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STAFFORD ACT PRESIDENTIAL DECISION DIRECTIVE 39

In 1995 the Stafford Act was supplemented again by President Bill Clinton’s Presidential Decision Directive 39, U.S. Policy on Counterterrorism. While still a classified document, PDD-39 has been publicly released with large portions redacted. With this directive, President Clinton laid out the national policy and the specific duties and goals of federal departments and agencies.

PDD-39 describes terrorism as both a threat to our national security and a crime. It states that this threat must be deterred, defeated, and responded to immediately and using all appropriate means. To support these efforts, it directs measures to reduce vulnerabilities to terrorism, to deter and respond to acts of terrorism, and to prevent and manage the consequences of any use of WMDs (which the Directive defines as nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons) by terrorists. To accomplish this, PDD-39 directed all U.S. department and agency heads to ensure that their personnel and facilities were protected against terrorism, which includes specific efforts such as expanding counterterrorism programs, preventing unlawful traffic in firearms and explosives, and excluding or deporting persons who pose terrorist threats.

Where WMDs are concerned, PDD-39 grants the highest priority to the prevention and management of the consequences of their uses by terrorists. It calls for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to determine whether the resources available are sufficient for handling a WMD-related terrorist incident, and to then identify and remedy any shortfalls in stockpiles, capabilities, or training.

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