Bush names top homeland security official at Defense

President Bush announced his intention Thursday to nominate former Rep. Paul McHale, D-Pa., to be assistant secretary of Defense for Homeland Security.

McHale was in Congress from 1993 until 1999, serving on the House Armed Services and Science committees. He currently works as vice president of the law firm Tallman, Hedders and Sorrentino.

McHale resigned from Pennsylvania's State House in 1991, following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, and volunteered for active duty as an infantry officer with the Marine Corps. He served with the Marines in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Today he remains a member of the reserves with the rank of colonel.

President Bush also announced he would nominate Christopher Henry to be deputy undersecretary of Defense for policy. Henry is currently vice president for strategic assessment and development at Science Applications International Corp. Prior to joining the firm, SAIC, he was a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, where he led its the Information-Based Warfare Initiative.