Bennie Thompson

Real border security does not come from vaguely worded, politically charged Executive Orders or fancy signing ceremonies, but rather by providing the right personnel and tools to get the job done.

What impact do you anticipate President Donald Trump's Federal Hiring Freeze Executive Order will have on DHS's ability to remain consistent with this recommendation?

Unless the House Republicans step up, they risk the American public and history seeing them as puppets of a President.

The man who currently sits in the Oval Office thinks he is above oversight.

They are not to be questioned and are unwilling to subject their activities to oversight from the press, Congress, and Federal watchdogs.

The dysfunction you speak of has certainly been evident from Day One of President Trump's administration.

No government agency, no matter how dysfunctional, will change on its own accord. Independent oversight is a critical and necessary ingredient for positive, constructive change.

The work done to ensure that the Federal Government is accountable to the American people is more valuable than ever.

A uniform set of codes that if you want to participate in the disaster offerings that we have, you must have these on the books and enforced which would go a long ways toward addressing that.

We are going to have to figure out a way at least to share that burden in some equitable manner.

I have been involved in a number of disasters, but one that comes to mind is dealing with the Federal Flood Insurance Program, and how I see insurance companies shifting the burden and liability onto the backs of that program.

The important progress FEMA has made in carrying out its mission since Hurricane Katrina demonstrates the good that can come of a positive relationship between Congress and FEMA.

I served as Ranking Member of the full committee when Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the Gulf Coast, and as Chairman as the long, protracted recovery process began.

I appreciate Chairman Donovan and Ranking Member Payne for holding today's hearing so the committee can continue to examine FEMA.

I urge the Trump administration to be inclusive in this regard, and to continue Administrator Fugate's 'whole community' emphasis on disaster preparedness.

How many travelers did CBP detain?

The question that a lot of us have is why not come up with a sound policy that addresses border security rather than coming up with a product, in terms of a fence?

The border wall concept is ineffective and creates a false sense of security that will do nothing to alleviate the problem.

I come before you today to implore you to seek other alternatives and opportunities other than the Border Wall proposal put forth by President Trump.

Utilizing a 14th-Century solution to address a 21st-Century problem makes no sense, especially as it is the most expensive of all possible alternatives or solutions.

I come before you today to request that you seek other alternatives and opportunities other than the border wall proposal put forth by President Trump.

Your people were not doing their job.

I am just saying that he has indicated that it is a Muslim ban. So I can only take for what he is saying, he takes credit for drafting it.

I am just concerned about this notion that because the court has ruled... they have somehow put this country at risk by this ruling.

Putting the wall on the American taxpayers' credit card, knowing that Mexico has absolutely no intention of paying for it, will surely leave the American taxpayers stuck with the bill.