Hearing Report: Nomination Hearing Held for Secretary of Homeland Security Nominee Kristi Noem
Nomination Hearing Held for Secretary of Homeland Security Nominee Kristi Noem
January 17, 2025
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to serve as the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, received a cordial bipartisan welcome from lawmakers during her nomination hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee this morning. The hearing largely focused on border security and immigration matters, cybersecurity, protecting the United States from terrorists, including home-grown ones, strengthening the Secret Service, and enhancing emergency preparedness and response activities in the Department.
At this hearing, Governor Noem and Committee members only briefly discussed aviation security issues. Near the end of the hearing, Ranking Member Gary Peters (D-MI) raised his legislation (H.R. 1631, Safeguarding the Homeland from the Threats Posed by Unmanned Aircraft Systems Act of 2023) to extend authorities to comprehensively address drone threats, specifically mentioning concerns about the upcoming Super Bowl. Governor Noem responded that she would work with him, if confirmed, to strengthen these authorities. Senator Lankford (R-OK) raised concerns about the TSA security screening process, the need to identify challenges that the agency still faces, and ways to correct them. Governor Noem committed to doing so.
Noem has served as the Governor of South Dakota for the past six years. Before that, she served in the House of Representatives from 2010-2018.
Next Monday, January 20, the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee will vote to advance her nomination. At this time, it is unclear when the full Senate will consider her nomination.
Until a DHS Secretary is confirmed, TSA Administrator David Pekoske will serve as the Acting DHS Secretary, a position he has held previously. At TSA, Melanie Harvey will serve as the Acting Administrator until he returns to the agency.
AAAE is carefully watching the transition to determine how the focus on border security and immigration may impact future DHS budgets for critical airport priorities in TSA and for CBP officers at airports. As a reminder, it was during the first Trump Administration that TSA began trying to shift more and more of their costs to airports.
January 17, 2025
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to serve as the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, received a cordial bipartisan welcome from lawmakers during her nomination hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee this morning. The hearing largely focused on border security and immigration matters, cybersecurity, protecting the United States from terrorists, including home-grown ones, strengthening the Secret Service, and enhancing emergency preparedness and response activities in the Department.
At this hearing, Governor Noem and Committee members only briefly discussed aviation security issues. Near the end of the hearing, Ranking Member Gary Peters (D-MI) raised his legislation (H.R. 1631, Safeguarding the Homeland from the Threats Posed by Unmanned Aircraft Systems Act of 2023) to extend authorities to comprehensively address drone threats, specifically mentioning concerns about the upcoming Super Bowl. Governor Noem responded that she would work with him, if confirmed, to strengthen these authorities. Senator Lankford (R-OK) raised concerns about the TSA security screening process, the need to identify challenges that the agency still faces, and ways to correct them. Governor Noem committed to doing so.
Noem has served as the Governor of South Dakota for the past six years. Before that, she served in the House of Representatives from 2010-2018.
Next Monday, January 20, the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee will vote to advance her nomination. At this time, it is unclear when the full Senate will consider her nomination.
Until a DHS Secretary is confirmed, TSA Administrator David Pekoske will serve as the Acting DHS Secretary, a position he has held previously. At TSA, Melanie Harvey will serve as the Acting Administrator until he returns to the agency.
AAAE is carefully watching the transition to determine how the focus on border security and immigration may impact future DHS budgets for critical airport priorities in TSA and for CBP officers at airports. As a reminder, it was during the first Trump Administration that TSA began trying to shift more and more of their costs to airports.
