November 6, 2017 The Honorable Ron Johnson Chairan Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Goveental Aairs 340 Dirksen Senate Oce Building Wasington, DC 2050 The Honorable Claire McCaskill Ranking Member Senate Commitee on Homeland Security and Goveental Aairs 340 Dirksen Senate Oce Building Wasington, DC 2050 Dear Cairm Joson and Ranking Member McCaskill, As a biparisa group of 40 rmer senior ocials who served at or worked closely with te Deparment of Homeland Security, we rite entusiastically in uppor of te nomination of Kirstjen ielsen to be the 6

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Secretary of Homeland Security. We urge the Committee on Homeland Security and Goveental airs and the ll Senate to act on her nomination quickly to proide DHS, and te nation, with te ll extent of Ms. Nielsen's expeise and  judgment. Ms. ielsen will bing a wealth of substantive expertise to the department, particularly in te vital areas of cybersecurity, disaster respone, and transportation secuity. As we ae seen in recent weeks and monts, DHS must be prepared to respond to a wide variety of crise, bot man-made d natural. Ms ielsen as a proen record of leadership, good judgment, and work ethic to guide te department's eors to secure te nation' borders, respond to ongoing and ture naural calamities, and cilitate trade and travel ital to our nation's economy. DHS is a large organization of over 200,000 employees, numerous component agencies, and a myriad of responsibilities om li-saving aritime operations to bolstering inastucture security to detecting threats to agiculture. We have admired Ms. ielsen's management skill at DHS, te Wite House, and in private business, and believe she i well-respected by te career workce at DHS and its components. We also note tat conrming Ms. Nielsen ill provide DHS with continuity aer te or but promiing tenure of General Jon Kelly as Secretary, wic has been llowed by the capable tewardsip of Acting Secretary Elaine Duke. A Cief of Sta, M. ielsen was intimately involved in deparmental planing d in interactions ith reign goveents, other deral agencies, and private sector stakeolders. While well-intentioned, previous new DHS Secretaries oen have brought in eh leaderhip teams, reorganied te department, and implemented new priorities. We believe that during thi early stage of the new administration, a smoot transition between Secretaries is critical to the deparment' success.

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Brian Goebel, Former Counselor and Senior Policy Advisor, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Leslie Gross-Davis, Former Deputy Assistant Secretary r Legislative Aairs, Department of Homeland Security David Heyan, Former Assistant Secretary r Policy, Department of Homeland Secity Adam Isles, Former Deputy Chief of Sta, Deparment of Homeland Security Michael Jackson, Forer Deputy Secretary, Deparment of Homeland Security Donald H. Kent, Jr., Former Assistant Secretary r Legislative Aairs, Deparment of Homeland Security Admiral James Loy, Former Deputy Secretary, Departent of Homeland Security Jane Holl Lute, Former Deputy Secretary, Deparment of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas, Former Deputy Secretary, Depament of Homeland Security Michael Mullen, Former Assistant Commissioner r Inteational Aairs and Trade Relations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Michael Neich, Foer Principal Legal Advisor, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enrcement John Pistole, Former Administrator, Transporation Security Administration Leon Rodriguez, Former Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services W.Price Roe, Foer Counselor to the Secretary, Deparment of Homeland SecurityPaul Rosenzweig, Former Deputy Assistant Secretary r Policy, Deparment of Homeland Security Seth Stodder, Former Assistant Secretary r Border, Immigration & Trade Policy, Deparment of Homeland Security Chad Sweet, Former Chief of Sta, epaent of Homeland Security Robert Silvers, Forme Assistant Secretary r Cyber Policy, Deparment of Homeland Security Michael Stroud, Deputy Assistant Secretary r Legislative Aairs, Deparment of Homeland Security

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