Telle has served as Hagerty’s Chief of Staff for the past four years
WASHINGTON—Today, United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) introduced his Chief of Staff Adam Telle, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works.
Remarks as prepared for delivery:
Chairman Wicker and Ranking Member Reed, thank you for holding this hearing.
I am privileged today to introduce my good friend and esteemed colleague, Mr. Adam Telle—who is President Trump’s nominee to be Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works.
As you all know, the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works has a range of important responsibilities, including oversight of the Army Corps of Engineers.
The Corps and its 26,000 civilian and military personnel play a vital role for the United States—not just for the Department of Defense, but also for the safety, security, and prosperity of the many Americans who benefit from the ports, waterways, and flood control infrastructure maintained by the Corps across our nation.
When you consider Adam’s background and expertise, it is no surprise why the President picked him for this key role.
As a native of Northport, Alabama, and magna cum laude graduate in computer science and communication from Mississippi State University’s Bagley College of Engineering, Adam hails from some of the very states that depend greatly on the critical civil works that he is now called to lead.
Indeed, Adam knows firsthand how the work of the Army Corps of Engineers will impact the lives of people in the United States and around the world.
Moreover, Adam is a true patriot and has served in the U.S. government faithfully and with great distinction for the last 20 years.
Adam began his Senate career in the Office of Senator Richard Shelby in 2005.
Starting in 2007, he worked for the next 10 years in the Office of the late Senator Thad Cochran of Mississippi, and rose through the ranks to become Deputy Chief of Staff and Legislative Director.
Adam then worked as the chief staff member on the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Homeland Security Subcommittee, serving under the chairmanship of Senators Thad Cochran, Richard Shelby, John Boozman, and Shelley Moore Capito.
In this role, Adam served as the point person in the Senate for an organization comprised of nearly 20 agencies, 260,000 personnel, and an annual budget of approximately $70 billion dollars.
From 2019 to 2021, Adam led the Senate team at the White House’s Office of Legislative Affairs, a position that included managing all national security and appropriations matters.
Of note, Adam played a critical role in helping to conclude and implement President Trump’s historic Abraham Accords that brought peace and security to Israel and four Arab nations.
He also played an outsized role in working with the Armed Services Committee on the establishment of the Space Force, the first new branch of the military to be authorized in more than 70 years.
Adam is now my Chief of Staff, where each and every day I rely on his expertise, experience, and judgment.
I have seen Adam bring people together to solve problems, mentor and grow staff, and provide thoughtful and effective strategic direction on some of the toughest problems facing our nation.
In short, Adam is just the leader that our nation needs in the Pentagon.
His native roots, work ethic, and intelligence make him more than qualified.
The kindness, mentoring, and heart that he demonstrates with his teams will make him an inspirational leader of this critical organization.
I urge this Committee to move quickly in consideration of Adam Telle’s nomination and confirm him as quickly as possible.
Thank you for your time this morning.
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