FOREIGN LANGUAGE IMPROVEMENT BILL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83M00914R002100150036-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 13, 2007
• Sequence Number: 36
• Publication Date: October 21, 1981
• Content Type: MEMO

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LLB 81-1111/8
21 October 1981
Special Assistant to the DDCI
FROM: Legislative Liaison
SUBJECT: Foreign Language Improvement Bill
MEMORANDUM FOR:
1. I spoke with Craig Wilson at the Department of Defense this morning,
21 October 1981, concerning Representative Paul Simon's (D., IL) Foreign
Language Improvement Bill in order to find out where OSD stands on this whole
issue.
2. As pretty much expected, with the exception of Craig, OSD has accepted
the negative Administration position on the Bill as a fait accompli. Craig
himself of course, is, as is Admiral Inman, staunchly supportive of Federal
action in this area. Craig feels that no one outside of the Department of
Education was given sufficient time to develop any kind of strategy in combat-
ting the Department of Education's position, and consequently, Secretary Bell's
position became the Administration's position.
3. As you are aware, despite the negative Administration position on the
Bill, Craig Wilson drafted an internal DoD memo in favor of the Bill earlier
this month which he hoped would result in a letter from Secretary Weinberger
to OMB Director Stockman. A copy of this memo was passed to Captain Carden
earlier this month and from what Craig told me it reads a good deal like the
letter I drafted for the Admiral (attached). Although OSD components pretty
much accepted Secretary Bell's position, they made practically no changes to
his memo.
4. The House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education
held its markup on the Bill earlier this month and yesterday, 20 October, the
Bill was reported out of the Full Committee. The Subcommittee staff feels that
the Bill will be taken to the floor of the House sometime within the next few
weeks and has requested help from both the Admiral and Craig Wilson. Craig is
certainly willing to be of any help that he can. He does not feel however,
that he has the authority to speak up on his own and that the most effective
DoD clout would come from Secretary of Defense Weinberger. Consequently, as
you and I discussed this morning, it would be good if Admiral Inman and Deputy
Secretary of Defense Carlucci discussed this issue at their breakfast meeting
this Friday, 23 October 1981.
5. If it is agreed among them to speak out in defense of Representative
Simon's Bill, then appropriate letters can be drafted to OMB. They could, of
course,' send a. joint letter which Craig and I could jointly draft. Apparently,
Secretary Weinberger is cognizant of this issue and in late September, in discus-
sions with Representative Simon, indicated his personal interest in the Bill.
STAT
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6. Following my conversation with you this morning, I spoke with
Craig. He will funnel the appropriate background materials to Mr. Carlucci
in support of Friday's meeting.
7. Craig and I both feel that if it's decided that DoD and CIA are going
to come out in opposition to the current Administration position on the Bill,
.the best plan of attack is to emphasize that, although we cannot necessarily
argue against the Department of Education's position on some of the technical
aspects of the Bill, the Bill is a step in the right direction, is critical to
the replenishment of future language resources, and, consequently, deserves
cooperation from both the Administration and Congress.
8. I will wait to hear from you before I proceed any further.
STAT
Legislative Liaison
Attachment
As stated
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