White House Press Release.
Re: Appointment of David Beier..
Date: April 10, 1998.
Source: White House Press Office.  This document has been edited for html, but not for content.

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Vice President
For Immediate Release Contact:
Friday, April 10, 1998 (202) 456-7035

VICE PRESIDENT GORE NAMES DAVID BEIER DOMESTIC POLICY ADVISOR

Washington D.C. -- Vice President Gore announced today that David W. Beier will join the Office of the Vice President as Chief Domestic Policy Advisor, replacing Donald Gips.

Beier will advise Vice President Gore on a broad range of domestic issues, with a focus on the economy and technology. In addition, the Vice President announced that Jim Kohlenberger, who is currently the Vice President's Senior Domestic Policy Advisor, will play an enhanced role in developing the Administrations policies in science, technology, and tele-communications, including Internet issues.

"I am very pleased to have David join my staff," Vice President Gore said. "David has built a great reputation in the private sector and during his time on Capitol Hill. He has a strong record of achievement and is well known for his fair and intelligent approach to very complex, but important issues. David will be a great addition to the White House staff, and with Jim's new role, we will have a strong team working to reduce class size, to hook every school up to the Internet, to fight crime to make communities safer, and to reform health care to make sure patients get the care they need at a cost they can afford."

Since 1989, Beier has been serving as Vice President of the Government Affairs office at Genentech. During his tenure he has worked hard on various issues related to the biotechnology industry such as the extension of the R&D Tax Credit, the 1995 Biotech Process Patent Bill, and the Orphan Drug Act. Prior to working at Genentech, Beier was counsel to the Committee on the Judiciary, U.S. House of Representative for ten years, with significant responsibility for legislation protecting intellectual property rights and trademark law reform. Before coming to the Committee on the Judiciary, Beier worked as an attorney for New York State in the criminal justice system as Assistant Counsel for the Committee on Sentencing. Early in his career he worked as a legal services attorney engaged in law reform litigation.

Mr. Beier's academic appointments include Adjunct Professor of Law for Brooklyn Law School and Rochester Institute of Technology. Mr. Beier has a B.A. from Colgate University and received his Juris Doctorate from Albany Law School.

Don Gips joined Vice President Gore's staff a year ago, from the FCC where he was the Chief of the FCC's International Bureau.

"Don has been a valuable advisor to me and a valued member of my team," Vice President Gore said. "His knowledge of communications and technology issues have served President Clinton and me well. His counsel and good humor will be missed by me and by all of his colleagues."

Gips who is leaving to spend more time with his family will spend several month as a Visiting Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, while he determines his long-range plans.