SYMINGTON AMENDENT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP73B00296R000300080016-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 6, 2002
• Sequence Number: 16
• Publication Date: October 6, 1971
• Content Type: MFR

Approved For Release 2002/08/01, CIA,aQP73B00296R0003000800g4C 71-1523
6 October 1971
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: Symington Amendment
1. Talked with Mr. Maurice H. Lanman, OSD Counsel,
about the Symington Amendment. In confidence, Mr. Lanman
indicated that he was in effect preparing the DOD reclama to go
to the conferees. In it he is pointing out the accounting difficulties,
as Symington apparently recognized, for the first six months but
he goes on to point out that it will remain difficult to reconcile the
DOD system of accounting in the future with the provisions of the
amendment.
2. Mr. Lanman indicated that before this paper went forward
it would have to go to the White House and he was guessing that
Kissinger would tell DOD to go to the Hill to get the amendment
knocked out. At this point Mr. Lanman conceded that probably he
would be concerned with compromise proposals including legislative
modifications or, at the very least, modifying language in the report.
3. As to specifics, Mr. Lanman agreed that the ceiling
language is so broad that technically it should include, for example,
the embassy in Laos and certainly our station. He pointed out the
difficulties in preparation of the quarterly reports where State, AID,
USIA, DOD, and CIA were involved. He indicated that he has an AID
figure at the moment which he knows does not include the AID personnel
in Laos. When queried about who would prepare the report, Mr. Lanman
indicated it undoubtedly would fall in DOD's lap although it should be
OMB.
4. I queried Lanman on the one-third valuation aspect. Lanman
indicated it was normal DOD practice that where equipment was
not to be replaced it would be set at one-third of value and that they
*Army, OGC and OSD reviews
completed*
EuT u1c{ i; m ~U1 itI^_.
Approved For Release 2002/08/01 : CIA-RDP73B00296R000300080016-4
 Approved For Release 2002/08/01 : CIA-RDP73B00296R000300080016-4
in the Pentagon were in no position to question certifications by
people at UDORN and elsewhere in the field as to non-replacement.
5. Mr. Lanman promised to be in touch with us at the point
where efforts are being made, if they are to be made, to modify
legislative language or insert language in the report.
25X1A
Approved For Release 2002/08/01 : CIA-RDP73B00296R000300080016-4