TULSA. OKLA. — In a vote on Thursday the committee advanced the nomination by an 8 to 7 vote.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin faced tough questions Wednesday during a tense confirmation hearing to lead the Department of Homeland Security.
Mullin hopes to take over an agency in turmoil, currently in the middle of a partial government shutdown.
During the hearing, senators pressed Mullin on how he plans to rebuild trust after the rocky tenure of former Secretary Kristi Noem.
"In the past 14 months, Secretary Noem has fundamentally broken the American people's trust in the Department of Homeland Security. If confirmed to lead the department, how will you be different from Secretary Noem?" Sen. Maggie Hassan said.
"My management style is empowering people, and as I said in my opening statement, I want to protect the homeland. I want to bring peace of mind. I want to bring confidence back to the agency," Mullin said.
The Homeland Security Secretary manages a massive umbrella of federal agencies, including 260,000 employees overseeing 22 agencies that touch nearly every aspect of American safety. In addition to directing border security operations, the role oversees emergency management responses and manages transportation security at airports.
Senators pressed Mullin heavily on FEMA oversight after a controversial policy under Noem forced disaster grants over $100,000 to get personal approval from the secretary.
"That’s called micromanaging, and I don’t know if the secretary put that in or somebody else did. I’m not a micromanager. We put people in. We empower them to make decisions. What is required to come into my level; we will make decisions. We will have a very clear line of communication with every one of our agency heads," Mullin said.
On ICE and detention, Mullin promised a significant shift, saying immigration officers would be required to obtain judicial warrants before entering homes.
Fellow Oklahoma Senator James Lankford introduced Mullin at the hearing.
"I get the honor and getting a chance to be able to recognize and introduce my friend Markwayne Mullin, my fellow Senator from the state of Oklahoma, and somebody that I've seen work incredibly hard to be ready for every single task you've ever taken on. and to be able to not only do it, but do it well," the senator said.
"This is a person that actually lives what we affectionately call in Oklahoma the Oklahoma Standard, that when hard things actually occur, you step up and you serve your neighbor," the senator said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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