Susan Collins

Along with Senator Lieberman, I am the author of the law that created that center, so I know very well what the NCTC's responsibilities are.

Thank you. Those are very helpful suggestions and ones that we should adopt.

And, of course, it never ends because the criminals become more innovative and defeat the security software.

We think it is time for that data to be encrypted so that merchants never have those card numbers in their system.

It was the right decision. It has been judged as success by virtually everyone.

The one huge lever you have. There is nothing close to it. If you want to change security, the lever you have is procurement.

When Senator Lieberman and I sat down to implement the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission back in 2006, we quickly realized that one of the Commission's recommendations having to do with the placement of the National Counterterrorism…

Do the retailers know what law enforcement to go to?

That is exactly the issue because what may seem to be an isolated attack affecting one business in one State may, in fact, be part of a network of attacks on several different businesses.

But are there no computer programs that one can use to check to see if an intrusion has occurred?

We are living in a wondrous new age of global information, an era that is being shaped by digital technology.

We cannot call the czars or the heads of offices within the Executive Office of the President before this Committee.

I do have a couple more questions and one comment.

The information and communication networks that we refer to as cyberspace have become critical to our economy, our national defense, and our homeland security.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I think Mr. Reitinger's suggestion for a joint operations center where you have private sector and public sector people collocated and that is the source you go to, I think we need to get moving on that.

I think we need far more clarity in answering that question because it is going to be a lot easier for the business community if there is a single source to go to.

ICE plays a vital role in coordinating interior enforcement to detain and remove those who have violated our immigration laws.

This Committee's comprehensive investigation into the flawed response to Hurricane Katrina revealed fundamental problems with our nation's preparedness for catastrophic disasters.

I think we need to strike the right balance.

This should not be a political post. It should be a nonpartisan post that is filled by the most experienced individuals that we can find.

I just want to wish our nominee well. I, too, am impressed with his background and responses this morning, and I look forward to working with him.

I also think it speaks to a real problem within the Department that one agency is flagging so much fraud, and yet the agency that has to carry out the enforcement is only accepting 26 percent of the cases.

I would hope that your role is not just as the operational manager, but I would hope that you are the primary adviser to the Secretary in this area.

This tension, however, is not unique to a large hurricane like Hurricane Katrina.