Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 4759 - Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1987

(House Rules)
(Rep. Hamilton (D) Indiana)

The Administration supports House passage of H.R. 4759 if it is amended to:

— delete section 107, prohibiting assistance to groups engaged in military or paramilitary operations in Angola unless the President openly acknowledges United States Government support for such operations and Congress enacts a joint resolution approving such support. This section raises serious constitutional questions regarding the President's prerogatives as Commander-in-Chief and Chief Executive to conduct foreign affairs;

— delete section 602, which amends the National Security Act of 1947 to require congressional notification for the transfer of certain defense articles, because it restricts Presidential flexibility;

— delete section 504, which authorizes the Secretary of Defense to establish excepted personnel systems for civilian intelligence personnel in the military departments, because it would further fragment the DOD civilian personnel system and such a sweeping exemption from Civil Service laws is inappropriate;

— delete sections 505 and 506, which authorize full undergraduate training programs to facilitate the recruitment of minority students into the National Security Agency and the Central Intelligence Agency, because they would be costly and duplicate existing Federal student aid programs. Past experience has shown this type of program to be ineffective in affecting professional career choices; and

— modify the provision for the health benefits for former spouses of CIA employees divorced before May 7, 1985, to conform with treatment of Civil Service former spouses, i.e., health benefits should be payable only to those receiving or potentially entitled to receive an annuity.

In addition to the above-noted concerns, the Administration may seek to have other more technical features of the bill modified in conference.