President George W. Bush yesterday appointed former U.S. Secret Service chief John W. Magaw to head the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) that Congress mandated to strengthen transportation security in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Though the first act of TSA will be to strengthen avation security, truck security is high on the administration's agenda. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta praised the appointment of Magaw as undersecretary for transportation security.
Magaw's federal career includes leadership of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and most recently, a senior position at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).