marines.

The Department of Homeland Security, which we often describe as a massive new Department, will bring together a civilian workforce of about 170,000 individuals. The Secretary of the Navy not only had many more military employees to supervise, but he had a civilian workforce of 190,000 employees.

Secretary England's extensive experience in managing large complex operations in both the private and public sectors will serve him well as the Deputy Secretary of the new Department.

Moreover, Secretary England brings a complete understanding of the Department of Defense which will prove invaluable in developing the appropriate communications links and levels of coordination between the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security.

The Department of Defense recently established the U.S. Northern Command, or NORCOM, to oversee and further develop land, aerospace, and sea-based military defenses of our homeland. It has also established a new Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security. So it will be critical for the Department of Homeland Security to have a good relationship with the Department of Defense and very good coordination between the two Departments as each performs its mission in defense of our homeland.

Secretary England's knowledge will help ensure that the two Departments work as a team and not at cross-purposes. In short, I believe Secretary England is uniquely qualified for this important job. We are extremely fortunate as a nation to have two such highly qualified individuals as Secretary Tom Ridge and Deputy Secretary Gordon England at the helm of this critical new Department.

I urge my colleagues to join in supporting this important nomination.

Seeing no one seeking the floor, I suggest the absence of a quorum and ask unanimous consent that the time be assigned equally to each side.