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American Morning

Bush to Sign Bioterrorism Response Act

Aired June 12, 2002 - 09:51   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush is taking another step in the battle against terrorism. This morning, he is signing the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Response Act. It is supposed to have one department, Health and Human Services, coordinate all the resources needed to deal with a biological attack.

Let's go to CNN's Kelly Wallace at the White House to get a little preview of what we are going to see unfold a little bit later on. Good morning.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula. Well, just moments from now, we should see President Bush in the Rose Garden, joined by members of Congress for the signing ceremony.

The goal here to protect the country from acts of bioterrorism. This new measure, soon to become law, called for more than $4 billion in new spending this year and next year to help state and local governments prepare for and respond to acts of bioterrorism. Better communication between the federal government and state and local agencies, and also a big concern which was raised after the anthrax scare in the fall, making sure, Paula, that the federal government has an appropriate stockpile on hand of drugs and vaccines to respond to any bioterrorism attack, if one should occur -- Paula.

ZAHN: Want to ask you about another story in the news today, a General Accounting report confirming that close to $14,000 worth of damage was done in the Clinton transition over to the Bush administration.

Seems to me there is a little bit for both sides here. The Republicans arguing, saying, Hey, we told you so. There was damage done.

And the Democrats saying, Hey, look, look at the numbers, you know there's no proof that this is higher than any other administration.

What's the take there among the folks you've talked to?

WALLACE: Well, Paula, the take here -- the White House saying case closed, and also, just as you said, officials saying, I told you so -- we told you so. Our viewers will recall that early last year, when the Bush administration came into office, Bush officials saying that there were Ws taken from keyboards, there were messages left on voice mail, posters put around.

A lot of people saying this was inappropriate behavior by the Clinton administration, but you have Clinton administration officials who say this was completely exaggerated, that there really was not the evidence to prove what the Bush team was charging occurred. So you kind of have the GAO coming out, saying that there was some act of vandalism, some damage to keyboards, voice mail messages, and the like.

Again, the Bush team saying case closed, but you still have Clinton folks who are saying that this was really, really exaggerated, and still feel very frustrated by what they say was what the Bush team put out there, inappropriately so, last year -- Paula.

ZAHN: Somehow, Kelly, I don't know if this is the last we are going to hear about this, but only time will tell, right?

WALLACE: We'll see. Exactly.

ZAHN: Thanks, Kelly. Enjoy the signing ceremony.

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