DHS deputy secretary confirmed
Paul Schneider is involved in overseeing the planning and implementation of DHS' plans for the next presidential administration transition. In January, DHS will transition for the first time.
Schneider has been acting deputy secretary for the past seven months. Before that, he served as DHS' under secretary for management, where he oversaw the department’s budget, appropriations, transition planning, procurements and information technology systems. As acting deputy secretary, he was questioned on April 23 by members of the House Homeland Security Committee regarding DHS’ plans for first presidential transition the department will face. Democrats on the panel said they were dissatisfied with the extent of information they had received regarding the department’s transition plans and pushed DHS to disclose more specifics of its transition strategy. Since that hearing, DHS met a May 23 deadline the Committee set for providing more documentation on the department’s transition plans. In a statement after receiving the additional materials, Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) thanked Schneider for his “cooperation in providing transition materials to the committee, although much later than requested.” Thompson said the committee was “diligently reviewing hundreds of pages to ensure that all of our inquiries have been fully answered.” Thompson also congratulated Schneider on his confirmation, but again stressed the importance of DHS’ transition.
The Senate today confirmed Paul Schneider as the Homeland Security Department’s deputy secretary, where he will manage the department's daily operations and continue to be involved in DHS' presidential transition planning.