WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today released the following statement after voting against U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin’s (R-Okla.) nomination to replace Kristi Noem as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS):  

“DHS and ICE need major reforms—President Trump and Stephen Miller’s mass round ups and deportation campaign have been dangerous, reckless, and deadly. Removing Kristi Noem was a start, but not a cure-all. We cannot accept dysfunction and cruelty as the status quo, and I cannot support a nominee that will continue to carry out this agenda,” said Senator Welch. “However, I am hopeful Senator Mullin will work with me and his former colleagues to shore up FEMA, which is critically important and still under attack by the president. I hope he will work across the aisle and join Democrats in the fight to pay TSA agents, disaster recovery employees, and cybersecurity experts.”  

###