TSA To Testify This Week
Homeland Security
Secretary Michael Chertoff announced leadership changes Friday,
including the departure of Dave Stone. TSA officials will be busy
this week as they testify in front of various house and senate
committees, including a session about GA security.
“Dave Stone has just completed 18 months as the leader of
the Transportation Security Administration. The position of
Assistant Secretary for the TSA is one of the toughest and most
demanding jobs in government. Dave has performed superbly as
Assistant Secretary and under his strong and innovative leadership
the organization has continuously enhanced security and improved
customer service. The weight of accountability and responsibility
for protecting our transportation systems from terrorist attack in
the post 9/11 era is significant and Dave handled those challenging
duties in outstanding fashion. Our Nation was well served by
his commitment to excellence, unquestionable integrity and
character-based leadership. I and the entire DHS family wish him
the very best in his next venture and thank him for his lasting
contributions to our Homeland Security efforts," said Chertoff.
(Ret.) Colonel Kenneth S. Kasprisin will serve as Acting
Assistant Secretary for Homeland Security and Acting Administrator
of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). He most
recently served as Acting Deputy Administrator for TSA. Before
that, he served as Federal Security Director for the
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
Kasprisin has held several additional positions at TSA over the
past several years including North Central Area Director, Acting
Assistant Administrator for Aviation Operations, Acting Chief
Operating Officer and Co-Chair for the Assistant Secretary's
Federal Security Director's Advisory Council.
He served in the U.S. military for more than 26 years and is a
graduate of the United States Military Academy, West Point. He also
earned a Master of Science degree in Structural Engineering from
Carnegie-Mellon University.
Tom Blank will serve as Acting Deputy Administrator of TSA. He
currently serves as Associate Administrator and Chief Support
Systems Officer at TSA, where he supervises more than 900 employees
and oversees several important TSA operations including
administration, technology, training and human resource
functions.
Blank previously served as Assistant Administrator for the
Office of Transportation Security Policy, where he was involved in
key policy making decisions relating to securing our nation's
aviation system. Blank served earlier in his career as
Communications Director for former Speaker of the House Newt
Gingrich, Assistant Administrator of the U.S. Agency for
International Development and spokesperson for the U.S. Department
of Transportation.
Blank earned his bachelor's degree with a double major in
English and Speech Communications from Wake Forest University.
Several Homeland Security Officials will be testifying this week
in front of House and Senate Committees.
Border Patrol Chief David Aguilar and ICE Acting Director of
Detention and Removal Operations Wesley Lee will testify before the
Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Terrorism, Technology and Homeland
Security and Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security and
Citizenship on "The Southern Border in Crisis: Resources and
Strategies to Improve National Security" on Tuesday at 1430
EDT.
On Wednesday at 1400 EDT, US Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thomas
Collins will testify before the House Homeland Security
Subcommittee on Economic Security, Infrastructure Protection and
Cybersecurity on "The Homeland Security Missions of the Post-9/11
Coast Guard"
Secretary Michael Chertoff will testify before the House
Government Reform Committee on the Department of Homeland
Security's mission Thursday at 1000 EDT.
Also on Thursday, at 1100 EDT, TSA Chief Operating Officer
Jonathan Fleming will testify before the Senate Commerce, Science
and Transportation Committee on general aviation security
operations.