WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Chair of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, yesterday spoke on the Senate floor to voice her strong support for President Trump's nominee to be Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.).

On experiencing Senator Mullin's strong character and professionalism firsthand:

"Many in this chamber have had the opportunity to get to know Markwayne, and that is both a privilege and something that doesn't take long, because with Markwayne, what you see is what you get. He is authentic in every interaction, and he has never met a stranger … He is a man of faith and deep conviction, a devoted husband and father … Throughout his life, he and his beautiful family have poured so much of their time, energy, and efforts into serving their community, state and our great nation. … His grit is absolutely unmatched, and he never backs down from a cause, person, or principle that he believes in …

"Markwayne has already stepped up twice to serve the United States, both in Congress and here in the Senate. And now he has answered the call again by accepting the incredible responsibility of running the Department of Homeland Security as its secretary."

On her role as Chair of the Senate DHS Appropriations Subcommittee and how Senator Mullin is uniquely positioned to lead the Department:

"As chair of the Senate DHS Appropriations subcommittee, I can say from personal experience that navigating the Department of Homeland Security is no small task. It is one of the largest and most complex federal agencies in our government and … leading this department at this point in our country's history will require a leader willing and able to solve the issues facing our nation. And that's why I'm here today, to tell you that Markwayne is not only qualified, but that I know without a shadow of a doubt, that he's the right person at the right time to lead this department."

On her confidence in Senator Mullin to carry out President Trump's agenda and his ability to work across the aisle in the Senate and U.S. House of Representatives to achieve solutions:

"Over the past several years here in the Senate, he hasn't just served his constituency back home. He's also served as a liaison between this body and the House and the White House, trying to figure out what was possible and find a pathway forward … Markwayne doesn't just talk about problems or issues that we are facing. He puts in the work and the time to find real solutions. It's a rare breed in this town and something we undoubtedly need more of. With strong relationships on both sides of the aisle, he's willing to sit down with anyone, anywhere and figure out a pathway forward …

"President Trump was elected to a second term with a clear mandate, and that was to secure our border and to protect us from threats here in our interior and abroad. I have absolute confidence in Markwayne's ability to carry out that mission at the Department of Homeland Security."

On Senator Mullin's unwavering dedication to supporting the many DHS personnel who serve our nation:

"From our ICE and CBP officers, to our Coast Guard service members, to the men and women at FEMA, to our cybersecurity personnel at CISA, to our hard working Secret Service agents, to our TSA officers, and so many more. Markwayne will never back down from supporting you … He will never back down from the responsibility of ensuring the safety and security of our American citizens. He will never back down from the mission of protecting our most valuable asset, our people. He's not going to back down from protecting his family, and I can promise you, he will not back down from protecting yours.

"I believe he is going to be the best and most consequential secretary the Department of Homeland Security has ever seen. I look forward to seeing his leadership and the success he's going to bring to our nation … I want to thank President Trump for nominating such a tremendous man and leader."

You can watch the Senator's full remarks here.

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