Excerpts from the National Security Act of 1947, as amended.. Organizational structure of the National Security Council (chart). The National Security Council-official description_.. Operations Coordinating Board-official description. Text of President's letters, January 13, 1960.. Use of financial appendixes-official memorandum_. AS VIEWED BY ITS OFFICIALS "Policy Formulation for National Security," by Sidney W. Souers (from the American Political Science Review, June 1949)_ "National Security Council's role in the U.S. Security and Peace Program," 37 "Role of the National Security Council in the Formulation of National Policy," by Gordon Gray (prepared for delivery to the American Political "The National Security Council," by Timothy W. Stanley with Harry H. Ransom (prepared for Harvard University defense policy seminar, "How Shall We Forge a Strategy for Survival?" by Senator Henry M. Jackson (address to the National War College, Apr. 16, 1959)_. "Can We Entrust Defense to a Committee?" by Hans J. Morgenthau (from "Organization for National Policy Planning in the United States," by Paul H. Nitze (prepared for delivery to the American Political Science THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL EXCERPTS FROM NATIONAL SECURITY ACT OF 1947, AS AMENDED DECLARATION OF POLICY SEC. 2. In enacting this legislation, it is the intent of Congress to provide a comprehensive program for the future security of the United States; to provide for the establishment of integrated policies and procedures for the departments, agencies, and functions of the Government relating to the national security; to provide a Department of Defense, including the three military Departments of the Army, the Navy (including naval aviation and the United States Marine Corps), and the Air Force under the direction, authority, and control of the Secretary of Defense; to provide that each military department shall be separately organized under its own Secretary and shall function under the direction, authority, and control of the Secretary of Defense; to provide for their unified direction under civilian control of the Secretary of Defense but not to merge these departments or services; to provide for the establishment of unified or specified combatant commands, and a clear and direct line of command to such commands; to eliminate unnecessary duplication in the Department of Defense, and particularly in the field of research and engineering by vesting its overall direction and control in the Secretary of Defense; to provide more effective, efficient, and economical administration in the Department of Defense; to provide for the unified strategic direction of the combatant forces, for their operation under unified command, and for their integration into an efficient team of land, naval, and air forces but not to establish a single Chief of Staff over the armed forces nor an overall armed forces general staff.1 TITLE I-COORDINATION FOR NATIONAL SECURITY NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL SEC. 101. (a) There is hereby established a council to be known as the National Security Council (hereinafter in this section referred to as the "Council"). The President of the United States shall preside over meetings of the Council: Provided, That in his absence he may designate a member of the Council to preside in his place. The function of the Council shall be to advise the President with respect to the integration of domestic, foreign, and military policies relating to the national security so as to enable the military services 1 Amended by section 2, Public Law 216, 81st Congress, August 10, 1949 (63 Stat. 578), further amended to read as indicated by section 2 of Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1958, August 6, 1958 (72 Stat. 514); 50 U.S.C. 401. 1 and the other departments and agencies of the Government to cooperate more effectively in matters involving the national security. The Council shall be composed of (1) the President; (2) the Vice President; (3) the Secretary of State; (6) the Director of the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization; 3 (7) the Secretaries and Under Secretaries of other executive departments and of the military departments, when appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to serve at his pleasure.* (b) In addition to performing such other functions as the President may direct, for the purpose of more effectively coordinating the policies and functions of the departments and agencies of the Government relating to the national security, it shall, subject to the direction of the President, be the duty of the Council (1) to assess and appraise the objectives, commitments, and risks of the United States in relation to our actual and potential military power, in the interest of national security, for the purpose of making recommendations to the President in connection therewith; and (2) to consider policies on matters of common interest to the departments and agencies of the Government concerned with the national security, and to make recommendations to the President in connection therewith. (c) The Council shall have a staff to be headed by a civilian executive secretary who shall be appointed by the President, and who shall 2 Reorganization Plan 7 of 1953, effective August 6, 1953, abolished the Mutual Security Administration and established the Foreign Operations Administration. "SEC. 2. TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS TO THE DIRECTOR.-There are hereby transferred to the Director: "(a) All functions vested by the Mutual Security Act of 1951, as amended, or by any other statute in the Director for Mutual Security provided for in section 501 of that Act, or in the Mutual Security Agency created by that Act, or in any official or office of that Agency, including the functions of the Director for Mutual Security as a member of the National Security Council." Pursuant to the provisions of sections 521 and 525 of the Mutual Security Act of 1954, Public Law 665, 83d Congress (68 Stat. 855, 856), and Executive Order 10610 of June 30, 1955, all functions (with certain specified exceptions) of the Director of the Foreign Operations Administration, and the Foreign Operations Administration, were transferred to the International Cooperation Administration in the State Department, to be headed by a Director. Pursuant to section 303 (a) and (b) of the Executive Order, the office of the Director of the Foreign Operations Administration and the membership of the Director of the Foreign Operations Administration together with the functions of the Director in his capacity as a member of the National Security Council were abolished. 3 Reorganization Plan 3 (sec. 6) abolished the National Security Resources Board. Section 2 transferred to the Director of the Office of Defense Mobilization all functions of the Chairman of the National Security Resources Board (excluding those abolished by sec. 5), including his functions as a member of the National Security Council. Section 4 of Reorganization Plan 1 of 1958, effective July 1, 1958, as amended by Public Law 85-763, transferred the functions with respect to being a member of the National Security Council to the Director of the Office of Civil Defense and Defense Mobilization. Reference to Chairman of Munitions Board, and Chairman of Research and Development Board deleted by Reorganization Plan 6, 1953 (sec. 2(b)) which abolished the offices of the Chairman of the Munitions Board and Chairman of the Research and Development Board and transferred their functions to the Secretary of Defense. receive compensation at the rate of [$10,000] [$15,000] $20,000 a year. The executive secretary, subject to the direction of the Council, is hereby authorized, subject to the civil-service laws and the Classification Act of 1923, as amended, to appoint and fix the compensation of such personnel as may be necessary to perform such duties as may be prescribed by the Council in connection with the performance of its functions. (d) The Council shall, from time to time, make such recommendations, and such other reports to the President as it deems appropriate or as the President may require. SEC. 102. (a) There is hereby established under the National Security Council a Central Intelligence Agency with a Director of Central Intelligence who shall be the head thereof, and with a Deputy Director of Central Intelligence who shall act for, and exercise the powers of, the Director during his absence or disability. The Director and the Deputy Director shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, from among the commissioned officers of the armed services, whether in an active or retired status, or from among individuals in civilian life: Provided, however, That at no time shall the two positions of the Director and Deputy Director be occupied simultaneously by commissioned officers of the armed services, whether in an active or retired status. (b) (1) If a commissioned officer of the armed services is appointed as Director, or Deputy Director, then (A) in the performance of his duties as Director, or Deputy Director, he shall be subject to no supervision, control, restriction, or prohibition (military or otherwise) other than would be operative with respect to him if he were a civilian in no way connected with the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, the Department of the Air Force, or the armed services or any component thereof; and (B) he shall not possess or exercise any supervision, control, powers, or functions (other than such as he possesses, or is authorized or directed to exercise, as Director, or Deputy Director) with respect to the armed services or any component thereof, the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, or the Department of the Air Force, or any branch, bureau, unit, or division thereof, or with respect to any of the personnel (military or civilian) of any of the foregoing. (2) Except as provided in paragraph (1), the appointment to the office of Director, or Deputy Director, of a commissioned officer of the armed services, and his acceptance of and service in such office, shall 5 Subsection (a) amended by section 3, Public Law 216, August 10, 1949 (63 Stat. 578), as amended by section 501 (e), Public Law 165, 82d Congress, October 10, 1951: subsection (c) supplemented by section 2 (a), Public Law 359, 81st Congress, October 15, 1949 (63 Stat. 880), under which authority the President fixed the salary of the Executive Secretary at $15,000 per annum: subsections (b) and (d) from section 101, Public Law 253, July 26, 1947 (61 Stat. 495). Pursuant to section 109, Public Law 854, 84th Congress, the President fixed the salary of the Executive Secretary at $20,000 per annum effective July 1, 1956. Section 102 (a) and (b) amended by Public Law 15, 83d Congress (67 Stat. 19, 20). |