Former Pennsylvania governor Tom Ridge, the first person to hold the post of Homeland Security Secretary, announced his resignation on Tuesday.

Ridge joined the Bush administration as the director of Homeland Security at the White House. He was promoted after Congress created the Department of Homeland Security, a consolidation of 22 different federal agencies.

At the time, Congress overlooked tribal governments in the legislation establishing the department, leaving them out of billions in federal funds that flow to state and local governments. Tribes have lobbied to be treated the same as other governments but the effort hasn't been entirely successful.

Possible replacements for Ridge include White House and Homeland Security aides. Other names mentioned include Virginia governor James S. Gilmore III, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Environmental Protection Agency head Michael Leavitt.

Get the Story:
Ridge Leaving Cabinet (The Washington Post 12/1)
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Ridge, First Secretary of U.S. Security, Is Quitting His Post (The New York Times 12/1)
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Under Ridge, Color Alerts and Mixed Security Reviews (The New York Times 12/1)
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