President Trump has made it clear through budget cuts and hiring freezes that he does not understand the critically important work of FEMA and other agencies across our Government.

I think Congress was right to mandate the 100 percent.

I refused to believe it then, and I think now we have done a very good job at not only keeping security uppermost.

"It is such a good bargain . . . to spread fear amongst the enemy and keep him on his toes in exchange of a few months of work and a few thousand bucks."

So I guess the question that I have, and then I will start with Mr. Elias is, what transformation have you seen from the beginning to now that is you think important for this committee to understand?

DHS Secretary John Kelly has described the threat to aviation as "sophisticated" and "very real."

We must continue to prioritize the security of our transportation systems and invest in security measures that really make a difference, like those that help secure our cargo rather than wasting billions on a border wall that will not…

Our leader on this panel, Ranking Member Thompson, was the author of this measure, that, among other things, required 100 percent screening of cargo on domestic and international in-bound passenger flights within 3 years.

I think this is a watershed moment for air cargo screening in this country.

If successful, this plot would have killed innocent people and caused catastrophic economic disruption.

I continue to reserve the balance of my time. Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Garrett), a member of the Homeland Security Committee.

I continue to reserve the balance of my time. Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Higgins), a member of the Homeland Security Committee.

I continue to reserve the balance of my time. Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Estes).

I continue to reserve the balance of my time. Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Katko), chairman of the Subcommittee on Transportation and Protective Security of the Homeland…

I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Gallagher), chairman of the Task Force on Denying Terrorist Entry into the United States of the Homeland…

It is therefore incumbent upon the United States to continue to enhance our capacity to identify those who have traveled to Iraq and Syria for terrorist purposes and support our partners' capacity to do the same.

This effort requires diplomacy and relationship building, neither of which have been a strong suit of the Trump administration thus far.

My legislation sends a positive message to the DHS workforce that their contributions to the DHS mission are valued and they have not been forgotten as they endure new stresses and challenges under the Trump administration. My legislation…

Since Donald Trump became the President, the USSS is covering considerably more protectees but is down 250 special agents and 350 administrative and technical staff members.

The dedication of the men and women of the Secret Service is indisputable; however, the law enforcement agency has been plagued with cultural problems and management challenges.

I hope that your CBP experience will translate to improvements at the Secret Service.

I join my colleagues in condemning this horrible violence and offering steadfast support to our friend and ally, Great Britain.

Americans can be assured that Democrats will be fighting in the weeks and months ahead to restore funding for these vital preparedness and response programs.

We cannot afford to squander taxpayers' dollars on programs that fail to address the varied and sophisticated homeland security threats facing our country.

Let me begin by expressing my condolences to those who lost loved ones in the terrorist attack in London last week.