Trump's Customs And Border Protection Commissioner Nominee Delivers Opening Remarks

Forbes Breaking News

During a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Wednesday, Trump's CPB Commissioner nominee, Rodney Scott, delivered his opening remarks.

Transcript

00:00Chairman Craypool, Ranking Member Wyden, members of the committee. Good morning. It is a great

00:10privilege to be here today as President Trump's nominee for Commissioner of U.S. Customs and

00:15Border Protection. I'm immensely honored to have the trust of President Trump and Secretary Noem,

00:21but I'm here today to earn your trust as well. If confirmed, I'm ready to serve without compromise.

00:28Let me start where all strength begins with some wisdom. Proverbs 15, 22 instructs us,

00:35plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisors they succeed. I am fortunate to have

00:41the counsel of many, but first and foremost, I want to recognize my wife, Tandy, a woman of profound

00:47faith, clarity, and strength. She is my most honest advisor, a constant voice reminding me of what

00:54truly matters. Our daughters, Kennedy and Cassidy, have grown into confident, godly young ladies with

00:59wisdom beyond their years, and I thank the three of them for being my biggest cheerleaders and for

01:05challenging me to lead with character even when it came at a personal cost. I also want to thank my

01:11parents, Bob and Linda Scott. Their Christ-like example taught me to treat everyone with respect,

01:16respect, that serving is more rewarding than being served, and that if I would just ask and then

01:22listen, God would tell me the next right thing to do. Thank you for raising me right.

01:27No matter, now to the matter at hand. Senators, if confirmed as Commissioner, I will take a lead role

01:34in providing America with real border security. As the 9-11 report highlighted, securing our nation

01:40is a team sport. I've been on this team for over three decades, and I've learned a lot.

01:46Our borders must be secured, not just to protect a line on a map, but to defend the American people,

01:52our values, and our way of life. I joined this team in 1992 as a GS-5 Border Patrol agent trainee,

02:00and I competitively progressed through the ranks to earn the position of Chief U.S. Border Patrol.

02:06I'm very proud of that green uniform that I wore, but CBP's mission is bigger than just the Border

02:13Patrol, and so is my experience. During my career, I was immersed in the living border security

02:19laboratory. I worked alongside colleagues as we transformed chaotic, crime-ridden border regions

02:25into some of the safest communities in America. I watched CBP officers fine-tune operations to maximize

02:31the flow of legal trade and travel that fuels our economic security, while simultaneously interdicting

02:37weapons, people, and contraband like fentanyl that violate our laws and put our families, friends,

02:43and neighbors at risk. Unfortunately, I also watched communities slide backwards into total chaos when

02:50policy changes resulted in crimes being ignored. I learned what works, and I learned what does not.

02:56I learned what motivates our personnel and what demoralizes them. If confirmed, I will leverage

03:02my experience to empower the men and women of CBP to do what they were hired to do. Safeguard every

03:09American by providing secure borders and keeping trade and travel moving. Border security is national

03:16security. 9-11 made that very clear when foreign terrorists exploited vulnerabilities in our border

03:21security and murdered thousands of fellow Americans. We vowed then to never forget, and I assure you

03:28that I have not. Congress responded by creating the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border

03:35Protection. I responded by joining a small team within CBP that developed and institutionalized the

03:41anti-terrorism capabilities that exist today. As I read countless intelligence reports, my understanding

03:47of the interdependencies between border security and national security constantly grew. In the years

03:54since 9-11, new technology, infrastructure, and procedures have improved border security dramatically

04:00at our ports and in between. But the most important factor will always be the people, the professional,

04:07dedicated patriots that make up U.S. Customs and Border Protection. I commit to you that if confirmed,

04:13I will drive actions to ensure the CBP workforce has the training, resources, and the policies to

04:19excel in every aspect of the mission and to do so safely. I will encourage innovation, modernize

04:26processes, and enhance efficiencies. And I will work to ensure that CBP strategies are driven by

04:32intelligence and data and that the policies align with national security, including our economic

04:37objectives. I commit to you that if confirmed, I will lead CBP personnel in securing America's

04:43borders with purpose, integrity, and honor. I'm asking for your support, your vote today,

04:50and I look forward to your questions. Thank you.

Category

Transcript

Recommended