Political Quotes

“had I been present for rollcall vote No. 17 of the 119th Congress--confirmation of Kristi Noem, of South Dakota, to be Secretary of Homeland Security--I would have voted nay. As a Senator who represents nine federally recognized Tribes in Oregon, I am deeply disturbed by Ms. Noem's poor relationships with Tribal governments. In fact, Ms. Noem spread disinformation about Tribal communities in her home State which resulted in her banishment from lands held by nine different Tribes. Likewise, Ms. Noem has repeatedly peddled baseless claims about violent crime in several cities--to include my hometown, Portland, OR. Considering Donald Trump's chilling deployment of Homeland Security personnel to Portland and other cities in 2020, I am concerned by how Ms. Noem, with her prejudiced views, may implement similar orders in the coming years. Additionally, Ms. Noem, as Governor of South Dakota, mishandled the response to devastating floods in her State, to include delaying an emergency declaration, evacuation orders, and deployment of appropriate assets. As Oregon faces worsening storms, floods, and wildfires annually, I have no confidence in her ability to lead the Federal response to disasters and emergencies. Finally, she has fully endorsed controversial policies many of my constituents oppose, such as broad travel bans and militarizing the southern border. For all these reasons, I would have voted nay on Ms. Noem's confirmation. ____________________”