Executive Order 11161—Relating to Certain Relationships Between the Department of Defense and the Federal Aviation Agency

WHEREAS Section 302(e) of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 provides, in part, that in the event of war the President by Executive order may transfer to the Department of Defense any functions (including powers, duties, activities, facilities, and parts of functions) of the Federal Aviation Agency; and WHEREAS it appears that the defense of the United States would require the transfer of the Federal Aviation Agency to the Department WHEREAS if any such transfer were to be made it would be essential to the defense of the United States that the transition be accomplished promptly and with maximum ease and effectiveness; and WHEREAS these objectives require that the relationships that would obtain in the event of such a transfer as between the Federal Aviation Agency and the Department of Defense be understood in advance by the two agencies concerned and be developed in necessary detail by them in advance of transfer: NOW, THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Section 302(e) (72 Stat. 746; 49 U.S.C. 1343(c)), and as President of the United States and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows: Section 1. The Secretary of Defense and the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Agency are hereby directed to prepare and develop plans, procedures, policies, programs, and courses of action in anticipation of the probable transfer of the Federal Aviation Agency to the Department of Defense in the event of war. Those plans, policies, procedures, programs, and courses of action shall be prepared and developed in conformity with the following-described standards and conditions— (A) The Federal Aviation Agency will function as an adjunct of the Department of Defense with the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Agency being responsible directly to the Secretary of Defense and subject to his authority, direction, and control to the extent deemed by the Secretary to be necessary for the discharge of his responsibilities as Secretary of Defense. (B) To the extent deemed by the Secretary of Defense to be necessary for the accomplishment of the military mission, he will be empowered to direct the Administrator to place operational elements of the Federal Aviation Agency under the direct operational control of appropriate military commanders. (C) While functioning as an adjunct of the Department of Defense, the Federal Aviation Agency will remain organizationally intact and the Administrator thereof will retain responsibility for administration of his statutory functions, subject to the authority, direction, and control of the Secretary of Defense to the extent deemed by the Secretary to be necessary for the discharge of his responsibilities as Secretary of Defense. Sec. 2. In furtherance of the objectives of the foregoing provisions of this order, the Secretary and the Administrator shall, to the extent permitted by law, make such arrangements and take such actions as they deem necessary to assure— (A) That the functions of the Federal Aviation Agency are performed during any period of national emergency short of war in a manner that will assure that essential national defense requirements will be satisfied during any such period of national emergency'. (B) Consistent with the provisions of paragraphs (A), (B), and (C) of Section 1 of this order, that any transfer of the Federal Aviation Agency to the Department of Defense, in the event of war, will be accomplished smoothly and rapidly and effective operation of the agencies and functions affected by the transfer will be achieved after the transfer. LYNDON B. JOHNSON The White House, July 7, 1964