19 March 1999

TEXT: MAR. 18 CLINTON CALLS FOR REVIEW OF SECURITY AT DOE

(Clinton taps Republican Rudman for DOE security review)  (370)

Washington - President Clinton announced March 18 that he has asked
former Republican Senator Warren Rudman to head up a review of
security at Department of Energy laboratories.

Rudman, the current chairman of the President's Foreign Intelligence
Advisory Board (FIAB), will lead that body in a thorough review of
security threats at the laboratories and the measures being taken to
address the problem.

The FIAB is a bipartisan, independent advisory body. It will submit
its findings to the Congress.

"I am determined to do all that is necessary to protect our sensitive
national security information and to prevent its diversion to foreign
countries," Clinton said in the statement.

Following is the official text of the White House statement:

(begin text)

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary

March 18, 1999

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

Today I have asked the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory
Board, chaired by Warren Rudman, to undertake a review of the security
threat at the Department of Energy's weapons labs and the adequacy of
the measures that have been taken to address it. The Board is a
bipartisan, independent advisory body responsible, among other things,
for assessing the quality and adequacy of our counterintelligence
efforts.

I have asked the Board to address the nature of the present
counterintelligence security threat, the way in which it has evolved
over the last two decades and the steps we have taken to counter it,
as well as to recommend any additional steps that may be needed. I
have asked the Board to deliver its completed report to the Congress,
and to the fullest extent possible consistent with our national
security, to release an unclassified version to the public.

I am determined to do all that is necessary to protect our sensitive
national security information and to prevent its diversion to foreign
countries. Last year, I signed Presidential Decision Directive 61 to
strengthen security and counterintelligence at the labs, and since
1995, we have increased the Department of Energy's counterintelligence
budget fifteen-fold, from $2 to $31 million.

(end text)

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