THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL STRUCTURE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP97M00248R000400900004-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 21, 2008
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: January 20, 1981
• Content Type: MEMO

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January 1u, 1981-
NATIONAL SECURITY DECISION DIRECTIVE 2
The
Vice President
The
Secretary of State
The
Secretary of the Treasury
The
Secretary of Defense
The
Attorney
General
The
Secretary
of Commerce
The
Secretary
of.Energy
The.Director of the Office of Management &?Budget
The Director of Central Intelligence =
.The United States Representative to the.United Nations
The Counselor to the President? (Policy)
The Chairman, Council of Economic Advisers
The Assistant .to-the President for National, Security Affairs
The Chief of Staff
..,The Director, Arms Control and Disarmament. Agency
,The Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
SUBJECT: '~ The National Security Council Structure.
I. National Security Council
The National Security-Council shall be the principal forum.
for consideration of national security policy issues requiring
Presidential determination-
The'functions, membership and responsibilities.of the National
Security Council shall be as set forth in the National Security Act
of 1947, as amended.
The Council shall meet regularly, and discussion will--except
in-unusual circumstances--be :limited to agenda subjects. Heads of
Departments and Agencies not statutory members shall participate
as appropriate when matters affecting their Departments or Agencies
are considered. The Assistant to the President for National
Security Affairs, in consultation with the Secretaries of State
and Defense, shall be responsible for determining the agenda
and ensuring that the necessary papers are prepared.
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The Secretary of State is responsible zor preparation of all
papers concerning matters affecting the foreign policy and foreign
relations of the United States for consideration by the. NSC.
The Secretary of Defense is responsible for preparation of -
all papers concerning matters of direct and primary concern to the
Department of Defense and defense policy for consideration by the
NSC. To assist the Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense in
carrying out their individual responsibilities,.interdepartmental
groups will be established_ Their organization and functions will
be the subject-.of a subsequent.NSDD.
II. Responsibilities Of. the Secretary of State
The Secretary of State is my principal foreign policy advisor.
As such, ? he is-responsible for the formulation of foreign policy.
and for the execution. of approved policy.
I have assigned to the Secretary of State authority. and
responsibility to the full extent permitted by law* for the over-
all direction; coordination and supervision.of the interdepartmental
activities incident to foreign policy formulation and. all inter-
departmental activities of the United States overseas.` Such
activities do not include those of United States military forces'
operating in the field where such forces are under the command of
a United States area military commander and such other military
activities as I elect as Commander in Chief to conduct through
military channels. The Secretary of State will discharge this
authority and responsibility primarily through the Deputy Secreta
of State and the appropriate Assistant Secretaries of State, who
* Including continuous supervision and general direction of econcmic
assistance,. military, assistance and sales programs',` ,as_. authorized
A? .
by law. ~. .
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will be assisted by interdepartmental.groups of which they
will be chairmen.
Activities which are internal to the execution and adminis-
tration of the approved programs of a single department or agency
and which are not of such a nature as to affect significantly the
overall U.S. overseas program in a country or region-.are not con-
sidered to
Directive.
If disagreement arises at any echelon over whether a
matter is' interdepartmental or not within the meaning of this
Directive, the procedure set forth herein will be invoked which
permits a department or agency to.appeal from the-decision or d:
chairman to the next higher-authority
l:
.The Senior Interdepartmental Group --
Foreign Policy
To assist the Secretary of State in discharging his
authority and responsibility for interdepartmental foreign policy
or foreign affairs'matters which cannot be dealt with adequately
at lower levels, including those of the Intelligence Community,
the (SIG-FP) is'established. The SIG-FP shall comprise-the'.
Deputy Secretary of State (Chairman), the Deputy Secretary of
Defense, the Director of Central Intelligence, the.Chairnan of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Assistant to the President for
National Security Affairs. Representatives of other Departments
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interdepartmental matters in the meaning. of this
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and Agencies with responsibility for specific matters to be
considered will attend on invitation by the Chairman.,
The Senior Interdepartmental Group -- Foreign Policy:
.will assist the Secretary of State by:.
.ensuring that important foreign policy problems ?
prompt and systematic consideration;
requiring interdepartmental attention
ealing promptly with interdepartmental matters
referred.by the Assistant Secretaries of State or
raised;. by any of its members, or, if such matters-
requirehigher level consideration, reporting them
promptly.to.the Secretary of State for appropriate
departmental? overseas programs and activities.
,The ,;.. G -FP Wi 11 meet
-regularly
or at the call of the Chairman. A Secretariat com-
consideration and, if appropriate, preparing the
?National?Security Council and the President;
:"analytical review for the consideration of,the
assuring. a proper:selectivity of_.the foreign policy/
.foreign affairs areas and issues.to which the United
States applies its resources and establishing the
e. verifying the adequacy and effectiveness of inter-
d. monitoring the execution of approved policies and
,operational.decisions; =
..priorities for resource commitment;
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ofJJU -s-
prising full-time personnel of the Department of State and per-
sonnel provided at the Chairman's request by the. Departments and
Agencies represented-on the SIG shall be. established,.
2. Interdepartmental Groups
To assist the Assistant Secretaries of State, Inter
departmental Groups (IG) shall be established for each geographic-
region corresponding to the jurisdiction of the geographic bureaus
in the Department:.of State, for Political-Military Affairs, and.-
for International Economic Affairs. Each IG shall comprise the
appropriate Assistant Secretary of State (:
Chairman) and
a designated representativeof the Secretary of Defense, the
Director of CIA, the Chairman of the Joint.Chiefs of Staff, and V
the Assistant to-the President for National Security Affairs.
Representatives of other Departments and Agencies with responsi-
bility for specific matters to be considered will attend on invit"a
tion by the Chairman. The IG for Interdepartmental Economic Affairs
will'include'representatives of the Secretary of the Treasury,
the Secretary of Commerce and the Special Trade Representative.
The Assistant Secretaries of State, in their.Vcapacities
as Chairmen of the IGs, will assure the adequacy of
United States policy in the areas of their responsibility and of
the plans, programs, resources and performance for implementing
that policy. They will be responsible for the conduct.of inter-
agency-policy studies within the areas of their responsibility
.for consideration by the Senior Interdepartmental Group..
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The regional Interdepartmental Groups also shall prepare
contingency plans pertaining to potential crises in their
respective areas of responsibility. Political-military contingency
planning will be conducted under the direction of and coordination
with the Chairman of the Political-Military Interdepartmental Group.
III. Res onsibilities of the Secretary of Defense
The Secretary.of Defense is my principal defense policy. advisor.
As such, he is responsible for the formulation of all.matters of
direct and primary concern to the Department of Defense and. defense
policy.
I have assigned to the Secretary of Defense authority and
responsibility to the full extent permitted by law for the overall
direction, coordination and supervision of the interdepartmental
activities incident to defense policy formulation and all inter-
departmental activities of direct and primary concern to the Depart-
ment of Defense and defense policy. The Secretary of Defense will
be assisted by interdepartmental groups on which representatives of
the Department of Defense will be'
chairmen,
1. The Senior Interdepartmental Group -- Defense Policy
(SIG-DP)
To assist the Secretary of Defense in discharging his
authority and responsibility for interdepartmental defense policy
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matters which cannot be dealt with adequately at lower'-levels,
including those of the Intelligence Community, the SIG-DP is
established. The SIG-DP shall comprise the Deputy Secretary of.
Defense (Chairman), the Deputy Secretary of State, the Director
of Central Intelligence, the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
and the Assistant to the President. for National Security
Affairs. Representatives of other Departments and Agencies with
specific matters'to be considered will attend on invitation by the
Chairman.
The Senior Interdepartmental Group -- Defense Policy
will assist the. Secretary of Defense by!
.a. ensuring that important defense policy problems
requiring interdepartmental attention receive full,
prompt and systematic consideration.
b:- dealing promptly with interdepartmental matters
referred by the Assistant?Secretaries of Defense or
raised by any of its members., or, if such" matters
require higher level consideration, reporting them
promptly to the Secretary of Defense for appropriate
consideration and, if appropriate, preparing the
analytical review-for the consideration of the
National Security Council and the President;
c. assuring a proper selectivity of the defense policy
areas and issues to which the United States applies
its resources and establishing the priorities for
resource commitment;
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d. monitoring the execution of approved policies and
operational decisions.
The.SIG-DP will meet in the Department of Defense
regularly and Especially at the call of the Chairman. A
Secretariat comprising full-time personnel of the Department
of Defense and personnel provided at the Chairman's request by
the Departments and Agencies represented on the SIG-DP-shall
be established.
2. Interdepartmental Groups .
departmental. Groups (IG) shall be established 'as necessary to meet
To -assist the Assistant Secretaries of Defense, Inter-
Defense Policy'requirements.
representative'of the Secretary of State, the Director of / the
Central Inteil_e_ry
Each IG shall comprise the appropriate
Assistant Secretary of Defense ~~ - Chairman) and a designated
President for National Security Affairs. Representatives of other
Departments and Agencies with responsibility for specific matters -
to be considered will attend on.invitation by the Chairman.
The Assistant..Secretaries of Defense, in their capacities.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Assistant to the.
as Chairmen of the IGs, will assure the adequacy of
United States defense policy in the areas of their responsibility
and of the plans, programs, resources and performance- for implement-
ing that policy. They will be responsible for the conduct of
interagency policy studies within the areas of their responsibility
for consideration by the Senior interdepartmental Group.
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IV. General
authorized to establish such additional Interdepartmental i Groups
on either a standing.or ad hoc basis as they may determine
The Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense are
desirable in the discharge of their responsibilities..
responsibility or authority of
or other Agency Head over personnel from the Department or Agency
concerned serving on Interdepartmental* Groups--including the
authority to give necessary guidance to the representatives in
the performance of, Interdepartmental Group duties--isnot limited
by this Directive
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