Brooks Sworn in as National Nuclear Security Administration Administrator

5/16/2003

From: Joe Davis of the Department of Energy, 202-586-4940; Bryan Wilkes of the National Nuclear Security Administration, 202-586-7371

WASHINGTON, May 16 -- Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham administered the oath of office to Ambassador Linton F. Brooks this afternoon to be the administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and the undersecretary of energy for nuclear security.

Brooks previously served as the deputy administrator for nuclear nonproliferation. Last July, President Bush named him acting administrator when the first NNSA administrator, John Gordon, took an assignment at the National Security Council. The President nominated Brooks to be administrator on February 4, 2003, and he was confirmed by the Senate on May 1.

After the ceremony, Abraham said, "Linton Brooks has done a remarkable job as acting administrator. He brings to NNSA outstanding qualifications and experience. In these times of higher security threats and alerts his leadership is needed overseeing our nation's nuclear weapons complex and international nuclear nonproliferation programs."

Prior to joining NNSA, Brooks was the vice president and assistant to the president for policy analysis at the Center for Naval Analyses (CNA), a federally funded research and development center located in Alexandria, Virginia. His extensive government experience includes service as the assistant director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, chief U.S. negotiator for the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (where he earned the title of ambassador), director of arms control for the National Security Council, and a number of Navy and Defense Department assignments.

"I am honored for the trust shown by the President and Secretary Abraham," Brooks said. "We have an outstanding group of people working for NNSA and in our nuclear weapons complex, and there is much to do. I look forward to my continuing work with our nonproliferation and stockpile stewardship programs that promote U.S. national security."

NNSA is a semi-autonomous agency of the Department of Energy. It enhances U.S. national security through the military application of nuclear energy, maintains the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, promotes international nuclear non-proliferation and safety, reduces global danger from weapons of mass destruction, provides the U.S. Navy with safe and effective nuclear propulsion, and oversees national laboratories to maintain U.S. leadership in science and technology.