Political Quotes

“Mr. President, in closing, I want to do something I think the Presiding Officer has heard me do before. I try to come to the floor once a month and talk about some of the employees who work at the Department of Homeland Security. They work for us across this country and really around the world. This is the youngest Department, if you will, that we have in the Federal Government. It is about 12 years old. It sort of formed on the heels of 9/11. Twenty-two agencies that have some commonality in their focus or the way they touch the security of our homeland and the people who live in it kind of glommed together. The morale in the Department has not been good. There has been a great, sustained effort--and certainly we are trying to support it in our Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs--to turn a corner and let people know that not only is the work they do important, but we appreciate their efforts. I wish to say a few words today about some of the men and women who work tirelessly to keep us safe and secure, often without a lot of recognition and thanks. I am talking about the good people at the Transportation Security Administration, now led by retired Coast Guard Admiral Neffenger, Peter Neffenger, a very able and impressive leader. As the Easter holidays approach, many Americans will be traveling to spend time with their families around the country and even around the world.…”