June 15, 1999

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

                              THE WHITE HOUSE

                       Office of the Press Secretary


For Immediate Release                      June 15, 1999


                        STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

On March 18, 1999, I asked the President?s Foreign Intelligence Advisory
Board, the PFIAB, to undertake a review of the security threat at the
Department of Energy?s weapons labs and the measures that have been taken
to address it.  PFIAB Chairman Warren B. Rudman presented the Board?s
findings to me today.  I have asked the PFIAB to make the report available
to Congress and to the public.

I would like to thank Senator Rudman and the Board members who undertook
this important study over a 90-day period, reviewing hundreds of documents
and conducting dozens of interviews.  As the report recognizes, the
Department of Energy represents the best of America?s scientific talent and
expertise.  The value of their contributions makes it imperative that we
place a premium on ensuring that we have instituted the best possible
measures for the protection of our nation?s most valuable secrets at
Department facilities.

This Administration already has taken unprecedented steps to reduce the
vulnerability of our secrets at the labs.  Over a year ago I issued a
sweeping Directive to strengthen counterintelligence across the board at
the Department of Energy, and Secretary Richardson has aggressively
instituted new rules and procedures for counterintelligence and security at
DOE facilities.  The PFIAB has made a number of proposals which we will
carefully review.  We remain committed to taking the necessary steps to
safeguard our nation?s secrets.

As these vital national security issues are addressed, we will be most
successful if we continue our efforts in a bipartisan manner with close
cooperation between the Executive and Legislative branches of Government.


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