DHS money down, McQueary gone

Charles McQueary, who oversaw the growth of the US Department of Homeland Security’s science and technology directorate into a $1.47 billion program, announced he was leaving his job in late March. Although McQueary gave no official reason for leaving, his resignation came as the administration’s fiscal year 2007 budget proposal called for cutting the R&D budget for McQueary’s directorate by more than 36%. “My objectives have been to build an excellent technical team to lead the research and development for the department, and to launch breakthrough [R&D] programs to make a difference in our nation’s protection from catastrophic events,” he said in his 10 February resignation letter to the White House. “The first objective has been achieved, while the second is nearing fruition.”