At his news conference, Ridge said he is confident that terrorists are aware that U.S. borders and ports are more secure, that information sharing between agencies has improved, and that America "is a different place to operate" than before the Sept. 11 attacks.

"I think we have accomplished a great deal in a short period of time," he said.

Ridge said his only regret is that the department didn't reach out sooner to the European Union and other allies on various security initiatives.

Phil Anderson, a senior associate for homeland security at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said that Ridge took on "probably the most complex challenge the nation has ever had to address," worked extremely hard, and made strides in various areas including border and transportation security and cooperation between agencies.

"I don't think he's been given the credit he deserves," Anderson said. "It's very easy to criticize and suggest that things are all screwed up, but in fact, there has been enormous progress made."

Rep. Christopher Cox, R-Calif., who chairs the House Select Committee on Homeland Security, agreed. "Under his stewardship, we have made our homeland more secure on virtually every front," Cox said.

Even frequent critics of the department had nice things to say about the outgoing secretary.

"Tom Ridge is a decent man and a fine public servant, but unfortunately was not given the leeway or resources to tighten up homeland security the way it should be done. We hope that whoever the administration chooses to succeed him will be given the tools needed to really do the job," said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.

President Bush first called on Ridge immediately after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks to head the homeland security office at the White House.

About 14 months later, Ridge was sworn in as the first secretary of homeland security, taking helm of the department created by Congress to improve the nation's defenses against terrorism.

Ridge, a Harvard University graduate, was a decorated Army enlisted man in Vietnam and later worked as a prosecutor before serving six terms in the U.S. House and as governor of Pennsylvania. He has two children, including one who attends Carnegie-Mellon University and another who will soon attend college.

Other cabinet members who have announced they are leaving include Ashcroft, Secretary of State Colin Powell, Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham, Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman, Education Secretary Rod Paige, and Commerce Secretary Donald Evans.

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Contributing: Erin Stewart, Deseret Morning News; New York Times News Service