[applause] fema director craig fugate. and thomas winkowski. another spoke here recently on strategy. a number of ambassadors and members of two groups, the aspen institute homeland security group is in the front rows, and the homeland security advisory council. these are folks who in various ways, including me -- i am a co-chair and i am on the other group, are trying to give our best advice. leading dhs is a tough job. some of us were the founding mothers and fathers. blending the culture of 22 agencies reporting to more than 100 different congressional committees and subcommittees -- dod only reports to 36 -- and keeping americans safe is daunting. security is my bag, as i said. as a former nine-term member of congress who chaired the intelligence information sharing and risk assessment subcommittee, and who represented some of our most vulnerable infrastructure, including lax and the port of los angeles, i can tell you that a decade after its establishment the department remains a work in progress. but significant progress has been made. lo

firsfet is the fema administrat, craig fugate who everyone agreeu has done a great job in the t leadershipof that government agency. i want to acknowledge the coast guard is a strong leader of the united states coast guard i know the number of people in the coast guard have thenu leadershe and the admiral is retiring in may after a distinguished career in public service and the defense of the nation of ther in coast guard. i begin by thanking the woodrow wilson center and the aspen security group for inviting me speak today.for yo i want to thank jane harmon ford your leadership and continued service to the country and willingness to be a supporter, mentor and advisor to me when she advises, i listen. as many of you have heard me say before, september 11 is my birthday. on september 11, 2001, i was in the private practice of the law in new york city like millions of others i was an eyewitness to the events of that day i watched in shock as a beautiful serene and ordinary workday as an instance to one of the worst days in american history. while thousands of people and ultimately the nation