Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Committee, released the below open letter to the frontline workforce of the Department of Homeland Security, thanking them for their continued service during the coronavirus pandemic to keep us safe:
“The nation is confronting the fact that the coronavirus (COVID-19) has begun to spread within the United States. As the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, we want to express our thanks to you, the men and women of the Department of Homeland Security, for the important work that you do every day and in the face of this growing pandemic.
More than 200,000 of you continue to serve on the frontline to keep our country safe. In doing so, many of you have faced the unique challenge of protecting the homeland at the risk of exposing yourselves to this virus.
Customs and Border Protection Officers are processing the overwhelming flow of Americans returning home from overseas upon the Administration’s announcement of a European travel ban. Transportation Security Administration Officers continuously staff our airport checkpoints ensuring that those traveling by air get to their destinations safely and securely. And Federal Emergency Management Administration employees are working in the field to assist those recovering from recent disasters, like the tornadoes in Tennessee. Thousands of other DHS employees continue to work in the face of this national emergency.
We know that you are committed to your jobs because the work you do is critically important to our country, and you have the deepest gratitude of not just Members of Congress but of our fellow Americans.
As you continue this vital work, please do not forget that the Committee on Homeland Security is here as a resource for you. If there are things that you believe Congress can do to support your work or to address unique challenges, do not hesitate to reach out to the Committee, which can be reached by email at [email protected].”
