Senate Confirms Pistole To Head TSA
June 28, 2010, 2:15 PMBy Jay BoehmerThe U.S. Senate on Friday confirmed Federal Bureau of Investigation
veteran John Pistole to head the Transportation Security Administration, putting
him in charge of a $7 billion annual budget, 50,000 employees and the safety of
millions of travelers.
President Barack Obama in May nominated Pistole to lead TSA,
after his first nominee, Erroll Southers, withdrew his nomination in January amid
scrutiny of his tenure at the FBI, and his second pick, retired U.S. Army Major
General Robert Harding, withdrew his nomination in late March due to concerns about
his role as a former defense contractor.
Senate Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs Committee chairman Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) in a statement said,
"John Pistole is a well-qualified and urgently needed nominee and has a wealth
of experience relevant to lead TSA. He has spent more than 26 years with the FBI
and has significant management experience, including as assistant director for Counterterrorism
at the FBI and executive assistant director for Counterterrorism and Counterintelligence.
Mr. Pistole has been a model public servant, who continues to devote his career
to keeping our country safe. TSA's workforce is getting a superb leader in John
Pistole."