INVESTIGATION OF GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION

FOR SPACE ACTIVITIES

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 1959

U.S. SENATE,

SUBCOMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION

FOR SPACE ACTIVITIES OF THE

COMMITTEE ON AERONAUTICAL AND SPACE SCIENCES,

Washington, D.C.

The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 2:35 p.m., in room 224, Old Senate Office Building, Senator Stuart Symington (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding.

Present: Senators Symington (chairman of the subcommittee) and Case of New Jersey.

Also present: Kenneth E. BeLieu, staff director; Max Lehrer, assistant staff director; Everard H. Smith, Jr., counsel; Dr. Glen P. Wilson, chief clerk; Dr. Earl W. Lindveit, assistant chief clerk; Mrs. Eilene Galloway, special consultant; Stuart French, associate counsel, Preparedness Subcommittee; and Dr. Edward C. Welsh, assistant to Senator Symington.

Senator SYMINGTON. The committee will please come to order.

Today, the Subcommittee on Governmental Organization for Space Activities is privileged to have as its principal witness Mr. William M. Holaday, Chairman of the Civilian-Military Liaison Committee between the Department of Defense and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

In preceding hearings, the subcommittee has received testimony from Dr. Glennan, the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; Mr. Roy Johnson, Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency; Dr. William H. Martin, Director of Research and Development; Lt. Gen. Arthur G. Trudeau, Chief of Research and Development, of the Department of the Army; Vice Adm. John T. Hayward, Assistant Chief of Naval Operations for Research and Development; Mr. Malcolm A. MacIntyre, Under Secretary of the Air Force, and Lt. Gen. Bernard Schriever, commanding general of the Air Research and Development Command. These hearings have developed a great deal of information and some significant differences of opinion with respect to the organization and administration of the Nation's space activities. Accordingly, we are interested in obtaining Mr. Holaday's views as to the manner in which the Civilian-Military Liaison Committee has functioned to date in resolving problems concerning space activities, and any recommendations that he may have for necessary or desirable changes in existing organizational relationships.

In accordance with the committee's regular procedure, all witnesses are sworn in. If you will please stand, Mr. Holaday, I will administer the oath.

Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth in the testimony you are about to give, so help you God?

Mr. HOLADAY. I do.

Senator SYMINGTON. Have you a statement that you would like to read?

Mr. HOLADAY. Yes, I have, Mr. Chairman.
Senator SYMINGTON. Will you do so please.

STATEMENT OF WILLIAM M. HOLADAY, CHAIRMAN, CIVILIANMILITARY LIAISON COMMITTEE BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION 1

Mr. HOLADAY. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, I am happy to appear before you today to discuss my activities as chairman of the Civilian-Military Liaison Committee.

As many of you know, I am also a special assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Guided Missiles. However, I believe you are primarily interested in my activities as Chairman of the Civilian-Military Liaison Committee between the Department of Defense and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Accordingly, I plan to confine the following remarks to this position.

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE CMLC AS PROVIDED BY LAW

The Civilian-Military Liaison Committee was created by section 204 of Public Law 85-568, July 29, 1958, under the following terms of reference:

(a) There shall be a Civilian-Military Liaison Committee consisting of—

(1) a Chairman, who shall be the head thereof and who shall be appointed by the President, shall serve at the pleasure of the President, and shall receive compensation (in the manner provided in subsection (d)) at the rate of $20,000 per annum ;

(2) one or more representatives from the Department of Defense, and one or more representatives from each of the Departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, to be assigned by the Secretary of Defense to serve on the Committee without additional compensation; and

(3) representatives from the Administration, to be assigned by the Administrator

Senator SYMINGTON. You are reading the law to us, are you not? Mr. HOLADAY. Yes, sir.

to serve on the Committee without additional compensation, equal in number to the number of representatives assigned to serve on the Committee under paragraph (2).

The key paragraph with respect to the Civilian-Military Liaison Committee in paragraph (b) of section 204. That is:

The Administration and the Department of Defense, through the Liaison Committee, shall advise and consult with each other on all matters within their respective jurisdictions relating to aeronautical and space activities and shall keep each other fully and currently informed with respect to such activities.

1 Biography of Mr. Holaday is on p. 628.

CMLC IS ONE CHANNEL THROUGH WHICH INFORMATION MAY BE

EXCHANGED

By this act, the Liaison Committee becomes one of the channels through which information may be exchanged between the administration and the Department of Defense. As is pointed out in the law, the Chairman is appointed by the President. As a Presidential appointee, I report to the President, but in the normal course of action I work through the Secretary of Defense and the Administrator of

NASA.

Since the Civilian-Military Liaison Committee is set up expressly to deal with matters between NASA and DOD, it has no formal relationships with other agencies such as the National Academy of Sciences, the Federal Council for Science and Technology, the National Science Foundation, et cetera. The relationship of the Committee with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Office of Defense Research and Engineering, the Advanced Research Projects Agency, as well as the military services, is continuous, as the appointed members and their alternates, who also attend the meetings, include representatives from NASA, OSD, R. & E., ARPA, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force.

As I mentioned earlier, the Civilian-Military Liaison Committee is one of the channels for exchanging information between the Department of Defense and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. It is recognized that normal project activities can be conducted in a more expeditious manner if carried out at projectofficer to project-officer level, providing there are no major policy issues involved. Accordingly, the role that the Civilian-Military Liaison Committee has taken to date has been that of identifying program policy areas and acting as a modus operandi whereby the problem areas may be further delineated so as to be resolvable either through the Civilian-Military Liaison Committee itself or, if necessary, referred to the Secretary of Defense and Administrator of NASA or referred directly to the Space Council for decision by the President.

CMLC HAS MET SIX TIMES

Now I would like to briefly outline some of the activities of the Civilian-Military Liaison Committee. Thus far the Committee has met six times.

Senator SYMINGTON. When was the last time?

Mr. HOLADAY. Thursday or Friday of last week. No; a week ago last Monday.

Senator SYMINGTON. A week ago last Monday?

Mr. HOLADAY. Yes. To continue, the Committee has regularly. scheduled meetings on the second Tuesday of each month.

TYPICAL ITEMS CONSIDERED BY CMLC

Typical items considered by the Committee are as follows: (1) With the closing of the science program of the International Geophysical Year the operation of the upper atmosphere rocket research facility at Fort Churchill, Canada, ceased and action was initiated to deactivate the facility. The Committee, knowing the potential

importance of the facility for upper atmosphere research, recommended that the Department of Defense and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, both of which have a need for the facility, negotiate an agreement covering the joint support of the operation. This agreement has been completed and the DOD and NASA will continue to use the Fort Churchill facility.

(2) Another item, which was considered at the request of the Deputy Secretary of Defense, is the Dynasoar I program. The Committee reviewed the program objectives of the Dynasoar I from the timewise relationship to similar objectives of the X-15 and Project Mercury programs and recommended to the Secretary of Defense that Dynasoar I objectives were timewise alined with the other two programs and that the Dynasoar I program should continue.

In addition to these typical Committee actions, the individual members, alternates, and staff assistants to the members provide exceedingly useful contact points in the day-to-day exchange of information between the Department of Defense and National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

That is the end of my statement.

Senator SYMINGTON. Thank you, Mr. Holaday.
Mr. Counsel, will you proceed?

Mr. SMITH. Yes, sir.

TERMS OF REFERENCE OF CMLC APPROVED BY PRESIDENT
ON OCTOBER 29, 1958

Mr. Holaday, are there any terms of reference that have been formulated for the procedures which CMLC will follow?

Mr. HOLADAY. Yes; there was a term of reference developed which was put together by an agreement between NASA and the Department of Defense. I have a copy of this and would be very glad to make it available to you.

Mr. SMITH. Would you do so for the record?

Senator SYMINGTON. Without objection, it will be included in the record at this point.

(The document referred to follows:)

ATTACHMENT No. 1

TERMS OF REFERENCE-CIVILIAN-MILITARY LIAISON COMMITTEE TO THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION AND THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

ORGANIZATION

1. A Civilian-Military Liaison Committee is hereby established, pursuant to section 204 of Public Law 85-568, known as the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, hereinafter called the act.

OBJECTIVE

2. The role of the Civilian-Military Liaison Committee, hereinafter called the Committee, is set forth in section 204 (b) of the act as follows:

"The Administration and the Department of Defense, through the Liaison Committee, shall advise and consult with each other on all matters within their respective jurisdictions relating to aeronautical and space activities and shall keep each other fully and currently informed with respect to such activities."

3. The Committee will—

FUNCTIONS

(a) Provide a channel for official advice, consultation, and exchange of information and maintain a flow of this information adequate to keep the Administration and the Department of Defense, including the military departments in their respective areas of interest, fully and currently informed of each other's aeronautical and space plans, programs, and activities.

(b) Encourage and facilitate contacts between the Administration and Department of Defense at appropriate levels and in all areas which will provide for the most effective use of relevant national assets in skills and facilities.

(c) When requested by the Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or the Secretary of Defense, study and recommend courses of action where jurisdictional differences between the Administration and the Department of Defense have arisen, or might arise, unnecessary duplication of effort might develop, or coordination of jointly sponsored or related programs is required.

(d) Perform such other functions as may be assigned from time to time by the Administrator or the Secretary of Defense.

(a) A Chairman who is the head thereof and who is appointed by the President.

(b) Four representatives to be assigned by the Secretary of Defense, one of these representatives will be from the Department of Defense and one representative from each of the Departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. (c) Four representatives to be assigned by the Administrator.

(d) The Administrator and the Secretary of Defense muy appoint alternates to serve on the Committee in the unavoidable absence of the designated repre sentatives.

PROCEDURA

5. Rules of procedure for the Committee:

(a) The Committee shall meet at least once monthly at the call of its Chairman, and at such other times as the Committee may fix.

(b) Conclusions, findings, and recommendations of the Committee (including dissents and nonparticipation, if any) shall be reported to the Administrator and the Secretary of Defense.

(c) The Chairman shall convene and preside over meetings of the Committee, direct the secretariat, and serve as a representative of the Committee, as required.

(d) The Chairman may, in case of temporary incapacity, designate one of the representatives to preside or act otherwise on his behalf.

ADMINISTRATION

6. The Chairman is authorized to

(a) Establish a small secretariat consisting of one assistant to the Chairman, who shall also serve as secretary to the Committee; and adequate stenographic-clerical staff.

(b) Draw upon the members of the Committee for ad hoc secretarial assistance for specific tasks. During such ad hoc assignments, personnel so assigned shall be acceptable to and solely responsible to the Chairman.

(c) Obtain administrative support for the Committee and the secretariat from the Administration and the Department of Defense as needed, including office space, facilities; budgetary, legal, and clerical help.