For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
April 30, 2004

Personnel Announcement

President George W. Bush today announced his intention to appoint Frances Fragos Townsend to be Assistant to the President and Homeland Security Advisor. Ms. Townsend will fill the position held by General John A. Gordon who announced his retirement after 36 years of public service.

Ms. Townsend currently serves as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Combating Terrorism. She reports to the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and to the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security with respect to matters relating to global terrorism in the United States. She will continue to serve in this role in addition to her new responsibilities until a replacement has been identified. Ms. Townsend came to the White House from the U. S. Coast Guard, where she had been serving as Assistant Commandant for Intelligence. Prior to that, she spent 13 years at the U. S. Department of Justice in a variety of senior positions, including Counsel to the Attorney General for Intelligence Policy. Ms. Townsend received her bachelor's degree from the American University and her J.D. from the University of San Diego.

"Frances Townsend has been a trusted advisor on global terrorism in my Administration. Her strong background in law enforcement, coupled with her experience in the intelligence community, makes her an excellent choice to be Assistant to the President and Homeland Security Advisor as we face the continuing challenges of protecting America from the terrorists who seek to do us harm," President Bush stated.

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