Washington ( CNN ) -- President Obama tapped a former Army general Monday to lead the Transportation Security Administration . Obama nominated Robert A. Harding , a retired major general with 33 years in the Army , to become the TSA administrator . Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced the nomination with Harding by her side . `` The TSA administrator is among the most important , unfilled posts in the Obama administration , '' Napolitano said . `` The president and I both believe that Gen. Harding has the experience and perspective to make a real difference in carrying out the mission of this agency . '' `` If there were ever a nominee that warranted expedited , and detailed , consideration in the Senate , this is it , '' she said . Obama announced the nomination in a White House news release . `` I am confident that Bob 's talent and expertise will make him a tremendous asset in our ongoing efforts to bolster security and screening measures at our airports , '' Obama said . `` I can think of no one more qualified than Bob to take on this important job , and I look forward to working with him in the months and years ahead . '' The TSA has been under the leadership of an acting administrator since Edmund `` Kip '' Hawley resigned at the end of the Bush administration . In September , Obama nominated Erroll Southers , a Los Angeles airport police department official , to the head the agency . But Republican Sen. Jim DeMint , R-South Carolina , spearheaded GOP efforts to block the nomination based on concerns Southers would unionize airport screeners . Southers withdrew his nomination in January after lawmakers questioned his changing explanation about a personnel action taken against him decades ago . Harding would be the TSA 's first African-American administrator . Southers is also black . Harding has served as CEO of Harding Security Associates , a defense and intelligence government contracting firm he founded in 2003 and sold in July 2009 . From 1996 to 2000 , Harding was director for operations at the Defense Intelligence Agency , where he was the Defense Department 's senior human intelligence officer . Before that , he was director for intelligence for the Army 's Southern Command . The TSA was created in the months after the September 11 , 2001 , attacks and soon took over security at the nation 's airports , including screening commercial airline passengers and luggage . CNN 's Jeanne Meserve and Mike Ahlers contributed to this report .
Nomination of Robert A. Harding announced today . ` ` I can think of no one more qualified than Bob to take on this important position , '' Obama says . Harding , who served 33 years in office , would be the TSA 's first African - American administrator . He once was Defense Department 's senior human intelligence officer .