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THE WHITE HOUSE

                          Office of the Press Secretary 
                       (Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts) 
_______________________________________________________________________ 
For Immediate Release                                   August 27, 1997 
                    PRESIDENT CLINTON NAMES JOHN J. HAMRE 
                TO THE STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE PRESIDENT'S 
              COMMISSION ON CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION

President Clinton today announced his intent to appoint Deputy Secretary of Defense John J. Hamre as a member of the Steering Committee of the President's Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection.

John J. Hamre, of South Dakota, is currently serving as the Deputy Secretary of Defense. Prior to this appointment, he served as Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller). Before his arrival at the Department in 1993, he served ten years as a professional staff member of the Senate Armed Services Committee where he was primarily responsible for the oversight and evaluation of procurement, research and development programs. From 1978 to 1984, he served in the Congressional Budget Office, rising to the position of Deputy Assistant Director for National Security and International Affairs.

The President's Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection was established in July 1996, to examine both physical and cyber threats to key U.S. infrastructures, such as telecommunications, energy, banking and finance, transportation and emergency services. The Commission will develop a comprehensive national strategy for infrastructure assurance. The Steering Committee, which is made up of senior Administration officials, oversees the work of the Commission on behalf of the Cabinet-level Principals Committee.

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