BRIEFING OF CHAIRMAN MAHON ON LAOS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP72-00337R000100150066-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 20, 2006
• Sequence Number: 66
• Publication Date: December 16, 1969
• Content Type: MFR

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OLC 69-1037
16 December 1969
MEMORANDUM TOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: Briefing of Chairman Mahon on Laos
1. This morning Bob Michaels, on the staff of the House
Appropriations Committee, called and said that Mr. Mahon would like
a briefing this afternoon on Laos. He desires this in connection with
the upcoming conference with the Senate committee on the defense
appropriation bill, specifically the Cooper /Mansfield amendment on
Laos as modified by the Church substitute amendment. As the amend-
ment passed the Senate it provided: Sec. 643. In line with the expressed
intention of the President of the United States, none of the funds appropri-
ated by this Act shall be used to finance the introduction of American
ground combat troops into Laos or Thailand.
2. The Director decided that the briefing should be given by
Mr. Nelson. He and I met with Mr. Mahon and Messrs. Michaelis and
Preston of the Committee staff this afternoon. The Chairman began by
asking Mr. Nelson "what are we really doing in Laos? " He said he
had been briefed on our Laos program but didn't remember much about
it other than to recall the name of Souvanna Phouma. Mr, Nelson gave
Mr. Mahon a very general briefing on the situation in Laos and what we
were doing there. In response to direct questions from the Chairman,
3. Mr. Mahon reviewed the language of the Laos amendment
as passed by the Senate and asked if the Agency had any problem with
this. We said we did not. Mahon added that as of 9:00 a, mo this
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morning the Department of Defense had no problems with it but was
not certain that the White House had focused on it.
4. Mr. Mahon instructed Michaels and Preston to have the
Army "cocked and primed" to be available to brief the Committee on
Laos programs if it should become necessary. His stated inclination
was to go along with the amendment since it posed no real problems
for anyone. It is anticipated that the House and Senate conferees will
meet on the bill sometime tomorrow afternoon.
Deputy Legislative Counsel
Distribution:
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OLC/GLCmgs (17 December 1969)
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