Statement by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff on the Appointment of the Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs

Release Date: December 11, 2006

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Donald H. Kent Jr. as Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security. Don has been an integral part of the department’s outreach to Capitol Hill for the past three years as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs, and is well deserving of this important promotion.

Since joining the department in January of 2004, Don has been a strong advocate and highly respected representative for the department on the Hill, ensuring close coordination with members and staff on both sides of the aisle. He has played an invaluable role in guiding department officials through Senate confirmations, Hill briefings, and congressional testimony, including my own, as well as relentlessly championing our priority issues. He is a valued counselor on homeland security policy and legislative strategy.

Prior to joining the department, Don was a key member of former Assistant Majority Leader Don Nickles’ staff, where he served as director of transportation policy as well as having coordinated policy and legislative development on various homeland security issues. Don is a graduate of Roanoke College in Virginia, and resides in Alexandria, Va.

I am grateful for Don’s strong service and reliable counsel, and I look forward to his continued contributions to the department and the homeland in this new role as my principal ambassador to Congress.

###

This page was last modified on December 11, 2006