NEWS RELEASE BY SENATOR JOHN STENNIS CHAIRMAN, PREPAREDNESS INVESTIGATING SUBCOMMITTEE SENATE COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES, JANUARY 16, 1964

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP66B00403R000100240051-7
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 8, 2005
• Sequence Number: 51
• Publication Date: January 16, 1964
• Content Type: PREL

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS RELEASE BY SENATOR JOHN STENNIS
CHAIRMAN, PREPAREDNESS INVESTIGATING SUBCOMMITTEE
SENATE COMMITTEE ON ARMEb SERVICES
THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 1964
Senator John Stennis (D. -Miss.), Chairman of the Preparedness In-
vestigating Subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, an-
nounced today that he had directed the Subcommittee staff to update and
review the current information and data relating to the reliability and dependa-
bility of the nation's long-range strategic missiles as soon as possible. The
announcement followed the recent statement by Senator Barry Goldwater (R. -
Ariz.), regarding missile dependability and Secretary McNamara's response
thereto.
"The recent public controversy about the dependability of our ICBM
force, " Senator Stennis said, "requires that the Subcommittee bring up to
date its information on this all-important matter. Under present defense
planning our future deterrence and retaliatory striking power will be based
largely upon long-range strategic missiles. Therefore, the nation's survival
may depend upon their ability to survive and penetrate to their assigned
targets. "
The Mississippi lawmaker emphasized that the American people are
entitled to all the facts about the matter that security considerations will
permit. He pointed out, however, that much of the information about the
strategic missile force was highly sensitive and could not be disclosed without
aiding our potential enemies. For this reason, he said, "the Subcommittee
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will have to handle the matter with extreme care and circumspection. "
The Subcommittee, under Stennis' chairmanship, has maintained a
continuing interest in and surveillance over the U.S. ballistic missile programs
since early 1961. In 1961 and 1962 the Subcommittee held extensive closed
hearings on strategic weapons and weapon delivery systems. In addition,
many aspects of missile survivability and reliability were examined by the
Subcommittee in 1963 during its consideration of the military implications of
the nuclear test ban treaty, In view of this, Chairman Stennis pointed out,
the primary purpose of the inquiry will be to update the information already
possessed by the investigating group.
He said that the Subcommittee's future course of action with respect to
the matter would be determined after completion and consideration of the staff
study.
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