Executive Order 11044—Interagency Coordination of Arms Control and Disarmament Matters

WHEREAS there has been established by law the United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency; and WHEREAS the Arms Control and Disarmament Act provides that the Director of that Agency shall be the principal adviser to the Secretary of State and the President on Arms control and disarmament matters and requires the Director to assume primary responsibility within the Government for such matters under the direction of the Secretary of State; and WHEREAS the Act authorizes and directs the said Director to coordinate significant aspects of the United States arms control and disarmament policy and related matters; and WHEREAS it is desirable that the President establish procedures for coordination, and for the resolution of differences of opinion between the United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and other affected Government agencies, concerning all significant aspects of arms control and disarmament policy and related matters: NOW, THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Arms Control and Disarmament Act (75 Stat. 631; 50 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.), and as President of the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows: SECTION 1. Definitions. As used hereinafter: (a) The word "Director" means the Director of the United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. (b) The term "affected agencies" shall include the Department of Defense, the Atomic Energy Commission, the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and, when not inappropriate in the context, the United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, and shall include also such other agencies as the Director may designate hereunder. (c) The terms "arms control" and "disarmament" shall be defined as they are defined in section 3 (a) of the Arms Control and Disarmament Act. (d) The term "related matters" shall include those matters which are necessary to, desirable for, or otherwise directly connected with the functions described in sections 3 and 4 of this order. SEC. 2. Cooperation. The Director and the heads of affected agencies shall keep each other fully and currently informed on all significant aspects of United States arms control and disarmament policy and related matters, including current and prospective policies, plans and programs. Differences of opinion concerning arms control and disarmament policy and related matters arising between the United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and other affected agencies with respect to such subjects which involve major matters of policy and cannot be resolved through consultation shall be promptly referred to the President for decision. In such instances the head of an agency presenting recommendations with respect to such differences to the President shall give the heads of affected agencies notice of the occasion for and substance of his recommendations. SEC. 3. Policy coordination. (a) The Director shall establish procedures consistent with this order and the Arms Control and Disarmament Act to assure coordination of: (1) his recommendations to the Secretary of State and the President and to the heads of affected agencies relating to United States arms control and disarmament policy; (2) Government planning for the conduct and support of research for arms control and disarmament policy formulation, including the comprehensive and balanced plan provided for in Section 4 of this order; (3) Government planning for the dissemination of public information concerning arms control and disarmament; (4) the preparation for and management of United States participation in international negotiations in the arms control and disarmament field; and (5) the preparation for, operation of or, as appropriate, direction of United States participation in such control systems as may become part of United States arms control and disarmament activities. (b) The Director shall exercise leadership in assuring that differences of opinion concerning arms control and disarmament policy and related matters are resolved expeditiously and shall take such steps as may be appropriate in order to produce common or harmonious action among the agencies concerned. SEC. 4. Research. With the advice and assistance of affected agencies, the Director shall develop and keep current a comprehensive and balanced program of research, development and other studies needed to be conducted by or for the Government for arms control and disarmament policy formulation. The Director shall maintain a continuing inventory of Federal activities related to the planned program and advise the affected agencies as to their respective participations in the planned program in order to produce harmonious action and prevent duplication of effort. The Director shall periodically submit to the Director of the Bureau of the Budget a consolidated schedule of such activities with assessments of their respective programs by the responsible agencies, together with his evaluations regarding these activities. SEC. 5. Force and armament levels. The Secretary of Defense shall keep the Director informed with respect to the planning of armed forces levels and armaments and, for consideration in connection with such planning, the Director shall furnish the Secretary of Defense statements of existing and projected arms control and disarmament policies. JOHN F. KENNEDY THE WHITE HOUSE, August 20, 1962