Welcome, everybody, to a very important hearing that we have. Thank you for being patient while we get started here. Ill have an opening statement, senator feinstein will, and then well go ill introduce our first panel and then when were done there go to the second panel and introduce that at that time. The Senate Judiciary committee today is holding a hearing that we entitle responses to the i crease in religious hate crimes. This is the subject of great bipartisan interest in the committee. Religious hate crimes harm victims and also have a great impact on communities. Many of these crimes would never have been committed but for hatred. They run counter to americas values such as religious freedom and tolerance. Americans have the right to be safe against those who would treat them as members of religious groups rather than as individuals. Religious hate drooimz crimcrime rise. Crimes against jewish people are the most common religious hate crimes and they have i creased. Relimbous h
Welcome, everybody, to a very important hearing that we have. Thank you for being patient while we get started here. Ill have an opening statement, senator feinstein will, and then well go ill introduce our first panel and then when were done there go to the second panel and introduce that at that time. The Senate Judiciary committee today is holding a hearing that we entitle responses to the i crease in religious hate crimes. This is the subject of great bipartisan interest in the committee. Religious hate crimes harm victims and also have a great impact on communities. Many of these crimes would never have been committed but for hatred. They run counter to americas values such as religious freedom and tolerance. Americans have the right to be safe against those who would treat them as members of religious groups rather than as individuals. Religious hate drooimz crimcrime rise. Crimes against jewish people are the most common religious hate crimes and they have i creased. Relimbous h
Secretary kelly talked about Immigration Enforcement and Cyber Security at th is subcommittee hearing. It is just under 1. 5 hours. Call to order. Welcome to the subcommittees first hearing of the department of Homeland Securitys fiscal year 2018 president ial budget request. I would like to extend a special welcome to todays witness, secretary john kelly. Mr. Secretary, we are very pleased you answered the president s call to lead dhs. Having someone with your credentials to lead this department will strengthen it and enrich it. Its good to begin the fy 18 appropriations cycle. Having someone with your despite its late start, im confident this subcommittee will produce a bill that supports the departments mission, balances competing interests, and is affordable to the american taxpayers. Before i go into the numbers, mr. Secretary, i have a couple of pieces of advice. First, never lose focus on the departments highest priority, to keep the nation safe and enforce the laws of the Unite
Welcome to the subcommittees first hearing on the fiscal year 2018 president ial budget request. Id like to extend a special welcome to todays witness, secretary john kelly. Mr. Secretary, we are very pleased you answered the president s call to lead dhs. Having someone with your credentials to lead this department will strengthen it and enrich it. It is good to begin the fy18 appropriations cycle, despite its late start, im confident this subcommittee will produce a bill that supports the departments mission, balances competing interests, and is affordable to the american taxpayers. Before i dive into the numbers, mr. Secretary, i have a couple of pieces of advice. First, never lose focus on the departments highest priority, to keep the nation safe and enforce the laws of the United States. With your reputation, i know you will do that. Second, stay in touch with me, with mrs. Roybalallard and let us know when you need help. Everyone on this subcommittee wants dhs to be successful mee
Good morning, this hearing will come to order. I would ask that my written Opening Statement be entered into the record. Without objection. I want to welcome secretary kelly for a hearing on the Homeland Security fiscal year 2018 budget. This is the third time secretary kelly has been before this committee, the second time as secretary. We appreciate your service to this country, your many years of it. I just want to make a couple of comments. By vocation, i am an accountant so i have gone through budget meetings many, many times. I want to talk about the history of the budget of the department of Homeland Security. When you take a look at total Budget Authority, when the department was first stood up, the first fiscal year was 2004. Wasdepartments budget 36. 5 billion. Had that budget just grown by inflation, todays request would be a little under 50 billion. The total Budget Authority is 70. 6 billion, a 93 increase. From my standpoint that represents on a bipartisan fashion, preside