FROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Acting Treasury Secretary Kenneth W. Dam today announced the appointment of W. Ralph Basham to direct the United States Secret Service.  For the past year, Mr. Basham has served as Chief of Staff for the newly-formed Transportation Security Administration at the U.S. Department of Transportation.  Prior to that position, from 1998-2002, he was the director of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center under the U.S. Treasury, and from 1970 until 1998, Mr. Basham served in positions of increasing responsibility within the United States Secret Service.  During his 28 year tenure with the United States Secret Service, Basham was a member of senior management from 1993-1998 as Assistant Director for Administration.  Mr. Basham earned his bachelors degree from Southeastern University, and has been awarded two Presidential Rank Awards for Meritorious Service.

"Mr. Basham has had a long and distinguished career in federal law enforcement and I am pleased that he has agreed to take on this challenging assignment," Acting Treasury Secretary Dam said in a statement.

The United States Secret Service is mandated by the U.S. Congress to carry out two distinct and significant missions: protection and criminal investigations. The Secret Service is responsible for: protection of the President, the Vice President, and their families, heads of state, and other designated individuals; investigation of threats against these protectees; protection of the White House, Vice President's Residence, Foreign Missions, and other buildings within Washington, D.C.; and security design, planning, and implementation at designated National Special Security Events. The Secret Service is also responsible for the enforcement of laws relating to counterfeiting of obligations and securities of the United States, investigation of financial crimes including, but not limited to, access device fraud, financial institution fraud, identity theft, computer fraud, telecommunications fraud, and computer based attacks on our nation's financial, banking, and telecommunications infrastructure.  The United States Secret Service will be a bureau within the newly created Department of Homeland Security.
This appointment does not require Senate confirmation.