April 7, 2000

MEMORANDUM FOR THE VICE PRESIDENT THE SECRETARY OF STATE THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION ...

                              THE WHITE HOUSE

                       Office of the Press Secretary


For Immediate Release                            April 7, 2000



                               April 6, 2000



MEMORANDUM FOR THE VICE PRESIDENT
               THE SECRETARY OF STATE
               THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY
               THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
               THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
               THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE
               THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
               THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION
               THE SECRETARY OF ENERGY
               THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
               ADMINISTRATOR, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
               DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET
               DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE
               DIRECTOR, FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
               ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT
                  FOR NATIONAL SECURITY AFFAIRS
               ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT
                  FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
               DIRECTOR, UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
               CHAIRMAN, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF
               DIRECTOR, FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
               DIRECTOR, UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE

SUBJECT:       Designation of the Attorney General as the Lead
               Official for the Emergency Response Assistance
               Program Under Sections 1412 and 1415 of the
               National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
               Year 1997 (Public Law 104-201) (the "Act")


Under sections 1412(a) and 1415(a) of the Act, the Secretary of Defense is
responsible for implementing the Emergency Response Assistance Program,
commonly known as the "Domestic Preparedness Program," to provide civilian
personnel of Federal, State, and local agencies with training and expert
advice regarding emer-gency responses to a use or threatened use of a
weapon of mass destruction or related materials, and for testing and
improving the responses of such agencies to emergencies involving chemical
or biological weapons and related materials.

Under the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, including sections 1412(a)(2) and 1415(d)(1) of the Act, I
designate the Attorney General to replace the Secretary of Defense as the
lead Federal official with responsibility for carrying out these programs.

These designations are effective October 1, 2000, and constitute
designations pursuant to sections 1412(a)(2) and 1415(d)(1) of the Act.

The Attorney General is authorized and directed to publish this memorandum
in the Federal Register.



                                   WILLIAM J. CLINTON



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