Background checks are a very important part of the clearance process.

there is an extraordinarily high number of reporting requirements.

hands-on experience [that] cannot be understated. Other leadership at FEMA brings particular skill sets — policy management leadership, for example.

We have to build a robust permanent staffing capability for the agency so that we’re not in the type of situation where with every storm you’re replacing them. Volunteers have a critical role to play,...

It’s time to stop playing with (organizational) charts. We’re intensely focused on the coming storm season.

At this point of time, we continue to move forward.

No one is satisfied with the response early on.

It is testament to the generosity of the American people – a lot of people wanted to contribute, … But there is not really any way of knowing at this time if or whether individual...

One major concern with regions is that it would create an extra level of bureaucracy and establish a kind of silo effect and various little fiefdoms responsible for a variety of cross cutting activities.

There was a tremendous sense of urgency, … We were mobilizing the greatest response to a disaster in the nation’s history.

It’s no longer a situation where border security means just Border Patrol agents.

It will let the experts on planning and preparation focus on that and the experts on search and rescue focus on that,

We are taking a look at a broad range of issues that have come up as a result of the hurricane. Obviously, logistics support systems present some concerns and that is an area that we...

We really don’t have much time to be rearranging the ‘org’ chart.

As we secure and shut down vulnerabilities, we know that terrorists will seek new ways to carry out their agenda. Rather than looking backward at yesterday’s threats, we are building upon what we have already...

We continue to work with the intelligence community and officials at all levels of government. Although the threat information was very specific, it still remains of doubtful credibility.

FEMA budgets have increased over the last couple of years and personnel numbers have held strong as well. There has always been a commitment to ensure the resources are there.

We’d like to get to the point where we’re not just training people and releasing them.

There’s nothing new or insightful on these tapes. We actively participated in the lessons-learned review, and we continue to participate in the Senate’s review and are working with them on their recommendation.

Our purpose is to push the security envelope overseas.

There will be plenty of time to assess what worked and what didn’t work. Clearly there will be time for blame to be assigned and to learn from some of the successful efforts.

We’ve been forthcoming throughout this process.

will respond in written form to the governor and address in great detail the concerns that he’s raised as soon as possible.

Virtually each of these claims fall short of reflecting the substantial work that has been done in securing America since 9/11.

I’m not going to address a number of the issues we are discussing with Congress in the press. I’ll just tell you that we are committed to strengthening work site enforcement.

We were already operating under the National Response Plan.

Apart from its obvious errors, it displays a significant misunderstanding of core aspects of the Katrina response that could have easily been corrected in the most basic conversations with DHS leaders.

I don’t believe there is one critical error. They are going to be some missteps that were made by everyone involved.

We take these allegations very seriously, and we will cooperate fully with this ongoing investigation.

We’ve had a regular dialogue with first responders and discussed some of these issues with them. We’re clearly an all hazards department and have taken significant measures to enhance preparedness and recovery capability since Sept....

A cursory phone call to DHS would have revealed that the catastrophic annex is designed for ‘no-notice’ or ‘short-notice’ events, where no personnel or supplies have been pre-positioned, which was clearly not the case in...

We are investigating internally, We take any leak, or potential leak, of classified material very seriously.

I think we have been very, very clear. The focus, without hesitation, is on risk management. Homeland Security grants are now based on risk instead of spreading a little out for everyone.

Since 9/11, as a nation, our preparedness has increased dramatically. We need to ensure that in major metropolitan areas, preparedness is an all-hazards preparedness. So we’re going to have a look at these individual plans...

We are not talking about DOD taking over federal response efforts to a catastrophe from start to finish,

Further, the preliminary report falsely implies inaction by DHS and FEMA before landfall. In fact, the clear record shows that state officials expressed satisfaction with the federal government’s asset pre-positioning and other pre-hurricane assistance during...

The intelligence community has not found any evidence to substantiate the threat information.

It’s not just a director that we’re looking to bring on board. We’re looking at a package of senior veterans that can come in and really help to lead the agency and continue to retool...

We are encouraging those states that want to work with us.

Lucia Pinochet is no longer in the custody of the Department of Homeland Security. She is returning, this evening, to the country of her last departure.

This is a unique circumstance. This is not like a business in the private sector or even other departments in the federal government. It’s a unique department with a great sense of urgency for fulfilling...

While the situation in the Superdome was nightmarish and not satisfactory to anyone involved, it was not a life-and-death situation and we had to focus our priorities where we could,

I’m not sure what is shocking about this video. There’s really nothing new or insightful from it.

That was the trigger,

I would tell you it is hard to see how Mike can make that argument with a straight face after he testified he willfully kept the secretary and the department out of the loop.

Like any relationship, you recognize you can always find ways to grow and strengthen those ties, and we’ve been interested in doing so. We hope to move on it very quickly.

We agree with the concept that we should provide incentives to encourage security practices that go beyond mandated law and regulation.

They were training to help the life-savers.

aiding those in need and getting about the reconstruction and rebuilding process.

Had the intelligence community concluded the threat was imminent or credible, we would have followed … different protocols.