WASHINGTON, D.C.— Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV today released the following statement on the president’s nomination of Jeh Johnson to be Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security:

“There’s no question that Mr. Johnson has big shoes to fill; Janet Napolitano was, quite frankly, the best Secretary of Homeland Security we’ve had,” Rockefeller noted. “That being said, I’m particularly encouraged by Mr. Johnson's experience as General Counsel at the Department of Defense, which gives him a deep understanding of the tools our government brings to bear against the two most significant threats to our homeland: terrorists and cyber attacks. I look forward to talking with him about West Virginia's particular security needs, and I’m confident his decades of experience in the national security arena will be useful as he navigates the confirmation process.”

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