THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release March 22, 1993

PRESIDENT NAMES WEISE FOR CUSTOMS SERVICE COMMISSIONER;

KAPLAN FOR TRANSPORTATION GENERAL COUNSEL

(Washington, DC) President Clinton announced today his intention to nominate George Weise, the Staff Director of the House Ways and Means Committee's Subcommittee on Trade, to be Commissioner of the U.S. Customs Service; and Stephen Kaplan, the former City Attorney of Denver, to be General Counsel for the Department of Transportation.

"George Weise," said the President "is one of this country's leading experts on customs matters, with experience that few can match. I am confident that he will work to make the Customs Service a model of effectiveness and efficiency."

"As Denver's City Attorney," the President added, "Stephen Kaplan served Federico Pena with unparalleled dedication and professionalism. He will, I am sure, do no less here in the Federal government."

Weise has been with the Trade Subcommittee since 1984, and has been in his current position since 1989. He previously served at the Customs Service as an Import Specialist from 1972- 75, and has worked as a Supervisory Attorney-Advisor for the U.S. International Trade Commission, and a Staff Attorney for IBM. He is a member of the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on Customs Law and has been admitted to the bar of the Court of International Trade. Weise holds B.S. and J.D. degrees from the University of Maryland, and an M.B.A. in International Business from the George Washington University School of Government and Business Administration.

Kaplan was Attorney for the City and County of Denver from 1983 to 1990, representing the city in a variety of complex proceedings and serving on the Mayor's Cabinet. Since leaving that office, he has been of counsel to the Denver law firm of Davis, Graham and Stubbs. He was previously a partner in the firm of Kelly, Haglund, Gansey and Kahn, and First Assistant Attorney General for the State of Colorado. He has Washington experience as a Legislative Assistant to Congressman James R. Jones of Oklahoma from 1973 to 1976. He is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School.

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