Senate Homeland Security Committee Considers New TSA Administrator

The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on Tuesday considered the nomination of Erroll Southers as the next Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Southers, who currently serves as Assistant Chief of Homeland Security and Intelligence at Los Angeles World Airports, would replace current Acting Administrator Gale Rossides. On Tuesday, Senator Joe Lieberman (ID-Conn.) recognized the improvements TSA has made since the September 11 attacks to strengthen security at airports, but commented on the need for TSA to "make more progress on increasing the security of other forms of transportation, particularly for mass transit and railways." Lieberman praised the nomination of Southers, noting his nearly three decades of experience working in public safety, homeland security, and intelligence.

The Committee on Tuesday also considered the nomination of Daniel Gordon as Administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).