United Press International

U.S. Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden has been nominated to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

U.S. President George Bush made the nomination official on Monday in the wake of Friday's resignation by CIA Director Porter Goss. Hayden, 61, currently serves as deputy director of National Intelligence. His nomination goes to the U.S. Senate for consideration.

"Mike knows our intelligence community from the ground up. He has been both a provider and a consumer of intelligence," Bush said.

"He's demonstrated an ability to adapt out intelligence services to the new challenges of war on terror."

"He's the right man to CIA at this critical moment in our nation's history."

Hayden said, "There's probably no post more important in preserving our security and our values as a people than the head of the Central Intelligence Agency."

"In the confirmation process I look forward to meeting with leaders of the Congress, better understanding their concerns and working with them to move the American intelligence community forward. This is simply too important not to get absolutely right."

The rumor of Hayden moving to the CIA's top spot brought dissention from several members of Congress, including Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Mich., the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. Speaking on Fox News Sunday, Hoekstra said, "Bottom line: I do believe (Hayden's) the wrong person, the wrong place at the wrong time."