MAGAW RESIGNS AS TSA HEAD; LOY TO TAKE HELM
U.S. Department of Transportation Norman Mineta said Thursday that John W. Magaw has resigned as Under Secretary of Transportation for Security.
Magaw, who has headed the Transportation Security Administration since Jan. 28, will be replaced by James M. Loy, former U.S. Coast Guard Commandant. Prior to Thursday’s appointment, Loy was Deputy Under Secretary and Chief Operating Officer of the TSA.
Mineta expressed thanks to Magaw’s service over the past few months. “We all owe him a debt for his role in the start-up phase of TSA.” Mineta said. “I also appreciate the difficulty of the task.”
“John Magaw did a good job under very difficult circumstances and extremely difficult deadlines in helping get TSA off the ground,” said House Transportation Committee Chairman Don Young, R-Alaska. “Our nation owes him our gratitude.”
Young said the TSA had fallen under criticism in recent months, partly because Congress has placed upon the agency “overly ambitious” deadlines to meet toward aviation security. “John Magaw did everything humanly possible to fulfill the mission Congress mandated,” he said.
Young said that Loy will continue to build on Magaw’s efforts. “Today, a very dedicated and qualified person resigned from the TSA. Fortunately, a very experienced and qualified person was named to replace him.”
Mineta said Loy has demonstrated his ability in the past to motivate and manage a large federal agency when he was commandant of the Coast Guard.
“Jim Loy is the right man for this job, at the right time,” Mineta said. “As a senior member of our DOT team for many years, Jim Loy already knows the players, the policies and the issues,” Mineta said.
Magaw served as acting executive director of the Federal Emergency Management Administration until his TSA appointment. A former Secret Service agent, he had also headed the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. One occurrence that surfaced during Senate proceedings this winter was his oversight of the ATF during the Ruby Ridge, Idaho standoff, in which two people were killed by federal agents.
Loy became the 21st Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard in May 1998, following several appointments, including service as Commander, Atlantic Area, and Commander, U.S. Maritime Defense Zone Atlantic, from June 1994 to June 1996.