DEA'S BOSS SAYS HOMELAND HIS CALLING

Drug Enforcement Administration chief Asa Hutchinson, nominated by
President Bush as the Department of Homeland Security's undersecretary for
border and transportation security, yesterday called the appointment "an
enormous challenge" and said he was "delighted to be on the team." Top
Stories "I have a wonderful job and I love it, but I am responding to the
call of the president," Mr. Hutchinson told The Washington Times. "The
president is putting together a new team and I am honored he thought I
could bring something to it."

Mr. Hutchinson, a former three-term Arkansas Republican congressman sworn
in as DEA administrator in August 2001, will be charged with ensuring
greater security for the nation's borders and transportation
infrastructures and bringing together a myriad of agencies assigned to
accomplish the task. It is considered the new department's toughest
assignment. "Obviously the biggest challenge will be to fulfill the premise
of the Homeland Security legislation, which is to coordinate the agencies
involved and provide for greater security," he said. The new 170,000-member
Department of Homeland Security, headed by former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom
Ridge, formally will begin operations in March, when several agencies are
combined into a massive new department. It is expected to be fully
operational by Sept. 30. Mr. Hutchinson will be responsible for developing
a plan to prevent the entry of terrorists and the instruments of terrorism
into the United States, and for securing the country's borders, territorial
waters, ports and terminals.

He also will oversee the inspection, immigration and enforcement functions
of the U.S. Customs Service, the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization
Service and other federal agencies. "My main objective will be to make sure
our borders are safe," Mr. Hutchinson said. Attorney General John Ashcroft,
commenting on Mr. Hutchinson's nomination, said the Justice Department was
"losing a great leader," but that he was "confident" the DEA chief's
experience, leadership and dedication would "benefit the new Homeland
Security Department and the nation." As head of the DEA, Mr. Hutchinson
focused the agency's enforcement efforts against top-level,
drug-trafficking organizations, while being a national advocate for
increased drug-prevention and treatment programs.

He pushed for the first-ever indictments of known terrorists for drug
trafficking and oversaw the dismantling of the Arellano Felix drug cartel,
one of Mexico's most powerful and violent drug-smuggling operations. Mr.
Hutchinson's nomination is expected to receive wide bipartisan support.

During hearings for the DEA post, Sen. Patrick J. Leahy, Vermont Democrat
and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called Mr. Hutchinson "a
man of integrity and intelligence." The panel's ranking Republican, Sen.
Orrin G. Hatch of Utah, described the former congressman as "good people"
and said he was "grateful" he was "willing to serve" as DEA administrator.
Meanwhile, DEA Deputy Administrator John B. Brown III is expected to be
named as acting head of the agency when Mr. Hutchinson leaves, probably in
January. Mr. Brown also has emerged as a leading contender for the top job.
A 30-year DEA veteran, Mr. Brown is a key figure in the agency's day-to-day
operations and has held several top positions within the agency.