Rogers Opening Statement at Homeland Security Hearing

Rogers Opening Statement at Homeland Security Hearing

Admiral Loy, I am pleased to welcome you here today for what is perhaps your last appearance before the Subcommittee. Effective March 1st, you are once again retiring from federal service. It was nearly three years ago that you retired as Commandant of the Coast Guard. That retirement was short lived as you immediately took on the challenges of transportation security both at the Department of Transportation and the Transportation Security Administration. Most recently, you have 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 serious plans for rest and relaxation as you leave public service on March 1st. You will certainly be missed and we thank you for almost 40 years of service to your country.

Admiral, the Department of Homeland Security 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, born from the terrorist attacks of September 11th. 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 interoperability among law enforcement.

Two years ago, when the Department opened its doors and merged the cultures, missions and management structures of 22 separate agencies, I told then Secretary Ridge that it was important that the Department not get bogged down in bureaucratic inertia. I also cautioned that it would be 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 am 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 I don't read yet another 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 consolidated; and information systems have not been integrated. 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 leave 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 has had a hiring freeze in place for more than a year because of funding shortfalls that were caused by merging legacy INS with portions of legacy Customs. It's equally unacceptable that the Department has not taken any significant steps toward integrating the multitude of information technology systems that existed within legacy DHS agencies. These are important efforts that cannot be ignored.

While I cite these shortcomings, I also want to say that I recognize the progress that the Department has made. A great deal has been accomplished over the past two years - including the development and deployment of new technologies to inspect cargo and detect hazards in our environment; US VISIT has been put in place in all international airports and seaports; we have increased fugitive apprehensions; created a one-stop shop for first responders; catalogued more than 50,000 national assets in a national infrastructure data base; and set up a communication system with state and local governments. These are important accomplishments that have made our country safer.

Today, you are here in your capacity as Deputy Secretary for Homeland Security. You have first hand knowledge of the inner workings of the Department. You are also in a unique position in that you are a "short timer". Admiral, I intend to dig in to some of the issues I have just mentioned with you today; I hope you will be candid with your responses. The Department is seeking $33.2 billion in discretionary funds for the upcoming fiscal year - an increase of $1.9 billion or 6.2%. It is important that the members of this Subcommittee understand the Department's strengths as well as its weaknesses. Our goal is to give the Department the resources and tools it needs to do its job - but we cannot do that in a vacuum. I am certain that you will be sitting down with your successor to share your thoughts on next steps for the Department. I hope you will feel free to share those thoughts with us as well.

http://www.house.gov/rogers/February2005/homelandsecurity_admiral.html