Bloomberg News
Saturday, October 8, 2005

Julie Myers, President Bush's choice to head the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, was endorsed by a Senate committee yesterday over the objections of Democrats who said she lacks sufficient experience.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee approved her nomination 9 to 6, in a strictly partisan vote.

Democrats said Myers has no experience leading an organization as large as the Department of Homeland Security's immigration agency, which has a $4 billion annual budget and more than 15,000 employees.

Democrats have focused attention on the qualifications of administration nominees since the Sept. 12 resignation of Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael D. Brown.

Republicans said Myers has the confidence of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and has convinced committee members that she will be able to handle the job.

Myers, 36, was Chertoff's chief of staff when he was assistant attorney general at the Justice Department.