From VOA Learning English,this is In The News.The head of the security forceguarding the president of the United States resigned this week.Secret Service Director Julia Piersonoffered her resignation on Wednesday,a day after she faced a United States congressional committee.Committee members spoke with her at lengthabout an incident two weeks ago at the White House.They wanted to know how a man was able to jump over a fenceand get deep inside the presidential home.President Barack Obama and his family were not in the building at the time.The Secret Service has said the suspect, Omar Gonzalez,was arrested just inside the main entrance to the White House.Officials at first said he was unarmed.But it was later learned he was carrying a knife.Omar Gonzalez formerly served in the U.S. military.He is now 42-years old and homeless, having no permanent place to live.Last month, a judge ordered him held without bail,barring any possibility of release before action on his case.At the court hearing, government lawyers saidthat investigators found ammunition,two hatchets and a long knife inside his vehicle.They also said he was stopped, but not arrested, in August,after he walked past the White House with a hatchet.A month earlier, he was arrested in Virginiaafter state police found weapons in his car.On Tuesday, members of Congress sharply questioned Julia Pierson.She admitted that the Secret Service had made missteps."It's clear that our security plan was not properly executed.This is unacceptable, and I take full responsibility,and I will make sure that it does not happen again."She was also asked about another incident.In 2011, gunfire hit the White House.But it took days for the Secret Serviceto discover that the building had been hit.Several lawmakers blamed Ms. Pierson for sending mixed signalsabout whether agents could use deadly forceif they felt the president is in danger.Some said the height of the White House fence was not the problem.They noted that several levels of securityfailed to stop the fence-jumper until he had crossed the grounds,opened the door, and run through the main floor of the White House.Hours after the committee hearing,news media began reporting about another security breach.It involved an armed security guard with a criminal record.He reportedly stood just centimeters from President Obama last month.The incident took place during the president's visitto the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia.A presidential spokesman told reportersthat Mr. Obama learned of the incident shortly before it was made public.Spokesman Josh Earnest said the president continuesto have complete trust in the Secret Service.He said Mr. Obama accepted Ms. Pierson's resignationbecause he agreed with her judgment that it was in the best interest of the agency."They reached that conclusion because of the recentand accumulating reports about the performance of the agency,and that is what led the president to believe that new leadership is required."The press secretary said President Obama spoke by telephone to Ms. Piersonand expressed thanks for her 30 years with the Secret Service.A short time later, Homeland Security Director Jeh Johnsonannounced her replacement.He is Joseph Clancy, a former Secret Service special agent.In a statement, Mr. Johnson noted how Secret Service agentsprotected the president and 140 visiting heads of statewithout incident last weekend.They were in New York for the United Nations General Assembly.Mr. Johnson added that,"no other protection service in the world could have done this."And that's In The News from VOA Learning English.And now, Words in This Storysecurity – adj. freedom from danger or harm; protectingjump – v. to push down on the feet and move up quickly into the airsuspect – v. to imagine or believe that someone is guilty of something bad or illegalsuspect - n. a person believed to be guiltyhatchet – n. a small axe; a tool used for cutting woodbreach – n. breaking or failing to obey a law or agreement