U.S. Secret Service Director Julia Pierson, a 30-year veteran in the service and its first female director, has resigned under fire after revelations about security lapses that are being blamed on her as the woman in charge of President Barack Obama's and his family's protection.

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In her place, the White House is recalling from retirement Joseph Clancy, a former Special Agent in charge of the Presidential Protective Division, who retired in 2011, to function as Acting Director, until a permanent chief is chosen.

Aside from the Sept. 19 incident where an Iraq war veteran scaled the White House fence and made it into the mansion before he was stopped, another incident came to light of an armed private security contractor having been allowed on an elevator with the President during a visit to Atlanta. The man had a previous conviction for assault. During questioning, the man was found to be carrying a gun.

In the case of the latest White House intruder, Omar Gonzales, members of a congressional committee investigating the intrusion learned that weeks before this incident, the man had been arrested for carrying 11 guns and a map with a line pointing to the White House. Later, the same man was stopped outside the White House while carrying a hatchet. In both instances, he was interviewed by Secret Service agents, and released after assuring Secret Service agents they had nothing to be concerned about.

On Tuesday, Pierson told the congressional committee that she took "full responsibility" for security lapses. She tendered her resignation Wednesday to Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, who accepted it.

Her resignation came after several lawmakers said that President Obama is not as protected as he should be in these times when global security problems are at a critical point.

President Obama has been informed of Pierson's resignation. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Obama believed it was in the best interest of the agency, and agreed with Secretary Johnson that new leadership was needed at the Secret Service.

Pierson faced almost four hours of questioning Tuesday by members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Republican Representative Jason Chaffetz, who chairs a national security oversight subcommittee, questioned Pierson on the number of times she had briefed Obama on incidents this year about threats to his safety, and Pierson said there was only one briefing and it was about the fence jumper Gonzales. She did not mention the elevator incident in Atlanta.

It was this  omission that led Chaffetz to call for her resignation. He was supported by others, including Democrats Senator Charles Schumer and Representative Elijah Cummings (D-Maryland), the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee.

Reacting to the resignation, Chaffetz said it was "a matter of national security."

"I am pleased she is stepping down. The position should be filled immediately by new leadership from outside the Secret Service for a fresh start," Chaffetz said.

The Homeland Security Department will establish a panel of independent experts to investigate what happened. Deputy Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is assuming control and direction.

Earnest said the same group will recommend changes to how the Secret Service operates and suggest who might become the next permanent Secret Service director. Homeland Security Secretary Johnson indicated in a statement that the position of director may be open to qualified professionals even outside of the agency.