Press Releases

Conyers Applauds Nomination of Jeh Johnson to Become Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security

Washington, DC, October 17, 2013

Today, President Obama announced the nomination of Jeh Johnson to become the next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security following the retirement of Janet Napolitano. Mr. Johnson most recently served as the general counsel for the Department of Defense.  After the nomination was announced, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) issued the following statement:

“I congratulate Jeh Johnson on his nomination to become the next secretary, and the first African-American secretary, of the Department of Homeland Security, and I applaud President Obama for this outstanding nomination.

“Mr. Johnson has had a brilliant legal career in private practice, working as a civil and criminal trial lawyer on notable commercial cases, and was elected to be his firm’s first African American partner.  Following this work, Mr. Johnson went into public service, including working as an assistant United States attorney in the Southern District of New York prosecuting public corruption cases, serving as general counsel of the Air Force during the Clinton administration, and serving as general gounsel for the Department of Defense from 2009 through 2012.

As a dedicated public servant, and a brilliant legal mind,  I commend Jeh Johnson’s nomination, and I hope that the Senate promptly confirms him.”

###