RELATIONS WITH THE CONGRESS FOR THE COMING YEAR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP01-01773R000300110107-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 27, 2007
• Sequence Number: 107
• Publication Date: October 17, 1958
• Content Type: MEMO

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MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence
SUBJECT: Relations with the Congress for the Coming year
1. This memorandum contains a number of recommendations for
approval of the Director of Central Intelligence. In view of the fact that
most of the matters are not susceptible of precise recommendations, it
is believed highly desirable that each of the matters be discussed to
determine the desired approach to each. It is suggested that General
Cabell, Mr. Kirkpatrick, Colonel White, Mr. Houston and Mr. Warner
be included in such a discussion.
2. There is attached a report primarily of a statisti
pertaining to congressional relations for the second session of the 85th
Congress. The report is in some detail and clearly indicates the stepped-
up interchange between the Agency and the Congress in the past year. - - -- _ ---- _ Y The
rdata in the report formed the basis for the previous memorandum forwarded
to you for discussion with the president's Board of Consultants on Foreign
Intelligence. Consequently, the attached report can be considered as
'reference material.
3. One of the most difficult problems in the area of congressional
relations is to inform, in an appropriate manner, the Congress of our
activities. The first step in informing the Congress is to brief fully our
own subcommittees on the tasks and functions of the Agency and how these
are performed. Such a briefing would necessarily deal with the question
that is repeatedly raised concerning the large number of headquarters'
personnel. While some attempts have been made to accomplish such a
briefing it has not been done in recent ears and in an event robably
should be done annually. For this purpose I recommend that an informal
group composed of representatives of the three major components and the
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ILLEGIB
Legislative Counsel be instructed to prepare a presentation designed
to inform our subcommittees about the Agency. This work should be
started now with the view of having rehearsals or previews of the
presentation for your approval within the next month to six weeks in
order that the final presentation can be complete and the Agency ready
at a moment's notice to make the briefing when the 86th Congress convenes.
4. A second step in informing the Congress is the responsibility
of our subcommittees as their airmen. It in normal practice for sub-
committees to report to the full committees and in turn the full committees
report to their respective houses as a whole. While any such reports on
CIA could necessarily be brief and general because of the security problem,
there would seem to be no reason why the general practice of making such
reports should not prevail. I believe it desirable, at the time of the detailed
presentat o on tour subcommittees, that a s ould request the chairman
of the su committee to report the fact of briefing and review of Agency
ac ivi es by the subcommittee to the full committee with the recommendation
that an appropriate report be made to the full Senate or House as the case
might be.
5. Another part of the problem of informing the Congress is the
question of a briefing of a select group of Congressmen on projects
AQUATONE and AUTOMAT. I think it would be highly desirable to have
a presentation prepared on these two projects in such a manner that it
could be a separable part, but in harmony with, the over-all Agency presen-
tation. Therefore, I recommend that such a presentation be prepared to
be available when the necessary approvals have been secured and when the
opportunity arises to brief appropriate Senators and Representatives. As
an alternative or supplement to such a presentation it might be desirable to
conduct a special briefing on AQUATONE and AUTOMAT at the Stewart
Building.
6. A somewhat different problem has already been raised in the
CIA Appropriations Subcommittee of the House where Mr. Cannon has
queried if there could be established some method of br a a_-_e Sub-
committee on world affairs 43-n -a periodic basis possible solution to
this problem would be to offer periodic intelligence-briefings for the
members of the CIA Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee.
This could include such staff members as Kenneth Sprankle and Samuel
Crosby. A similar offer could be made to the other CIA subcommittees.
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7. Another problem to be considered is the question o f
increasing the authorization for
certain is. et, on Foreign I ntelligence. Equally
nator
the fact that Se field- (assu=ring he is reelected)
will be zit= the vanguard of those introducing, measures. Some general
plans- should be formulated to deal with
problem itself. In the very near future we shall forward to you Committee
analytical paper on this subject attempting to discuss both the advan
and disadvantages of a Joint Committee. Cages
9. Among the many individual members there are two whom I
believe should receive special attention.
leader, as Chairman of the House Select Committee on Ast onautisand
Space Exploration, and because of his senior position should be contacte
and assistance offered. Also of interest is Senator Ditksen d
now minority
whi p and quite likely to become the minority leader in the 86th
Congress.
He too should be contacted and be given a general briefing on Agency
functions.
10. In the meantime, of course,
this office will continue in the fields of dethe briefing afterforeign travelf
and in special cases briefing prior to foreign travel. In addition, we
hope to make available to selected Senators and Representatives, with
particular emphasis on the members of our subcommittees, briefings
from our Station Chiefs abroad. These will be brought up individually
for your approval.
m
Congress calling for a Joint Comm tt sores introduced in this new
a request at this time but we should be
prepared to -raise- it at any time when it appears opportune.
8. We are certain to see
otar record with our committees to the effect dthat the present eautlhYoriza
is not sufficient to house all of our head uarters tion
the House q ' personnel. Certainly
Appropriations group is most sympathetic with our problem.
The necessary cost estimates should be prepared in order to raise this
question with our committees during the first session of the 86th
Congress. It is -neither necessary nor desirable to establish a time
.schedule on presenting nu
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