On 13 August, Ronald Atlas, cochair of the ASM Biodefense Committee of the Public and Scientific Affairs Board, and Janet Shoemaker, ASM Public Affairs Office, were invited to attend a meeting on biological threat reduction and counterterrorism policy at the White House Conference Center.  Participants at the meeting discussed issues and strategies to address the risk of biothreats, including the role of pathogen security, dual use research of concern, biosafety, personnel training, and the role of the Biological Weapons Convention.