Statement by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff on the President's Nomination of Dr. Jeffrey W. Runge as Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs and Chief Medical Officer

Release Date: August 2, 2007

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

President Bush has announced his intention to nominate Dr. Jeffrey W. Runge as the first Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs and Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Homeland Security.  Jeff has been a core member of my senior leadership team for the past two years as Chief Medical Officer, and more recently as Acting Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs. He also provided valuable leadership, during a period of important transition, as Acting Under Secretary for the Science and Technology Directorate. 

Jeff has brought more than 25 years of experience in medical care and public health and safety policy to the department. I have relied heavily upon his expertise and counsel on some of the most pressing issues that we face, to include pandemic planning, medical readiness and biodefense. He is my liaison to the medical community and chief advisor on health and medical policy within the department and throughout the federal government.

Jeff joined the department after four years of service as Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration*. Prior to that, he practiced and taught emergency medicine for more than 15 years at the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. During his tenure, Jeff concurrently served as Director of the Carolinas Center for Injury Prevention and Control. He is a graduate of the Medical University of South Carolina and the University of the South. He holds numerous professional certifications and honors in emergency medicine, and held the title of Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of North Carolina. 

I am grateful for Jeff’s service to the American public and his numerous contributions to the safety and security of the homeland. I look forward to his quick confirmation, and his continued leadership at the department.

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* Replaced the word Transportation with the word Traffic.

This page was last modified on August 3, 2007