    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
    [July 14, 1999]
    [Page 1214]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on the Deutch-Specter Commission Report
    July 14, 1999

        I welcome the report of the Commission To Assess the Organization of
    the Federal Government To Combat the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass
    Destruction (the Deutch-Specter Commission).
        The Chairman, John Deutch, the Vice
    Chairman, Senator Specter, and other
    commissioners have provided a comprehensive study of how we should
    organize the U.S. Government to deal with the threat of proliferation,
    which poses one of the most serious challenges to national and
    international security that we face.
        The Commission's report contains a number of interesting
    recommendations and observations that deserve serious consideration. I
    have asked my National Security Adviser, Samuel Berger, to coordinate an interagency review and assessment of the
    Commission's recommendations and report back to me within 60 days with
    advice on specific steps.