Confirmed secretary of the department of Homeland Security, which is an enormous task. This in the past, i truly appreciate anybody who was willing to undertake such enormous responsibility. I would ask my written opening remarks be entered into the record, without objection. I will keep it short. I know which got time restraints we have got time restraints. The secretary of Homeland Security manages 240,000 people in the department. The responsibilities for Homeland Security are vast. Starting with the Emergency Management agency, which has to do with deal with hurricanes, wild fires, and now covid, amongst many other responsibilities. More security is a huge issue. Hes done a pretty good job of establishing the out of control, illegal entry we are experiencing were experiencing over a year ago. The department is concerned about cybersecurity, election security, the security of our Critical Infrastructure. As we just witnessed, some of the protests have sprung into riots, was a protecting federal buildings. We have tragically lost Patrick Underwood in oakland, california, a member of the federal protection services. The responsibilities are enormous. Of the envy any sector Homeland Securitys task. One quick would, i do want to talk about my standpoint, would next to narrate job dhs what an extra ordinary job dhs has done in dealing with covid. I know that is not the narrative in the Mainstream Media and from many of my colleagues, but the fact of the matter is, i come from a manufacturing background. I understand the difficult situation. Covid is an act of god. If you think back to the beginning of this when we were concerned about running out of president s, the signed the production act and we produced ventilators and the buddy ran out and nobody ran out. I know what was not perfect. I know people did not get everything they wanted, but we did not run out. Was oversupply over two thirds. I know the men and women throughout the federal agencies dealing with covid have been working 24 7. You have done a pretty extraordinary job through this very difficult situation. What is unfortunate is someone like acting secretary wolf, i said the same with louis dejoy, the postmaster general, not only thankless task, but it opens you up to character assassinations, as well. I find it very unfortunate. I want to thank you personally and the men and women that served with you on the department for working tirelessly to keep our homeland secure, keep this nation safe, and dealing with all these enormous issues youre dealing with day in and day out. You for your past service, your willingness to serve in this capacity, as well, and i welcome you and any guest you may have brought to the hearing. Hope you can introduce them, your family members. It will turn it over to senator peters. Senator peters. Think it, mr. Chairman. Thank you, acting secretary wolf, for your willingness to serve. Today, we are considering the nomination of chad wolf to be the secretary of Homeland Security. Under this administration, we have seen an unprecedented willingness to abandon the norms of Senate Confirmed cabinet officials. This has been a particular problem at the department of Homeland Security. The countrys thirdlargest agency. And an absolute critical part of safeguarding our National Security. Vacancies and acting officials are part of every administration. But we should beware, this administration has abused the vacancies to the tremendous of this department. The president refuses to formally nominate a leader for the dhs refused to formally nominate a leader for the dhs for more than 500 days. It was not only legally questionable, but created chaos and confusion, regarding numerous threats to our National Security. The department cannot successfully tackle the serious challenges it faces without strong, steady, and independent leadership. Has experience at the department, primarily as chief of staff, but also as an undersecretary and now acting secretary, he has been involved in some of the most controversial and concerning decisions the department has made. Ant todecisions warr critical review of his record and call into question whether he is the right person for this critical role. Under his leadership, the department has faced daunting challenges, asylumseekers at ar southern border, pandemic, civil unrest, and Deadly Wildfires and hurricanes. While these challenges would strain even the most repaired staff, i am concerned by reports of slow decisionmaking and the sidelining of experts. Reports that raises serious questions about the judgment and independence of agency leaders. How also concerned about the department has failed to adequately address the rise of domestic terrorism and white supremacist violence. While the threat of domestic terror is not new, the necessary shift from mainly foreign threats that have nominated the hasrtments origins, it been 18 years since congress and so muchlation has changed since then. Our country faces persistent threats, both longstanding and new, including foreign and domestic terrorism, election security, national disasters, cyberattack, and now a pandemic. It is this committees responsibility to ensure that any agency has the experience, readership, and temperament to protect the American People. Before i wrap up my remarks, i want to take a moment to acknowledge the severe toll the pandemic has had on the department of Homeland Security. Hundreds of frontline personnel have an affected while working every day to help keep us safe. We have lost 6 tsa officials to the pandemic. Our hearts go out to all of those who have suffered because of this terrible disease. I would like to acknowledge the Border Patrol agent is fighting for his life now after being attacked in arizona while on monday night on duty monday night. I wish him a speedy recovery and i think him and i thank him and his fellow agents for all the work that they do every night. I look forward to the discussion country. The welcome. I asked to enter a letter that was received by the house of Homeland Security chairman, outlining his concerns with the lack of compliance with requests for information. Thank you. Thank you. It is our pleasure to have senator ted cruz introduce mr. W olf. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Thank you to the committee for welcoming me here. Be an historicly moment and the First Senate Committee hearing ever with a pool table in the background. I see you have a lovely pool table in your living room and i will say that at this time of deep and contentious division, perhaps if the senate gathered around a pool table and a beer, we might get more done then sitting than sitting in a room and yelling at each other, but that may not happen today. It is a pleasure to introduce chad wolf, a fellow texan and a dedicated public servant. He is an individual i believe is eminently qualified to be the next secretary of Homeland Security. Chad was born in jackson, mississippi. He made his way to the great state of texas and grew up in plano, texas. He began his career working for not one but two texas senators. Hell after the hill after the september 11 attacks to protect our country from attacks. He became an early leader at the tsa, finishing out his first run in 2005. 005 after over a decade in the private sector there, chad turned to the tsa as chief of staff in 2017 before becoming deputy chief of staff and eventually chief of staff at the department of Homeland Security. He has been the acting secretary since november 2019 and in that role, he has shown strong leadership. That leadership has been tested in particular by the protests that became ryan and the violence we have seen across the country. Worsee was that violence than in portland oregon. Attempted toem recount it recap he took the responsibility to theect personnel with greatest seriousness. He did so at a time political divisions in this country made it much more difficult to do so. When the at a time mayor of portland and the governor of oregon both told him to get the hell out. Was not willing to abandon a federal courthouse that was still hearing cases, still in operation. He was not willing to hand the courthouse over to the mob and allow them to burn the courthouse to the ground. Nor was he willing to abandon the men and women whom he has been entrusted to lead. Federal Law Enforcement officers of violenteds physical attacks in portland. Having rocks known of them, Water Bottles thrown at them, industrial grade lasers fired their eyes in their eyes, resulting in murderous num erous eye injuries. Them,mbs thrown at protesters armed with guns, knives, night after night attacking officers in profoundly political context. Wolfsbeen impressed by steadfast commitment to do his job, to follow the law, to protect the federal facility he and torged to protect, stand with the men and women and federal Law Enforcement officers. Inelieve that record, addition to his long history and experience, qualifies him well to be confirmed as the secretary. Thank you, senator cruz. The tradition of this committee to swear witnesses in. Mr. Wolf, if you will stand and raise your right hand. Do you swear the testimony that you will give will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you god . I do. Thank you, please be seated. Mr. Wolf was a pointed to the actor appointed to the acting secretary position in november of 2019. Coordinated strategies and policies to advance the department of Homeland Securitys mission. He held numerous leadership positions in the department, including serving as chief of staff. He served as Vice President and senior director at wexler and walker. Mr. Wolf. Distinguishedg members of the committee. Today,n honor to be here and to be the nominee for the secretary of the apartment of Homeland Security department of Homeland Security, Whose Mission is more sacred than ever before. I would like to thank senator cruz for being here today and introducing me, his kind words, of for his continued support the department. Means lesstion often personal time with family and loved ones, which is a sacrifice felt by all of us in Public Service. I would like to take this time to recognize my family for their ongoing encouragement, patience, and support. Please allow me to introduce my wife of 16 years, hope. She is my rock and without her, i would not be here today. I would also like to acknowledge my two children who keep me grounded and focused on the important things in life like Little League. I would like to recognize my parents who were unable to travel to d. C. Today. In an early age, they instilled in me a sense of Public Service and commitment. I would also like to thank members of this committee and their staff and the important that they do every day. I have had the privilege of meeting you over the past several years and i look forward to the opportunity to work closely together with you to advance the mission of the department. I would like to thank the dhs workforce for everything they do to keep the homeland safe and secure. Most americans do not understand the sacrifice that they make, the unfair criticism that they endure, and the complexities of their job. From one employee to another, i thank you for your service. Like many americans, my personal commitment began on september 11. At that time, i had no idea that the events of that morning would shape the future and the future of our nation. Heeding the call to service, i the transportation security administration, the very agency tasked with securing our airways and ensuring another event 9 11 would never happen again. I was proud to serve with tsa at its conception inception. I have had several positions, including the department chief of staff, the undersecretary position, as well as the acting secretary position. Over the past 10 months, while serving as the undersecretary, i experienced some of the most difficult challenges of our lifetime. I could not be prouder of the accomplishments we achieved. We faced a Global Pandemic had on. Head we aggressively pushed back against maligned foreign actors who sought to interfere in our elections and worked together with all 50 states and territories to protect our election infrastructure. We have been tireless in our efforts. We believe that we taken extraordinary measures to traffickers,man covid19onal crime, fraud, and more. We have stood firm against civil unrest and violence, much of which have been directed to our nations foreign properties. Resources,ent has provided aid to states as appropriate, and has done so with the respect and professionalism i have come to expect the dedicated men and women of dhs Law Enforcement. We are supporting our state and as we recovert from numerous hurricanes. Ourdepartment has marshaled assets, exercised our authority, and acted to protect the safeguard of the American People in our way of life. Our eyes are remaining firmly on the horizon. Enemies,egies of our the dhs will adapt at every turn to defeat those who seek to do our nation arm. Our mission our nation harm. Our mission is increasingly complex. One that transcends orders. Transcends borders. It has been the greatest honor to serve with the men and women of the department and if i am fortunate enough to be confirmed, i look over to continuing our progress to protect the lives of all americans. Thank you. Thank you, acting secretary wolf. I want to express my sincere gratitude to your wife and children. I am sure they do not see a whole lot. Especially since you started serving this role. Thank you very much. There are a few questions for the record. Is there anything you are aware of in your background that might present a conflict of interest with the duties of office to which you have been nominated . No. Do you know anything, personal or otherwise, that prevent you from discharging the duties that you have been nominated . No. Do you agree with no reservation to comply with any appear if summons to you are confirmed . Yes. Frequently, i well reserve my time and pass the questioning, but maybe it is because i have been the target of a number of false allegations here over the past weeks and months. I know you are having to endure this as well, so i am going to fouryou my time to address current attacks against you or your office, and i will list them and you can respond to each of the four. First, if you can respond to the allegations of the order succession issue, you can respond to the charges about events occurring at add you cann facility, if respond to the whistleblower complaint from brian murphy, the forer acting undersecretary intelligence and analysis, and then just today, a brandnew charge about contracts that were let out by dhs. Take as much time as you want and address these for the committee, please. I will take those in order. We are certainly aware of the opinion regarding the order of succession of the apartment. We strongly disagree. I will continue to say that i inspect the role that they play, but that does not dismiss the fact that we believe they have a faulty decision in the legal logic that they use. It is inaccurate. We will continue to talk about that. And nonbinding decision that they made. We will continue to state our position. We stated in attic. We will continue to we state it emphatically. We will use our authority to designate successors. We have the unique authority to do that. We did that in this case. And not under the vacancy reform , but under the aha, with which they did not comment on. That is the first one. When this at the outset. We take whistleblowers very seriously. Have certain rights. Certainly make sure that those investigation by the office of the Inspector General are played out and will be fully cooperative with that. Regarding the ice whistleblower complaint, it is my understanding that the oig is starting to have individuals on the ground in that facility in georgia. They will be talking with those individuals today and tomorrow. I look forward to that investigation. Some of what we have seen thus are dramaticr allegations concerning medical procedures. Some of the facts on the ground and what we have seen do not back up those allegations. I will let the oig process play out. There is a kernel of truth to any of that. That i willantee hold those accountable and we will take decisive action. We need to make sure that we fully investigate them so that all sides have a chance to be heard. Regarding the intelligence and analysis, the whistleblower complaint from mr. Murphy is false. It is a fabrication completely. I reject any lame that i attempted to influence or retaliate against any act. I removed or reassigned mr. Murphy at the beginning of august for a very specific reason that i issued and a statement on. I received edible allegations that he abused his position, his authority, and possibly violated numerous legal requirements when he personally directed a collection of information on u. S. Journalists. I refer that to the oig. There is an s to gaging. I told him at the time that i needed to there is an investigation. I told him at the time that i without any appearance of influence by him leading that organization. He had dissipated with that. And we see what is occurring at the time. Indication that information was being collected on journalists, i had to take that action for any type of investigation was completed. I will continue to talk about everything i have done, the conversations i have done with mr. Murphy, i am happy to go further on that as well. And then, just recently, overnight there is a new story awardedme contract dhs to my wifes firm in 2018. I just found out about it last night when the Media Inquiry came in. Staff, i was chief of acting secretary,