I approve the recommendation of the Office of Emergency Planning and the recommendations of the Secretaries of Treasury, Defense, and Commerce, the Acting Secretary of State, and the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers regarding the release of 150,000 tons of copper from the national stockpile.
In accordance with the provisions of section 5 of the Strategic and Critical Materials Stockpiling Act, as amended (50 U.S.C. 98d), and based on the recommendations mentioned above and the opinion of the Acting Attorney General, I herewith determine that such release is required for purposes of the common defense. Disposals should be made through regular producer channels solely for defense and defense supporting users, as necessary. Disposals should be made on a periodic basis in such a way as to facilitate the orderly distribution of copper supplies to fulfill defense needs.
The efforts initiated by me in March 1966 to make satisfactory arrangements for replenishment of the copper supply in the national stockpile at the earliest practicable future date and to expand domestic copper production through selective use of Government programs available for that purpose, should be continued on an accelerated basis.
LYNDON B. JOHNSON
[Honorable Farris Bryant, Director, Office of Emergency Planning]
Note: The memorandum was released at Austin, Texas.
On March 29, 1966, the President had sent the following memorandum to the Director of Emergency Planning:
"Because of the current high level of industrial consumption of copper, accentuated by the pressures of the Vietnam situation, it is essential in the interests of national security that additional production of copper in the United States, its territories, possessions, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, be developed to meet those expanding requirements. Accordingly, pursuant to section 304(b) of the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended, I find that a program for encouraging such additional production through new purchases or commitments to purchase under section 303 of that Act is essential to the national security.
"Accordingly, you are authorized to take such steps, to the extent permitted by statutory authorities available to you, as you deem necessary to accomplish such a program."
See also Item 139.
Lyndon B. Johnson, Memorandum Approving the Release of Copper From the National Stockpile Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/238272