Executive Order 11522—Assigning Emergency Preparedness Functions to the United States Information Agency

By virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States, and pursuant to Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1958 (72 Stat. 1799), the National Security Act of 1947, as amended, the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended, and the Federal Civil Defense Act, as amended, Executive Order No. 11490 of October 28, 1969, is amended by inserting immediately after Part 28 a new Part 28A, as follows:

"Part 28A. United States Information Agency.

"Section 2850. Functions. (a) The Director of the United States Information Agency shall prepare national emergency plans and develop preparedness programs for the continuation of essential emergency foreign information activities. These plans and programs shall be designed to develop a state of readiness which will permit continuing necessary activities under all conditions of national emergency including attack upon the United States.

"(b) The Director shall (1) develop plans for the formulation and execution of foreign information programs utilizing the Agency's overseas posts and all media designed to promote an intelligent understanding abroad of the status of the emergency within the United States and the efforts, policies, activities, needs, and aims of the United States in dealing with the international situation then existing; (2) develop emergency plans and programs, and emergency organizational structures required thereby, as an integral part of the continuing activities of the United States Information Agency on the basis that it will have the responsibility for carrying on such programs during an emergency; (3) provide and maintain the capability necessary for simultaneous direct radio broadcasting in major world languages to all areas of the world and wireless teletype to all United States Embassies; (4) provide advice to the Executive Branch on foreign opinion, and its implications for United States policies, programs, and official statements; (5) maintain liaison with the information agencies of friendly nations for the purpose of relating the United States Government information programs and facilities to those of such nations; (6) participate in the development of policy with regard to the psychological aspects of defense and develop plans for assisting the appropriate agencies in the execution of psychological operations with special attention to overseas crises short of war; (7) maintain United States Information Service staffs abroad for the conduct of public information for all agencies of the Government, recognizing that in a theater of operations the United States Information Agency would make available to the appropriate Commander all United States citizen personnel on the staff of the Agency, who agree to remain, to serve in support of psychological operations; and (8) lend appropriate support in psychological warfare to the military command in the theater or theaters of active military operations, and provide daily guidance and basic informational materials.

"(c) The Director shall insure development of appropriate plans necessary under this Part and issue emergency instructions required to implement all appropriate plans developed under this Part."

RICHARD NIXON

The White House

April 6, 1970