TO AMEND TITLE 10, UNITED STATES CODE, TO For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Congressional Sales Office COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES NINETY-NINTH CONGRESS LES ASPIN, Wisconsin, Chairman MELVIN PRICE, Illinois, Chairman Emeritus DAN DANIEL, Virginia G. V. (SONNY) MONTGOMERY, Mississippi NICHOLAS MAVROULES, Massachusetts IKE SKELTON, Missouri MARVIN LEATH, Texas DAVE MCCURDY, Oklahoma THOMAS M. FOGLIETTA, Pennsylvania DENNIS M. HERTEL, Michigan MARILYN LLOYD, Tennessee NORMAN SISISKY, Virginia RICHARD RAY, Georgia JOHN M. SPRATT, JR., South Carolina FRANK MCCLOSKEY, Indiana SOLOMON P. ORTIZ, Texas GEORGE (BUDDY) DARDEN, Georgia TOMMY F. ROBINSON, Arkansas ALBERT G. BUSTAMANTE, Texas WILLIAM L. DICKINSON, Alabama JIM COURTER, New Jersey DUNCAN HUNTER, California THOMAS F. HARTNETT, South Carolina DAVID O'B. MARTIN, New York JOHN R. KASICH, Ohio WILLIAM CARNEY, New York LYNN MARTIN, Illinois HERBERT H. BATEMAN, Virginia MAC SWEENEY, Texas G. KIM WINCUP, Staff Director (II) Kasich, Hon. John R., a Representative from Ohio, offered amendment to Nichols, Hon. Bill, a Representative from Alabama, chairman, Investigations Committee print-Changes in existing law made by the JCS reorganiza- tion bill reported by the Investigations Subcommittee of the House (III) FULL COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 3622, A BILL TO AMEND TITLE 10, UNITED STATES CODE, TO STRENGTHEN THE POSITION OF CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF, TO PROVIDE FOR MORE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE OPERATION OF THE ARMED FORCES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, The committee met, pursuant to call, at 10 a.m., in room 2118, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Les Aspin (chairman of the committee) presiding. The CHAIRMAN. The meeting will come to order. The chair recognizes the gentleman from Alabama. STATEMENT OF HON. BILL NICHOLS, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM ALABAMA, CHAIRMAN, INVESTIGATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE Mr. NICHOLS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It is my privilege to report to the Committee on Armed Services today, H.R. 3622, the Joint Chiefs of Staff Reorganization Act of 1985. The first thing that should be said about this bill is that it is third generation Joint Chiefs of Staff legislation. This committee reported, and the House passed, Joint Chiefs of Staff reorganization legislation in both the 97th and 98th Congresses. I believe we are now about to do it again. And we will continue to do so, I hope, until we achieve meaningful legislative reform of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. I mentioned the history of the Joint Chiefs of Staff bill for two reasons. First, the original author of Joint Chiefs of Staff legislation was a distinguished former member of the committee, the Honorable Richard C. White of Texas. His contribution should be recognized today. He, like most of us, I suspect, was not familiar with the intricacies and complexities of the U.S. military structure when two of the five members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff sounded an alarm in 1982, warning that the present structure is seriously flawed and could lead to disaster if tested in wartime. Chairman White was, however, very familiar with the Constitution. He knew that it makes Congress solely responsible "to raise and support armies. . . provide and maintain a navy . . . make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces." Congressman White knew that the Constitution assigns (1) ... |