August 14, 2020

Correa Demands Senate Confirmation For DHS Leadership Following GAO Legal Opinion Confirming Trump’s Top DHS Appointments Were Illegal

Washington, DC — Today, Congressman Lou Correa (CA-46), Chairman of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Maritime and Transportation Security, released the following statement regarding a GAOlegal opinion on the legality of the appointments of Chad Wolf as Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Ken Cuccinelli as Senior Official Performing the Duties of Deputy Secretary. The report comes as a response to several letters sent to the GAO by Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

Rep. Correa said, "High-level government appointees are accountable to the American people, not just the President. It's why the Senate confirms the President's appointees—because while they work for the President, their job is to serve the American people. The American people get a voice in who runs our federal agencies, and without Senate confirmation, their voice was squashed.  
 
"President Trump has repeatedly sidestepped this requirement and appointed his unqualified political allies to positions of high power. Today's GAO report tells us what we have long suspected. Without Senate confirmation, neither Chad Wolf nor Ken Cuccinelli, have the authority to lead.
 
"The President continues to ignore the powers and role of Congress in our democratic form of government. The President should immediately rescind these appointments and put forth new leaders for Senate confirmation. The American people deserve to know that the Department of Homeland Security is working to keep them safe, and not as a political toy for the President."

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Rep. Lou Correa represents California’s 46th Congressional District. He serves as Chair of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security, and as the Vice Chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet. Read more here.