Tom Carper

I believe that the Department of Homeland Security plays a role in helping to protect other civilian agencies.

We like to learn from our mistakes. What have we learned from the trials of terrorists that we have actually held here and the folks we have imprisoned here?

I appreciate the Administration's proposal to add $900 million to key aviation security programs.

This increased recommendation of $900 million certainly increases our defenses against attempts to attack us on airplanes.

Thanks for coming off the disabled list to be here with all of us today, and thank you also for your service.

I will support a request to increase aviation security fees to benefit the budget of the Department of Homeland Security.

Well, that is encouraging to hear.

It is five people. It is not five houses, but five people.

We are going to invest our money where it is going to be real hard to drag people out.

Some of the people that might be hired, you brought on board, say, in February, might not necessarily be still there in March, April, or May?

I think that the other thing that probably carries over from one census to another that is a strength of the Bureau is their workforce.

Good. I have some, and again, thanks so much for the work that you and your colleagues have done in the IG's office.

In my view, it is not, in the big picture, not an enlightened position to take.

I think the IT problems that we have all talked about, and Mr. Goldenkoff alluded to in his statement are far and beyond the most troubling aspects of this Decennial.

I fully support these unprecedented improvements in the screening of applicants.

In the past, I am told that the Census Bureau has worked with the Immigration and Naturalization Service to refrain from conducting raids during response follow-up.

I think that, on the one hand, I think that cost controls are always an issue.

We all know not everybody in this country speaks English.

Let us do it together. Let us count ourselves and reapportion the House and get all the benefits from an accurate count that we can through our own participation.

Probably some older men, too?

I think one thing that we have consistently commended the Bureau for is taking on a more sophisticated or rigorous risk management approach to the Decennial.

OK. Thanks for that clarification.

Would you just explain what you just said there?

Let me note that the safety of the American public and of our staff is of paramount concern to me during this process.

I would urge you to be as energetic as you possibly can in enforcement in those areas because by exporting the pollution to other States these companies have taken themselves out of the loop of local consequence.