2001 US press briefings
The James S. Brady Briefing Room
12:12 P.M. EDT
MR. FLEISCHER: Good afternoon and welcome to the White House Briefing Room. I have a lengthy series of personnel announcements that I'll make, and then I'll be happy to take Questions.
The President intends to nominate William Duffy, Jr. to be United States attorney for the northern district of Georgia. The President intends to nominate Maxwell Wood to be United States attorney for the middle district of Georgia. The President intends to nominate Edward Kubo Jr. to be United States attorney for the district of Hawaii. The President intends to nominate Steven Colloton to be United States attorney for the southern district of Iowa.
The President intends to nominate Donald W. Washington to be United States attorney for the western district of Louisiana. The President intends to nominate Thomas DiBiagio to be United States attorney for the district of Maryland. The President intends to nominate Jeffrey Gilbert Collins to be United States attorney for the eastern district of Michigan. The President intends to nominate Gregory Gordon Lockhart to be United States attorney for the southern district of Ohio.
The President intends to nominate Sheldon J. Sperling to be United States Attorney for the eastern district of Oklahoma. The President intends to nominate Mary Beth Buchanan to be United States attorney for the western district of Pennsylvania. The President intends to nominate Daniel G. Bogden to be United States attorney for the district of Nevada.
Penultimately, the President intends to nominate Peter W. Hall to be United States attorney for the district of Vermont. And, finally, the President intends to nominate Thomas E. Johnston to be United States attorney for the northern district of West Virginia.
And with that, I'm more than happy to take questions.
Q For the record -- I know you touched on it this morning -- tell us now exactly why we're conducting biological warfare research, which, I grant, was started with the Clinton administration only for vaccines, antidotes, not for biological warfare. And you should go on the record.
MR. FLEISCHER: Helen, countering the threat of biological weapons is an administration priority and has been a priority of the United States government for a number of years. Unfortunately, the biological weapons threat around the world is growing and it presents a real challenge to the United States, particularly a challenge in terms of protecting our men and women in the Armed Forces.
And as a result, we have a broad defense -- bio-defense capability, that includes medical countermeasures, detectors and protective systems, all of which are designed to protect American citizenry and American servicemen and women. The program is fully in accordance with the Biological Weapons Convention, and is designed at providing defensive measures to protect our population and our servicemen and women.
Q And it has nothing to do with our rejection of this provision for enforcement and inspection measures?
MR. FLEISCHER: It is not related at all to the protocol, and it is allowable and fully permissible under the Biological Weapons Convention, which the United States supports.
Q Wouldn't it have been allowed under the protocol?
MR. FLEISCHER: I have no information on that, Ron, because it has nothing to do with the protocol.
Q What do you hope to get -- what is the purpose of the meetings with Lott and Daschle today?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President this afternoon will be meeting with Minority Leader Lott and Majority Leader Daschle to talk about the fall agenda and the President's hopes that progress can be made on a host of legislative priorities that focus on the economy, education, opportunities and security -- security meaning health security, Social Security, and national security.
It's a very busy fall agenda, but there are a lot of strong prospects for bipartisan accomplishment. And that's why the President will meet with these two leaders.
Q What impact, legislatively and politically on the President, will the limping economy and the vanishing surpluses have?