>> It's very difficult for me to
fully express my gratitude and excitement
for this opportunity to serve as a Deputy Commissioner of CBP.
As you've heard from the Commissioner and the Secretary,
we are the world's leading border security agency
and a premiere law enforcement agency
and we can and will get better together.
We have so much going for us.
I mean, some of you have heard me talk about the five pillars of CBP:
our tremendous mission, our unique authorities, our world leading capabilities,
our remarkable people and our developing culture.
On the mission side, we are both a guardian of our nation's borders
and the gateway to the U.S. economy.
It's pretty compelling.
We're at the center of our government's efforts to
protect the United States against terrorists and trans-national crimes,
strengthen the U.S. economy by welcoming growing trade and travel
and building the global system with our partners in North America and abroad.
In terms of capabilities, we have the Air and Marine Force,
the surveillance equipment, the unique data, the technology,
the analytical capabilities to use it to do our job more effectively.
But our people are our heart and soul.
I believe we have the best leadership team in government
and I know that we have a frontline workforce that has never let us down,
no matter what challenges they face from trans-national criminal organizations
to budget issues to unaccompanied children to Ebola.
And we're attracting the tremendous talent
and investing in enhanced training for them to take us to the next level.
And we continue to build a culture of dedication, innovation and teamwork.
And with the Secretary and Commissioner's leadership,
integrity and transparency to protect our most valuable asset, the public trust.
I for one am fired up to follow our tremendous leaders forward,
benefit from all those strengths
and take us to the next level for the American people.
I just want to thank everyone again for coming.
Our interagency partners, our friends from the Hill, our trade and travel partners.
It's an honor for me to see you all here.
And I just want to say in closing that helping the Commissioner
to lead this organization is an awesome responsibility, I recognize that.
I will endeavor to approach it with humility and determination
and I can promise you a hundred percent of my passion,
my energy and effort to work for him and for all of you,
especially the men and women of CBP.
Thank you again for coming today.
I look forward to partnering with you closely in the months and years ahead.
Thank you.
[Applause]