TOPICS
TOPICS
New homeland security secretary praises department's employees
Newly confirmed Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff heaped praise on the department's employees Wednesday, telling them they are "doing maybe the most important job in government."
"I'm very proud to join you in serving the American people," Chertoff said in a speech to about 200 employees at DHS headquarters in Washington. "There's nothing you can do professionally that is more important than serving the United States."
Chertoff, a former federal judge, was unanimously confirmed by the Senate Tuesday to be the second homeland security secretary. He now takes over a behemoth department that is only two years old and experiencing the growing pains of merging 22 agencies and 180,000 employees under one identity.
Chertoff said people have approached him during the past five weeks and thanked him for joining DHS, "because they think the work of this department is so important and the people who serve here are doing maybe the most important job in government, which is protecting their families and their loved ones."
He added: "Having been in a number of different government jobs, I have to say I've never experienced the sense of public ownership that I experienced since I've become the nominee for this department. And I think it's a tribute to the important work that you do and the service that you render that people feel that way."
He said the department's mission has taken on an "new urgency" as a result of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
"And so, when sometimes we get tired or frustrated or impatient," he said, "I think the thing that I will bear in mind is that we have a tremendous responsibility and a tremendous privilege, and every day we can carry that out is a day that we can feel we've done a job very well done."
Chertoff served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit since 2003. Prior to that, he was the former chief of the Justice Department's Criminal Division, where he helped formulate the administration's policy immediately after the 9/11 attacks and helped create and implement the 2001 USA Patriot Act.
His Senate confirmation was delayed due to a dispute between Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., and the Bush administration about contentious memorandums on the administration's torture policies. Despite the squabble, Levin voted for Chertoff.
Chertoff also praised outgoing secretary Tom Ridge and deputy secretary James Loy. He added that he wants to hear about the experiences of his new employees and their ideas on how to make the department better.
COMMENTS
- TO: SSA/ICE/NYC 10-4 brother. Friends and fellow officers of mine have also been killed and wounded in the line of duty. I have also participated in my share of "armed and dangerous" arrests. It was not my intent to degrade the efforts of defenders of freedom on the homefront, only to compare how the daily dangers and hardships we confront on the homeland fade in comparison to what our magnificent young military people overseas face on a daily basis. If we all pause to consider the sacrifices of these young Americans perhaps some who dwell too much on selfish considerations may find it easier to ignore obstacles such as incompetent, obstructionist bureaucrats and concentrate on accomplishing the mission anyway. Be safe. GovExec.com reader Posted March 1, 2005 1:47 PM
- To: Special Agent DHS/ICE You apparently have no idea of how many alien criminals are prosecuted in this country on criminal immigration charges every day. Granted, these are typically not COMPLEX (read: career enhancing) investigations, they do however remove repeat violent criminals from the streets, every day, that's bang for the buck. In addition, what you call gophering for the FBI happens to be our best tool for disrupting terrorist and other criminal organizations. In fact, Immigration enforcement organizations ie: ICE, should be the lead in counter-terror and counter-intel investigations instead of the FBI due to the effectiveness of applying immigration administrative removal authority and criminal sanctions against terror suspects and support elements. Unlike you I will not degrade customs enforcement agents or operations. Like I stated previously we should all work as a team. While DHS/ICE may be a shambles now we should all work toward improving the organization for the future of our country. As far as your snivelling about lost promotion opportunities and how INS made out with the establishment of ICE, well, an old Border Patrol saying applies: LIFE IS TOUGH ON THE RIVER. GovExec.com reader Posted March 1, 2005 12:00 AM
- To Retired In Fort Worth: We all salute and honor those who are serving overseas in the fight against terrorists who seek to destroy us, and pray for the safe and swift completion of their mission. But don't knock those of us who serve on the homefront. I have over 25 years of federal law enforcement service, and have participated in many search and arrest warrants, including one where a fellow agent was shot. I was also present at the World Trade Center (where my office was located) during both the 1993 bombing, and the 2001 attack, where I almost lost my life. So please watch what you say. We all serve honorably, and many of us, both military and civilians in federal law enforcement, bear physical and emotional scars from that service. Thank you for YOUR service, and enjoy your retirement. I'm sure you earned it. GovExec.com reader Posted February 28, 2005 6:07 PM
