Clinton Designates Attorney General as Domestic Preparedness Chief

By Thomas Duffy / April 7, 2000 at 5:00 AM
President Bill Clinton today gave the attorney general's office the lead in preparing the United States for a possible terrorist attack with a weapon of mass destruction. The 1997 Defense Authorization Act created an Emergency Response Assistance Program, which provides local governments with federal help in preparing for a possible attack with a chemical, biological, or nuclear weapon. The act said the defense secretary is responsible for carrying out the program but gives the president the flexibility to name another...

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