'From Chaos To Closed': Tom Cole Praises The Work Of Sec. Kristi Noem At The Southern Border

Forbes Breaking News

At a House Appropriations Committee hearing on Tuesday, Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) praised Sec. Kristi Noem for her work in the Trump administration.

Transcript

00:00The chair now recognizes the chairman of the Full Appropriations Committee, Mr. Cole, for his opening comments.

00:07Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

00:08Before I go to my prepared remarks, I just want to say what a pleasure it is to see our former colleague here

00:14and how proud we all are of you, your success as a governor, your success in this administration in its opening days.

00:22I don't know anybody that's been more effective in less time than you have,

00:26and the men and women that you lead and clearly lead so effectively.

00:31So I just want to thank you so much, honestly, as a friend and a colleague,

00:36but somebody that really appreciates the public service that you've already rendered this country in multiple, multiple ways.

00:42We're proud of you.

00:44Thank you again, Mr. Chairman, and Ranking Member Underwood, thank you.

00:48Madam Secretary, we really appreciate you being here today.

00:51Let me begin by commending the brave men and women of this department who stand on the front lines each day to protect the homeland.

00:59Under new leadership, they've been empowered to fully carry out that fundamental duty.

01:04From day one, the Trump administration has made clear that protecting America is not negotiable,

01:09and this White House has taken immediate action to strengthen the security of our nation's borders

01:14and enforce existing immigration laws.

01:17The contrast from the Biden administration could not be clearer.

01:21Policies that allowed an open and lawless border have ended, and the message is clear.

01:27Illegal migrants, including violent offenders, will no longer have an open invitation.

01:32Criminal cartels and traffickers will no longer be enriched,

01:35and the safety of our citizens will no longer be put last.

01:40In less than 100 days, we've watched our southern border go from chaos to closed.

01:45The decisive actions and common-sense measures of the Trump administration have led to an historic turnaround,

01:51driving illegal crossings to record lows and ensuring removal of dangerous criminals.

01:57President Trump and his cabinet, particularly you, Madam Secretary,

02:00have delivered on the promise to have the most secure border in modern American history,

02:05and our nation is safer as a result.

02:07It's imperative that investments for effective border security enforcement are strong,

02:13and I'm dedicated to working with the members on this committee and across the Capitol

02:17to ensure the department is properly resourced.

02:20Secondly, I appreciate that the DHS mission doesn't end here.

02:24Living in Tornado Alley, Oklahomans are no strangers to devastation caused by natural disasters.

02:30Even now, a slow-moving storm and record-breaking rainfall is responsible for significant flooding in my state

02:37that's already resulted in the loss of life in a state of emergency declaration by our governor.

02:43When state and local resources are exhausted, we do rely on FEMA to bring additional capabilities

02:48that save residents, remove debris, and help our fellow citizens rebuild.

02:54This isn't a partisan issue. It's one that concerns states, regardless of politics.

02:58I look forward to a discussion on ways to reform FEMA and improve federal emergency response capability

03:04while eliminating inefficiencies and wasteful spending.

03:08Programs like the Building Resilient Infrastructure in Communities, or BRIC, grants

03:13have provided many communities with the means to mitigate the next disaster before it strikes,

03:19potentially saving taxpayers even more money.

03:22I support efforts like these that give local communities, including those in rural Oklahoma,

03:27resources to prevent further destruction.

03:30Madam Secretary, I know we're both committed to ensuring a safer and stronger communities across our nation.

03:37And thank you again for being here today.

03:39I look forward to your testimony.

03:41More importantly, just thank you for the job you're doing for the American people.

03:44The results have been spectacular and immediate beyond, I think, what any of us could have expected.

03:49And that's in no small measure to the manner in which you've led.

03:53So we're grateful for your service.

03:55With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.

03:58Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Category

Transcript

Recommended