The report outlines the public health assessment of potential biological terrorism agents, focusing on identifying and prioritizing agents that pose the greatest threat to civilian populations. As part of a Congressional initiative to enhance national public health capabilities for responding to biological terrorism, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was designated as the lead agency. A Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Office was established to target areas such as planning, surveillance, diagnostics, communication, and medical stockpiling. To determine which agents to prioritize, the CDC convened experts to evaluate biological agents based on criteria including public health impact, delivery potential, public perception, and special preparedness needs. The evaluation considered various lists of biological agents, including the Select Agent Rule list, the Australian Group List, and the Biological Weapons Convention list. Experts also reviewed intelligence information on classified threats. Agents were categorized into three priority levels: A, B, and C. Category A agents have the highest potential for public health impact, requiring broad-based preparedness efforts. Category B agents require some improvements in public health and medical awareness, surveillance, or diagnostic capabilities. Category C agents are those that may not currently pose a high risk but could emerge as future threats. The report emphasizes that the prioritization of agents is based on the potential impact of their use, not the likelihood of their use. It also notes that the categories are not definitive and may change as new information becomes available. The report concludes that a standardized evaluation process will continue to be used to assess and prioritize biological agents, ensuring preparedness for evolving threats.The report outlines the public health assessment of potential biological terrorism agents, focusing on identifying and prioritizing agents that pose the greatest threat to civilian populations. As part of a Congressional initiative to enhance national public health capabilities for responding to biological terrorism, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was designated as the lead agency. A Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Office was established to target areas such as planning, surveillance, diagnostics, communication, and medical stockpiling. To determine which agents to prioritize, the CDC convened experts to evaluate biological agents based on criteria including public health impact, delivery potential, public perception, and special preparedness needs. The evaluation considered various lists of biological agents, including the Select Agent Rule list, the Australian Group List, and the Biological Weapons Convention list. Experts also reviewed intelligence information on classified threats. Agents were categorized into three priority levels: A, B, and C. Category A agents have the highest potential for public health impact, requiring broad-based preparedness efforts. Category B agents require some improvements in public health and medical awareness, surveillance, or diagnostic capabilities. Category C agents are those that may not currently pose a high risk but could emerge as future threats. The report emphasizes that the prioritization of agents is based on the potential impact of their use, not the likelihood of their use. It also notes that the categories are not definitive and may change as new information becomes available. The report concludes that a standardized evaluation process will continue to be used to assess and prioritize biological agents, ensuring preparedness for evolving threats.