Nomination of William Howard Taft IV To Be General Counsel of the Department of Defense
February 17, 1981
The President today announced his intention to nominate William Howard Taft IV to be General Counsel, Department of Defense. Mr. Taft is an attorney with the firm of Leva, Hawes, Symington, Martin and Oppenheimer of Washington, D.C.
Prior to January 1977, Mr. Taft worked for 7 years with the Federal Trade Commision, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.
In April 1976 Mr. Taft was appointed by the President to serve as General Counsel of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. As such, he was the chief lawyer for the Department and the principal administrator of the Office of the General Counsel, which consisted of approximately 350 lawyers in Washington and 10 regional offices.
Prior to his appointment as General Counsel, Mr. Taft served 3 years as the executive assistant to the Secretary of HEW. From 1970 to 1973, he was the principal assistant to Caspar W. Weinberger, who was Deputy Director, then Director, of the Office of Management and Budget in the Executive Office of the President. Mr. Taft assisted him in the management of the budgetary process, policy review, and program oversight for the entire Federal Government.
Mr. Taft served briefly as attorney adviser to the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission in 1970.
A native of Washington, D.C., Mr. Taft earned his Ph. D. in English from Yale University in 1966 and his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1969.
He is married and has three children. Mr. Taft resides in Lorton, Va., with his family. He was born in Washington, D.C., on September 13, 1945.
Nomination of G. Ray Arnett To Be an Assistant Secretary of the Interior
February 17, 1981
The President announced today his intention to nominate G. Ray Arnett to be Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish and Wildlife.
Mr. Arnett is an avid sportsman and outdoorsman who has devoted much of his life to the conservation, preservation, and enhancement of wildlife. He was appointed by Gov. Ronald Reagan to head the California Department of Fish & Game, where he served for 7 years.
Mr. Arnett was director of the National Wildlife Federation for 17 years, and served two terms as president, retiring from that position in 1978. He has been affiliated with many State and national conservation organizations. He was one of the founders and currently serves as chairman of the board of the Wildlife Legislative Fund of America and its companion organization, the Wildlife Conservation Fund of America.
Mr. Arnett attended the University of California at Los Angeles and the University of Southern California, where he attended undergraduate and graduate school.
In 1942 - 46 Mr. Arnett served in the U.S. Marine Corps, South Central Pacific Theatre. He was recalled to active duty during the Korean conflict in 1950 - 52. He was honorably discharged with the rank of captain.
Mr. Arnett is married and has four children. He resides with his family in Stockton, Calif. He was born in Quantico, Va., on June 14, 1924.