The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's first privacy chief <A HREF="http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-5886525.html?tag=zdnn.alert">stepped down on Friday</A> amid praise from civil-liberties groups--and regret that Congress didn't prescribe more power to her position. Nuala O'Connor Kelly, appointed by then-Secretary Tom Ridge in April 2003, plans to start as General Electric's Washington-based chief privacy leader and senior counsel in early to mid-October.