Billions of taxpayer dollars have been continually put at high risk and multiple key security programs do not fully meet the Department of Homeland Security's needs because DHS senior leadership is failing to hold acquisition programs…

This is truly unacceptable.

The American people's faith in Government was severely shaken.

I remember I used to think that the Secretary of Homeland Security should be somebody with like our background, a prosecutor, law-enforcement type.

When I hear it is going to take 10 more years to secure the border, that just didn't go over well with my constituents.

This is just the latest example demonstrating how your Department has not lived up to the important expectation of an open and accountable Government.

I do think those integrated fixed towers are really going to transform the security down there on the border.

What does DHS have to hide on its participation in these conferences?

If your Department cannot immediately provide the subcommittee with our requested information, we will explore more formal ways to obtain it.

Because I think the current impression with a lot of the American people is that there is no security at all down there.

I look forward to hearing from the witnesses about the actions of the Department, what they are doing to ensure that the component agencies are aware of what is expected of their personnel assigned and conducted their own personal…

I think there is an issue with that. I personally think it should be more under civilian control.