LEGISLATIVE INTERDEPARTMENTAL GROUP MEETING OCTOBER 9, 1973

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-302-2-5-8
• Release Decision: RIFLIM
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: December 10, 2009
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: October 9, 1973
• Content Type: MISC

No Objection to Declassification in Full 2009/12/10: LOC-HAK-302-2-5-8
LEGISLATIVE INTO RDEPARTMENTA L GROUP MEETING
October 9, 1973
Time and Place: 2:00 P.m. - 3:55 p. m. - Roosevelt Room
Subject: Various Legislative Issues
Participants-
Chairman
William Timmons
State
Marshall Wright
Dr. Curtis Tarr
Defense
Jack Marsh
Stan Anderson
Donald Floyd
.A CDA
James ,Malone
CIA
Jack Maury'
USIA
Edward Hildago
AID
Matthew Harvey
NSC
John Lehman
OMB
James Frey
James Barnum
WH
Thomas Korologos
MORI/CDF
C05097634
CONFIDENTIAL_
ON-FILE NSC RELEASE
INSTRUCTIONS APPLY
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2009/12/10: LOC-HAK-302-2-5-8
 No Objection to Declassification in Full 2009/12/10: LOC-HAK-302-2-5-8
CC.rl'l r iL'1L 1'4 Lis-, J.:.
Following is a summary of the conclusions reached at the LIG Meeting of
October 9, 1973 to consider various Legislative issues:
1. War Powers
Marshall Wright reported that there has been little change in
attitudes on this Bill since it was approved by Senate and House
conferees on October 5. The most objectionable part of the
measure remains the requirement that the President end the
committment of US armed forces to foreign combat within 60
days unless Congress authorizes the action. All agreed that the
Bill, as presently written, would be subject to veto. The State
Department is preparing a draft veto message and will have it
ready by the weekend.
2. USIA Authorization
This Bill is "struggling along" with little change over the last
month. USIA is working on a veto message, which should be
ready by the end of the week. Mr. Korologos will take a Whip
check this week to see how we stand. Each of the LIG members
was asked to look over the prepared talkers and hand-outs to
determine if they have any problems and report bark their views
to John Lehman by the end of the week.
3. State Authorization Bill
Senate and House conferees were scheduled to meet on this Bill at
the same time the LIG was meeting. Sections 10 (Overseas Base
Agreement) and 13 (Executive Privilege) are totally unacceptable,
and it was agreed that the Bill would be subject to veto if Sections
10 and 13 remain in. During the course of the meeting, Marshall
Wright received a phone call informing him that Sections 10 and 13
were removed in conference, thus eliminating the problem.
4. OPIC (Overseas Private Investment Corporation)
It was agreed that this Bill is generally satisfactory, although efforts
to prohibit reconstruction financing in Southeast Asia are worrisome.
Mr. Timmons asked Stan Anderson to work with the OPIC people and
attempt to curtail these efforts. Stan will also cast about for a
" tiger" to help push the administration' s position.
5. Defense Procurement Authorization Bill
John Marsh was congratulated for the favorable outcome of the
Senate version of this measure, which was approved on October 1 and
CC No Objection to Declassification in Full 2009/12/10: LOC-HAK-302-2-5-8
 GO_No_Objection to Declassification in Full 2009/12/10: LOC-HAK-302-2-5-8
now goes to conference. Mr. Marsh believes there is a fairly good
chance of getting the Aspin Amendment in the House version knocked
out in conference, but is less confident about the .recomputation of
military retirement provision. On manpower reductions, Mr.. Lehman
explained that a 20, 000-man cutback is the most that we could live
with, and that effoxts should be made to delete the out-year provi-
sion. (The conferees approved the Bill on 11 October. Recompu-
tation was killed, as was the amendment that would have slashed
US forces overseas by 110, 000 by December 31, 1975).
Jackson-Nunn
Mr. Lehman expressed dismay that the feeling on the Hill is that
nobody in the administration opposes this amendment. The State
Department believes it should be deleted and that -it .is not fixable..
The LIG members decided that the best tactic at this point would
be to try to isolate the issues for the conferees, and that the
working group's recommendations would be floated as a compro-
mise.
7. MASF
Defense wants the House figure rather than that of the Senate.
Mr. Timmons asked Jack Marsh to take a reading of the con-
ferees' attitude toward the major issues and to report back as
soon as possible.
8. MASF Transfer to MAP
John Lehman explained that the House version on this measure is
totally unacceptable and would be subject to veto if it remains as
now written. The LIG members were instructed to make it very
clear to the conferees that the House version is unacceptable and
to make every effort to have it cleaned up in conference.
Foreign Assistance Act
Mr. Lehman listed the priorities on this Bill, now in conference.
They are. 1) Southeast Asia reconstruction (getting levels raised
to $550 million); 2) MASF transfer to MAP; 3) deletion of Section
13; 4) approval of Section 506; 5) reflow authority; 6) excess
defense; 7) MAP levels; 8) disaster relief; and 9) public safety.
All agreed to work on the conferees to secure passage of the
above, in that order.
'CONFIDENTIAL
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2009/12/10: LOC-HAK-302-2-5-8
 CC No Objection to Declassification in Full 2009/12/10: LOC-HAK-302-2-5-8
10
Marshall Wright /aA plea that all LICIT. members work for repeal of
this amendment,-, which is ridiculous, and, in fact, counter-
productive.
Byrd Amendment
CONFIDENTIAL
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2009/12/10: LOC-HAK-302-2-5-8