Bush taps new DHS preparedness chief

WASHINGTON, Sept. 5 (UPI) -- President Bush has nominated a replacement for George Foresman as the senior preparedness official at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Robert Jamison was named the nominee to be undersecretary for national protection and programs at the department in a statement from the White House Wednesday. Foresman quit over the summer after a congressionally mandated reorganization of the department removed the Federal Emergency Management Agency from his portfolio and effectively bifurcated his post among two new positions.

"I am grateful for Robert’s contributions to the safety and security of the homeland," said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. "He is a strong and effective manager with unique expertise that will further the resiliency of the nation’s cyber and critical infrastructure networks, as well as the continued integration of the department. I look forward to his quick confirmation."

Jamison is currently the deputy undersecretary in the National Protection and Programs division at Homeland Security. Prior to that, he held a senior deputy's post at the Transportation Security Administration, part of the new department, and before that he was a senior official at the Department of Transportation.

A former senior executive at the American National Red Cross, Jamison received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Memphis.