MEETING WITH CHAIRMAN GEORGE MAHON REGARDING RADIO FREE EUROPE AND RADIO LIBERTY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP73B00296R000100040039-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 31, 2002
• Sequence Number: 39
• Publication Date: April 23, 1971
• Content Type: MFR

Approved For Release 2006/09/25 : CIA-RDP73B00296R000100040039-5
SECRET
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
23 April 1971
SUBJECT: Meeting with Chairman George Mahon Regarding Radio Free
Europe and Radio Liberty
1. This morning Mr. Cord Meyer, ADDP, and I joined David
Abshire, Assistant Secretary of State for Congressional Relations, and
Mr. John Baker, Coordinator of the Task Force on Radio Free Europe in
State, in a meeting with Chairman Mahon and Ralph Preston, House
Appropriations Committee staff, regarding the future of Radio Free Europe
and Radio Liberty. Mr. Abshire explained plans for the introduction of
legislation setting up an American Council for Private International Com-
munications, operating with funds appropriated by Congress, which would
grant financial support to private organizations engaged in communications
with foreign peoples. Chairman Mahon responsed with a quite emphatic
explanation of reasons why RFE and RL should not be funded by CIA for
Fiscal Year 1972, making the following points:
a. In recent years he and a small group within his
Committee has been subject to increasing pressure by the
Committee membership to open up CIA activities for discussion
within the Committee.
b. At this time such pressure has reached unprecedented
intensity, with some of the younger members of the Committee
attempting to expose and discredit the activities not only of CIA
but the FBI, Defense Department, and other sensitive Executive
agencies.
c. In these circumstances, it would be extremely dangerous
to run the risk of including the Radios in the Agency FY 1972
budget, since they could provide a device by which the whole
question of the handling of the CIA budget in the previously
restrictive manner could be opened up for debate within the
Committee, and eventually perhaps within the Congress as a
whole.
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d. If this should happen, Chairman Mahon would be
seriously concerned that the security and effectiveness of
CIA and other sensitive agencies might suffer irreparable
damage.
2. In the ensuing discussion, Mr. Preston and Chairman Mahon both
questioned the value of RFE and RL in present circumstances, but did not
belabor this point. They did feel, however, that there was serious doubt
as to whether the kind of legislation proposed could pass both the House and
Senate. Chairman Mahon also noted that the feelings he expressed regarding
the problem of including the Radios in the Agency FY 1972 budget would be
equally serious on the Senate side, where Chairman Ellender undoubtedly
shared the same kind of feelings as did Mahon.
3. In conclusion it was agreed the best solution would be to move
as rapidly as possible to get the necessary legislat ion, authorization and
appropriations through in time to become effective this summer. It was
noted that the end of the Fiscal Year was not necessarily a decisive dead=
line since the Radios could be sustained under a continuing resolution until
the new Defense appropriations bill was passed by the House, which probably
would not be until late July. Mr. Abshire commented that in view of this,
we would proceed as rapidly as possible to get the support of the House and
Senate leadership to expedite the passage of the legislation in question.
4. In parting, Mr. Abshire said he would try to set up a meeting
for us all to see Speaker of the House Albert the first of next week.
5. Mr. Meyer and I later had a few minutes with Mr. Preston who
said he was sure the Chairman would not interpose any objection to the
legislation we propose, but he reaffirmed the strong feeling of the Chairman 25X1A
and himself that we could not afford the risk of the Radios in the FY 1972
budget.
JOHN M. MAURY
Legislative Counsel
Distribution:
Original - Subject
1 - Ex/Dir
1 - ADDP
House Appropriations
1 - OLC Chrono SECRET
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