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I’m Jeh Johnson.

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As I leave office
at the end of this week,

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this is the last time

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I will address you
as your Secretary.

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As a Cabinet secretary,

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I serve at the pleasure
of the current President;

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when he leaves, I leave,

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and the next President
has the opportunity

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to choose his own Cabinet.

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In our democratic form
of government,

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this is how it should be,

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as powerful positions such as mine

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are occupied only for a time

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by people who never become
too accustomed or comfortable

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with the trappings
of our office.

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One thing I’ve learned
over the last three years

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is that, day to day the career men

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and women of the Department
of Homeland Security

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do an outstanding job

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on the front lines
protecting our homeland

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– on land, at the borders,
at sea, in the air,

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and in cyberspace.

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As Secretary
of this Department,

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my job has been to support you,
be your champion,

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and enable you to do
this important work

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for the American people we serve.

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My goal in office
has been to leave

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the Department of Homeland Security

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better than I found it.

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I hope I have done that.

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Over the last three years,

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as part of our Unity
of Effort Initiative,

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I believe we have created
a more effective

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and efficient Department.

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We are now using all of our tools
to recruit, retain,

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and reward personnel, for example.

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We are constructing a new
headquarters here in Washington,

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the main building of which will be
ready in the year 2018.

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And, finally, this year
we improved morale significantly

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across our 22-component,
vast workforce,

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which, thanks to
our whole leadership team,

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was no small effort.

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I hope this progress continues.

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This brings me
to General John Kelly,

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the President-elect’s choice
to be your next Secretary.

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I know John Kelly well,

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from our time together at the Pentagon.

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He is a man of character
and integrity.

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Assuming he is confirmed
by the Senate,

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I believe he will be
an excellent leader

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of Department of Homeland Security.

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Once you get to know General Kelly,

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you will like and respect him, as I do.

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I urge General Kelly
and his future leadership team

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to continue to focus on supporting you,

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and improving the manner

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in which this Department
conducts business.

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It has been a privilege,

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and the highlight
of my professional life,

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to serve as your Secretary.

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I now return again
to the more privileged status

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in our democracy of private citizen.

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As I leave, I urge you
to all remember

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why you chose to be a public servant,

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and what that means.

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Literally, your job
as a public servant

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is to serve the people
of this great country.

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Public service involves humility;

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it is not meant for the acquisition
of privilege or power.

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As our new DHS
mission statements says:

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with honor and integrity,

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you must safeguard
the America people,

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our homeland and our values.

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Your public service, therefore,

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is incredibly important.

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This is probably
the most important job

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in public service.

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Don’t forget that.

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I salute you all,
and I will miss you all.

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Thank you.