WASHINGTON (AP)
President-elect Barack Obama’s pick to oversee Homeland Security told senators she will improve the department’s operations and relationships with other agencies, while his choice for the Attorney General’s office forcefully broke from the Bush administration’s counterterrorism policies.
In testimony prepared for delivery at her confirmation hearing, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano cites challenges the department faces in fending off terrorist attacks and preparing for emergencies and natural disasters.
Among them, she says, are having to operate out of 70 buildings at 40 different locations in the Washington region and low morale in a work force that is 40 percent contract employees.
The Homeland Security Department was formed after the 9/11 terrorist attacks from 22 federal agencies.
