PRELIMINARY BRIEFING OF MR. GEORGE NORRIS, COUNSEL, HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE, CONCERNING THE BALANCE OF STRATEGIC WEAPONS, USA VERSUS USSR, TUESDAY,21 MARCH 1967

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP69B00369R000100210097-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 13, 2004
• Sequence Number: 97
• Publication Date: March 28, 1967
• Content Type: MFR

Approved For Release 2004/03/11 : CIA-RDP69
OLC 67..0116
March 1967
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT; Preliminary Briefing of Mr. George Norris, Counsel,
House Armed Services Committee, Concerning the
Balance of Strategic Weapons, USA versus USSR,
Tuesday, 21 March 1967
George Norris, Counsel, House Armed Services Corn-
mittee, visited the Agency for an informal briefing at 4: 00 p. M. in the
DD/S Conference Room. The briefing was arranged as a first step in
providing information desired by the House Armed Services Committee
which was requested originally in a letter of 7 March 1967 signed by
Representative L. Mendel Rivers, Chairman, and Representative
William H. Bates, Ranking Minority Member, House Armed Services
Committee. The time of meeting resulted from the need for general
information in the subject area prior to a Committee meeting with the
Secretary of Defense, Robert S. McNamara, scheduled for the next
ag Wednesday, 22 March. Agency personnel nreatmt yu'^,. .
g. The briefing was informal and followed a general conversational
tone which was lead by Mr. Norris' desire for definition as to the accuracy
of figures and information set forth in the working draft paper of the
National Strategy Committee of the American Security Council titled.
"The Changing Strategic Military Balance. " The general discussion
centered on the following.
a. Accuracy of figures in the American Security Council
estimate of megatons available in strategic weapons systems.
b. Tonnage of nuclear weapons.
c. Numbers and utility of strategic attack aircraft
d. An orbital missile system
e. Ballistic missile systems
SECRET
Approved For Release 2004/03/11 : CIA-RDP69B00369R000100210097-6
 Approved For Release 2004/03/11 : CIA-RDP69B00369R000100210097-6
EGRET
3. The discussion was in most general terms and did not exceed
top secret classification. No codeword material was discussed. Mr.
Norris took. no specific or detailed notes, and no material was given
Mr. Norris' viewpoint as be had been away from the nuclear field forZa
number of years.
4. This session with Mr. Norris does not of itself
rovid
p
e .."
guideline for further briefing or response to the letter request of 7 March.
Discussion with Mr. Norris, after the meeting concluded, indicated that
he hoped,. at least from his point of view, to have a better feel of the
problem after Mr. McNamara's appearance before the Committee.
a assured him that Mr. McNamara also uses our national intelligence.
S. Mr. Norris requested that he be provided with the y
d
es an
office designation of the individuals participating in today's briefing.
SIGNED
an s a - Lve Counsel
Distributicn
Original Subject
l-
I - Chrono
OLC13GO:imd
SECRET
Approved For Release 2004/03/11 : CIA-RDP69B00369R000100210097-6