Michael D. Brown

:For other people of the same name, see Michael Brown (disambiguation).

Bush administration service

After Bush entered office in January 2001, Brown joined FEMA as General Counsel. He was the first person hired by his long-time friend, then-FEMA director Joe Allbaugh{{ref|WaPo}}, who also ran Bush's election campaign in 2000. Allbaugh later named Brown his acting deputy director in September 2001. President Bush formally nominated him as deputy director on March 22, 2002, and the Senate confirmed him many months later. Soon after, when Allbaugh left government, President Bush nominated Brown again in January 2003 for the directorship{{Ref|Observer4Sep}}. Brown was sworn in to his position on April 15, 2003.

Related Topics:
Joe Allbaugh - March 22 - 2002 - April 15 - 2003

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Previously, shortly after the September 11th terrorist attacks, Brown served on the Consequence Management Principals' Committee, which acted as the White House's policy coordination group for the federal domestic response to the attacks. Later, Bush asked him to head the Consequence Management Working Group to identify and resolve key issues regarding the federal response plan. In August 2002, Bush appointed him to the Transition Planning Office for the new Department of Homeland Security, serving as the transition leader for the EP&R Division. As undersecretary, Brown also directed the National Incident Management System (NIMS) Integration Center, the National Disaster Medical System and the Nuclear Incident Response Team.

Related Topics:
September 11th terrorist attacks - White House - 2002

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Brown currently chairs the National Citizen Corps Council, part of the USA Freedom Corps volunteer initiative.

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On August 31, 2005, following Hurricane Katrina being named an "Incident of National Significance," Brown was named the Principal Federal Official and placed in charge of the federal government's response by Homeland Security Director Michael Chertoff. On September 7, 2005, Coast Guard Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Thad W. Allen was named Brown's deputy and given operational control of search-and-rescue and recovery efforts. {{ref|Allen}}

Related Topics:
August 31 - 2005 - Hurricane Katrina - Michael Chertoff - September 7 - Coast Guard - Vice Admiral - Thad W. Allen

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On September 9, 2005, Chertoff relieved Brown of all on-site relief duties along the Gulf Coast, officially replacing him with Allen. Brown remained Under Secretary of Emergency Preparedness and Response. Brown told the Associated Press that "the press" was making him a scapegoat for the allegedly slow federal response to the hurricane. {{ref|fired}}

Related Topics:
September 9 - 2005 - Gulf Coast - Associated Press - Scapegoat

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On September 12, 2005, Brown announced his resignation as director of FEMA. He commented that the negative publicity surrounding him was distracting attention from the relief effort.

Related Topics:
September 12 - 2005

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