President Trump’s nominations of Kristi Noem to head the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and John Ratcliffe to lead the CIA are look to be in good shape for final Senate confirmation as soon as today, after wide majorities on two Senate committees voted to approve both of the nominations.
On Jan. 20, the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee advanced Noem’s nomination to lead DHS with a vote of 13-2. Similarly, the Senate Intelligence Committee voted 14-3 in favor of Ratcliffe’s nomination.
A procedural vote in the full Senate today to conclude debate on Ratcliffe’s nomination clears the way for a final vote by lawmakers, perhaps by later today.
Noem Vows to Refocus CISA’s Mission
During her nomination hearing last week, Noem said she plans to refocus the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on its core mission of protecting critical infrastructure.
The DHS nominee criticized CISA’s involvement in countering online disinformation, particularly regarding the 2020 election, and expressed intent to scale back its work on disinformation campaigns.
“They’re using their resources in ways that [were] never intended. The misinformation and disinformation that they have stuck their toe into and meddled with should be refocused back onto what their job is,” Noem said. “[CISA] needs to be much more effective, smaller, more nimble to really fulfill their mission.”
She also explained that the agency should have a narrower focus “to support critical infrastructure and help local and small businesses ensure they can mitigate cyberattacks.”
“What CISA should be doing is helping small entities [protect] critical infrastructure – schools, local governments, state governments, and small – that lack the resources to implement the necessary protections,” Noem said.
Ratcliffe Vows to Help U.S. Win Tech Race, Prioritize Cyber
Ratcliffe, during his nomination hearing last week, pledged to lawmakers to keep the United States – and the intelligence agency – ahead of foreign adversaries on key emerging technology issues if the Senate confirms his nomination.
Ratcliffe acknowledged that the CIA has struggled to keep pace with private sector innovation and emphasized the need for greater collaboration with tech industries.
“Technology is more important than ever, whether it’s understanding our adversaries’ capabilities in AI and quantum computing, or their developments in hypersonics and emerging space technologies, or their innovations in counterintelligence and surveillance,” he said.
Ratcliffe further explained that adversarial nations, particularly China, “understand that the nation who wins the race in the emerging technologies of today will dominate the world of tomorrow.”
Ratcliffe also prioritized cybersecurity, calling it a critical issue for national defense, and supported developing a cyber deterrent strategy.
