COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES FIRST SESSION HEARINGS HELD DECEMBER 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, and 18, 1975 U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON: 1975 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office 74e76 jrj/310 feb-76 [H.A.S.C. No. 94-32] FULL COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION OF OVERALL NATIONAL SECURITY PROGRAMS AND RELATED BUDGET REQUIREMENTS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES, Washington, D.C., Wednesday, December 3, 1975. The committee met, pursuant to adjournment, at 10:26 a.m., in room 2118, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Melvin Price (chairman of the committee) presiding. The CHAIRMAN. Today we begin our full committee consideration of the total defense program under the procedure that was agreed to by the committee caucuses of both parties just prior to the recess. These hearings will precede the detailed consideration of items in the procurement authorization bill which we will undertake when the budget is presented next year. These hearings are designed to acquaint the members with the total national security budget, the factors and procedures which go into the development of that budget, and the foreign policy considerations on which it is based. As a result of these hearings and the hearings which will follow early next year, the committee will attempt to be in a position to make an informed judgment on the total budget requirement for national security. As indicated earlier, that judgment will be the basis for our recommendations to be made to the Budget Committee under the new budget process in March of next year, and it is intended that that recommendation reflect the consensus of the committee. I emphasize to the members that we have a great deal of material to cover and that time is pressing. Attached to my statement is the schedule for the hearings running from today through Thursday, December 11. As you can see, the schedule is quite compressed, and it is possible that even with the best of intentions, we shall have to have some slippage in the program. To cover the necessary ground in the time available, I am going to ask your cooperation in some modification of procedure. First of all, I am going to ask members to withhold questions until the witness completes his basic presentation. At that point, I am going to suggest that we then go through the membership for questioning, limiting ourselves to two questions per member. Following that. after each member has had an opportunity for two questions, those who have further questions can stay and we can go back and take up any additional questions that members might have. It is my intention to meet both morning and afternoon for the next 2 weeks insofar as the schedule of the House permits, and I am prepared for us to stay in session late into the afternoon to accommodate members who want to ask additional questions on any phase of the testimony. We will now hear our first witness, Mr. Clifford J. Miller. |