WHITE HOUSE MEETING OF THE LEGISLATIVE INTERDEPARTMENTAL GROUP - 26 OCTOBER 1971

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP73B00296R000400010020-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 20, 2006
• Sequence Number: 20
• Publication Date: October 27, 1971
• Content Type: MFR

Approved For Release 2007/03/06 :: (CIA- 73B00296R000400010020-5
SECR
OLC 71-1119
27 October 1971
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: White House Meeting of the Legislative Interdepartmental
Group - 26 October 1971
1. On 26 October 1971, I attended a meeting of the Legislative
Interdepartmental Group at 0900 hours in the Situation Room in the
White House. The meeting was chaired by General Al Haig and
participants included: Clark MacGregor, Colonel Dick Kennedy,
Eugene Cowen, Dick Cook, Tom Korologos, John Dean and Bill
'Timmons, of the White House staff; U. Alexis Johnson, David
Abshire and Harry Symmes, of State Department; Arthur Gardiner
of AID; General George Seignious, General Jim Lawrence, Stuart
French and Colonel Frank Burdell, of Department of Defense.
2. The first item of concern was the request from Senators
Fulbright and Symington for
in the Pacific as a pre-condition to ratification of the Okinawa Treaty.
A staff paper and supplemental "talking paper" for Under Secretary
Johnson's use in replying to Senators Fulbright and Symington was
approved.
3. The next item concerned amendments to the Foreign
Assistance Act reported by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,
and agreement was reached on the following points of possible concern
to the Agency:
a. Both the Cooper-Church and Mansfield amend-
ments should be strongly opposed, since they tie the
President's hands on the eve of two crucial summit
conferences. State will consult Senators Scott and
Griffin regarding the best tactics for opposing these
amendments and will provide material to them, plus
Senators Smith and Tower for floor speeches attacking
these amendments.
NSC review(s) completed.
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tDC
b, State will carry the ball in opposing the amendments
limiting funds (Section 655) and personnel (Section 656) in
Cambodia and is mindful of the CIA interest in this problem.
c. Defense will recommend deletion of provisions
bringing authorizations for military assistance to Thailand,
Laos and South Vietnam under the Foreign Relations Committee.
d. State will spearhead efforts to defeat or modify
Section 513 which would require congressional authorization
to finance military operations by foreign forces in Laos,
South Vietnam, North Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and
Burma. (The possible impact of these provisions on Agency
operations,
recognized.
e. The requirement that the State Department keep
the Foreign Relations Committee and Foreign Affairs Com-
mittee informed regarding all activities of U. S. agencies
outside the United States (Section 405 (b) ) was viewed with
particular concern and the staff of the Armed Services
Committee has undertaken to draft a revision limiting the
application of this provision to matters within the jurisdiction
of the Foreign Relations and Foreign Affairs Committees.
4. In conclusion, General Haig made a particular plea that all
present try to head off any legislation which would tend to tie the President's
hands at this particular juncture. Mr. MacGregor noted that much of the
problem arises from the desire of individual senators to "register a vote
for peace" before the President himself can preempt this issue. He said
that if we could head off some of these amendments until after November,
we should be in fair shape.
5. It was agreed that we would reconvene at 0900 hours on Thursday,
28 October 1971, to resume our discussion of the amendments to the Foreign
Distribution:
Original - Subject
1 - A/Ex Dir
1 - DDP
1 - Chief, FE
J Legislative Counsel
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