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VIDEO]
President Bush nominated
U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Michael Chertoff to head the
Department of Homeland Security.
In announcing the nomination on January
11, Bush hailed Chertoff as “a talented and experienced
public servant.”
Chertoff previously served as an assistant
attorney general in the Department of Justice's criminal
division from 2001 to 2003. During his tenure at the Department
of Justice, Bush said, Chertoff was “at the center
of many homeland security improvements" after the September
11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.
As a criminal prosecutor with Justice, Chertoff
successfully argued the U.S. government’s position
in an appeal case involving Zacarias Moussaoui, a key terrorism
suspect in the September 11 attacks. He also was involved
in crafting the USA Patriot Act (Public Law 107-56), the
law passed by Congress in October 2001 to enhance counterterrorism
and homeland security measures.
“In the weeks and months that followed
[the September 11 attacks], we all worked under your direction
to prevent further despicable acts of terror,” Chertoff
said to President Bush at the meeting. “If confirmed
as Secretary, I will be proud to stand again with the men
and women who form our front line against terror.”
The Department of Homeland Security was
created in 2003 through the merger of 22 existing federal
agencies to coordinate efforts against terrorist threats
in the United States. If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Chertoff
will replace former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge as secretary
of homeland security. Ridge announced his resignation from
the department on November 30, 2004.
Following is the transcript of remarks by
President Bush and Secretary of Homeland Security nominee
Michael Chertoff:
(begin transcript)
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
January 11, 2005
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. I'm pleased
to announce my nomination of Judge Michael Chertoff to be
the Secretary of Homeland Security.
Mike is a talented and experienced public
servant. In his stellar career, he has been a judge on the
United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit; he's
been an Assistant Attorney General of the United States;
he's been the U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, a federal prosecutor
in New York City, and a law clerk to Supreme Court Justice
William Brennan.
He's been confirmed by the Senate three
times. In all of his roles, Mike has shown a deep commitment
to the cause of justice, and an unwavering determination
to protect the American people. Mike has also been a key
leader in the war on terror. On September the 11th, 2001,
he was managing the Criminal Division of the Department
of Justice, an 800-person operation devoted to enforcing
our nation's criminal laws. In the days after September
the 11th, Mike helped trace the terrorist attacks to the
al Qaeda network. He understood immediately that the strategy
on the war on terror is to prevent attacks before they occur.
His energy and intellect put him at the center of many vital
Homeland Security improvements, especially increased information
sharing within the FBI and with state and local officials.
He's faced countless challenging decisions
and has helped to protect his fellow Americans while protecting
their civil liberties. I'm grateful that the Judge has agreed
to bring his exceptional judgment and integrity to an urgent
new responsibility. I'm confident that he will be a strong,
effective leader for the Department of Homeland Security.
Two years ago, we created this new department
to ensure a comprehensive, unified effort to protect the
American people against new dangers. Since that time, the
employees of the department have carried out the largest
reorganization of the government in a half a century. Under
the direction of Secretary Tom Ridge, the Department of
Homeland Security has improved airline security, enhanced
the protection of our borders and ports of entry, and taken
vital steps to safeguard the nation's critical infrastructure.
Tom Ridge has the gratitude of our entire nation. I thank
him for his leadership. I appreciate his hard work.
The Department of Homeland Security will
also continue working to reduce the nation's vulnerabilities
to weapons of mass destruction and cyberterrorism. We are
engaged in a daily mission to prepare effective responses
to any future attack and to closely coordinate homeland
security efforts with state and local officials. Our nation
is still at war. We're focused. We're taking decisive actions
on the home front that are critical to winning this war.
When Mike is confirmed by the Senate, the
Department of Homeland Security will be led by a practical
organizer, a skilled manager, and a brilliant thinker. As
head of the Criminal Division, and as a U.S. Attorney in
New Jersey, Mike built an impressive record of cutting through
red tape and moving organizations into action. He's worked
cooperatively with the federal and state and local law enforcement
officials. He will always be a friend to America's first
responders.
Mike is a strong and decent man. As an attorney,
he has prosecuted organized crime and corporate fraud. He
stood against racial profiling. He's worked with the NAACP
Legal Defense Fund to represent poor inmates on death row.
He's earned the respect of lawyers of many backgrounds,
and of politicians on both sides of the aisle. This is the
third time I've asked Mike to serve our nation, and I'm
grateful he's agreed. I'm also grateful to Meryl, Mike's
wife, and his family. I urge the Senate to promptly confirm
this outstanding nominee as America's second Secretary of
Homeland Security.
Congratulations, Mike.
MR. CHERTOFF: Mr. President, I'm deeply
honored that you are nominating me to be Secretary of the
Department of Homeland Security. If confirmed, it will be
my privilege to serve with the thousands of men and women
who stand watch across the country and overseas, protecting
our security and promoting our freedom.
On September 11th, 2001, I joined members
of dozens of federal agencies in responding to the deadliest
single attack on American civilians ever. In the weeks and
months that followed, we all worked under your direction
to prevent further despicable acts of terror. If confirmed
as Secretary, I will be proud to stand again with the men
and women who form our front line against terror. Their
job is law enforcement, and much more. They secure our ports
and our airways, our borders and our buildings, our computers
and our public utilities. They respond to natural and manmade
disasters in our hours of greatest need.
Secretary Tom Ridge has preformed magnificently
in launching this new department. He leaves some very big
shoes to fill. I join the whole country in expressing gratitude
to him for his service.
To Meryl and my children, I say, thank you
for your love, for your support, and for your sacrifices,
which have allowed me to shoulder the responsibilities of
public service. Mr. President, I thank you for your leadership
in protecting all of our families and our way of life. I
appreciate the trust you have placed in me. If confirmed,
I pledge to devote all my energy to promoting our homeland
security, and as important, to preserving our fundamental
liberties.
Thank you.
(end transcript)
