MEMORANDUM TO: RECIPIENTS OF EXECUTIVE MEMORANDUM #154 DATED 7 MARCH 1966 FROM L. K. WHITE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R000100130010-8
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 14, 2003
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: March 9, 1966
• Content Type: MEMO

I F.r2.?V^;if'."fJ Isgistry
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9 March 1966
TO: Recipients of Executive Memorandum #154 dated 7 March 1966
President Johnson, at a Cabinet Meeting on 4 March 1966,
described the background and thrust of NSAM 341. This paper sets
forth the general lines of the President's comments and should be
attached to your copy of NSAM 341.
NSAM 341 was approved and promulgated in connection with
the conduct of interdepartmental U. S. Government work abroad.
By the nature of the structure of the U. S. Government, no one
below the President is vested with authority to give overall direc-
tion, coordination, and supervision to overseas interdepartmental
activities which continue to grow more and more complex. Over-
seas the ambassador has this general authority, but in Washington
there has never been an organization directly comparable to the
ambassador and his country team specifically authorized to guide
overseas interdepartmental work from Washington.
NSAM 341 is an outgrowth of the State of the Union message
of 1966 in which the President stressed the importance of modern-
izing and streamlining the Executive Branch. With that purpose in
mind with regard to overseas operations, General Maxwell Taylor
was requested to review his experiences as ambassador in South
Vietnam in integrating the activities of several departments and to
examine the operations of our Government in Washington to see
whether we were properly organized to cope with complex overseas
operations not only in Vietnam but anywhere in the world where our
interests are involved. The basic task was to integrate the pro-
grams of a number of departments in the most effective way to
attain U. S. objectives in the country or region involved.
General Taylor, assisted by several interdepartmental com-
mittees, completed his review and submitted a report which the
President approved. NSAM 341 is the result of this work.
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There is nothing in the NSAM which changes the responsi-
bilities of department and agency heads with regard to their own
programs overseas or to their relations with the President. The
NSAM merely sets up a mechanism through which every head of
department or agency involved in overseas activities can partici-
pate effectively and in a timely manner in the formulation of
decisions bearing on matters of common interest abroad. Any of
these senior officials can carry an issue all the way to the Presi-
dent if he feels that a decision about to be taken is wrong. The
President has instructed the Secretary of State to make it clear to
the Executive Chairman of these interagency groups that they must
arrange to invite participation by heads of departments or agencies
who are not regular members whenever there are matters affecting
them on the agenda of their interagency groups.
Arrangements provided by the NSAM are, in a sense, only
clarifying, codifying, and regularizing good staff work. They are
intended to be a help and a protection to all involved in the conduct
of overseas responsibilities. The new arrangements are an
important step in improving the conduct of our overseas business
and all agencies and departments are asked to help the Secretary of
State and the President in ensuring that the arrangements work.
L. K. White
Executive Director-Comptroller
O/ExDir / HKnoche :blp
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