(UNTITLED)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78B02992A000100070021-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 7, 2006
• Sequence Number: 21
• Content Type: STATEMENT

Approved For Release 2006/05/24: CIA-RDP78B0299fADOQ10O070021-8
I- i
1. The Administration will probably issue its
Executive order on Intelligence and reorganize PFIAB
this fall. These measures will formalize the settlement
of issues about which there is no longer any major
difference of opinion (except over d a.i?1 yf wording
that may be over-restrictive). It is clear, however,
that more fundamental change in the organization and
management of the Community and of CIA is under discussion
in both the Legislative and Executive Branches; the
intelligence provisions of the National Security Act
of 1947 are certain to be reconsidered and probably will
be rewritten. Before this can be accomplished, however,
Congress, the Administration, and the Community itself
will have to engage in in ensive debate onmany complex
2. A not unreasonable projection of the course
of events we face is that the Senate and House investi-
gations will drag on until the oncoming
1976 election forces the participants to set the
.investigations aside. At that point they will, if they
are able, make recommendations for legislation. The
pressure of time, however, will require that these
recommendations be addressed to the new Congress taking
office in 1.977. Thus, after a suitable period for
education, the new Congress will be ready to begin a
dialogue with the Executive about the future of the
Intelligence Community at mid-year 1977.
Approved For Release 2006/05/24: CIA-RDP78BO2992A000100070021-8
 Approved For Release 2006/05/24: CIA-RDP78B02992A000100070021-8
3. We are thus faced with as much as two years
more of rudderless drift, during which we and the rest
of the Community will have no guidance as to the future
shape or purpose of American intelligence. During that
time encroachments by Defense on.the independence of
the DCI and the present fraying away of the morale and
cohesion of CIA will continue. Moreover, important events
will occur that require decision on things that appear
matters of detail, but are in fact rooted in principle.
One example is organization These decisions
must fit into a larger blueprint for the community if
they are to make sense. No such blueprint can be prepared
until. the Legislative-Executive dialogue is over, and
without it Defense has a vacuum to fill. [Moreover,
should the President wish to appoint a new DCI,' it is
difficult to imagine a candidate who would take the
job until he knows how it is to be defined.]
4. Under these circumstances, the DCI of 1977 is
likely to receive his marching orders after Defense is
in possession.of the battlefield and with his own troops
severely weakened by several years of erosion. The chances
of providing a strong, independent and objective national
intelligence capability--the intent of Congress in 1947--
will be poor indeed.
Approved For Release 2006/05/24: CIA-RDP78B02992A000100070021-8
 Approved For Release 2006/05/24: CIA-RDP78BO2992A000100070021-8
5. What is needed is to shortcut the process. There
is no reason why informed debate cannot begin while
the investigations are still in progress. If work began
now, it might be possible to arrive at an agreed package
of changes early in 1976, and to enact these into statute
before the political campaign. A year and a half of
destructive uncertainty for our national intelligence
system might thus be avoided.
6. We recommend that the DCI suggest to the
President that he
--Call in the Congressional leadership,
including the CIA oversight subcommittees
and the Select Committees.
--Point out to them the destructive effects
of delay, and urge that proposals for the
future be decoupled from investigation atd
correction of past abuses.
---Request that they, in cooperation with the
Executive, begin work now to develop whatever
legislative proposals in the organizational
field seem appropriate.
--Set a target date of, perhaps, 1 February
for submission of agreed legislation to
Congress.
Approved For Release 2006/05/24: CIA-RDP78BO2992A000100070021-8