On January 17, 2012, the opening day of the second session of the 112^th Congress, the House will vote to elect a successor to Wilson “Bill” Livingood, who will retire on that date after more than 17 years as the House’s top law enforcement official.

“Paul Irving’s 25-year career in the U.S. Secret Service earned him the strongest possible recommendations for this important post,” said Boehner.  “His high level federal law enforcement experience, including a number of assignments working closely with the Congress, will be invaluable to the House.”

Along with his Senate counterpart, the House Sergeant at Arms oversees the United States Capitol Police and is responsible for the safety and security of all lawmakers, congressional staff and visitors to the Capitol Complex.  He also serves as the chief protocol officer for the House.

Irving, 54, began his law enforcement career as a clerk in the FBI’s Los Angeles field office and, in 1983, joined the Secret Service as a special agent.  He rose to a supervisory position on the Presidential Protective Detail and served as Deputy Assistant Director of the Secret Service for Congressional Affairs and Assistant Director for Government and Public Affairs.  In 2003 he was detailed to the Executive Office of the President as a core member of the White House transition team responsible for assembling the Department of Homeland Security. Irving retired from the Service in 2008 as Assistant Director for Administration, with overall responsibility for budget formulation as well as direct oversight of the agency’s Chief Financial Officer, Chief Procurement Officer and Chief Property Officer.

Following his retirement, Irving served as president and managing partner of his family’s real estate investment firm with commercial, industrial and residential property holdings.  Earlier this year, he joined Command Consulting Group in Washington, D.C., as a senior security consultant to the firm’s domestic and international clients, where he now serves as managing director in their Miami office.

Irving holds an undergraduate degree in Justice from American University and a law degree from Whittier College Law School.  He is married to Jean Parkinson-Irving and they have one son, Allen.