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 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.

I intend to support the nominee.

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

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

The logical combination of all-hazards prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery underscores the need to keep FEMA within DHS.

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 want to acknowledge that he was the first person to come to me when I was Chairman to point out problems with FEMA.

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.

You have ably described what an important role this is, as well as the impressive background of Mr. Morton.

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 think we need to strike the right balance.

Last Congress, working with Senators Lieberman, McCaskill, and Levin, our Committee was able to pass important reforms to the Federal contracting process and to strengthen our Nation's IGs.

By leveraging the expertise and independence of Inspectors General and their staffs, Congress has been able to identify, and take action to stop, wasteful spending.

In the last Congress, working with the Chairman as well as with Senators Lieberman and Levin, our Committee was able to pass important reforms to the Federal contracting process.

I would welcome the opportunity to make just a few comments, and I will put my full statement into the record.

Thank you, Madam Chairman.

The Inspectors General are vital partners in our effort to identify inefficient, ineffective, and improper government programs.

It doesn't make sense to carve out investigators and auditors.

I have introduced a bipartisan bill with Senator Herb Kohl and Senator Voinovich that would seek to provide that authority across government.

The Inspectors General are vital partners in Congress's effort to identify inefficient, ineffective, and improper government programs.

As General Skinner knows, we have worked very closely together on some of the FEMA reforms and the anti-waste, fraud, and abuse legislation for the Department of Homeland Security.

There is no one in the Congress who has a better understanding of Federal contracting of auditing issues than you do.

It seems to me that prior to going forward with the commitment of additional troops, that the administration should have already established specific benchmarks.