Stanford Research Institute; Page Communications Engineers; Northrop Corp.; Granger Associates; Data Dynamics, Inc.; Fred W. Morris, Jr., & Associates. Other professional activities and awards: Silver Medal, Poor Richard's Club; Distinguished Service Medal, U.S. Army, and other U.S. and foreign decorations; fellow, Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers; member, and later chairman, joint technical advisory committee, Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers and Electronic Industries Association, 1959-64; Chairman, JTAC Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Space Communications, 1960-61; member, steering Committee for Interdepartmental Committee on Atmospheric Sciences, Federal Council for Science and Technology (analysis of atmospheric research needed to facilitate communication by electromagnetic propagation), 1963–65; honorary life member, Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association; vice president, Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association, San Francisco Chapter, 1962-64; member, executive committee, San Francisco region, National Security Industrial Association, 1961–64.

Author of "Teamwork in Spectrum Conservation," Signal magazine, June 1964; "Summary of Military Communications in the United States, 1860-1962," Proceedings of the Institute of Radio Engineers, May 1962; "Satellite Communications" section, the Encyclopedia of Electronics, Reinhold Publishing Corp., 1962.

STATEMENT OF HON. JAMES D. O'CONNELL, DIRECTOR OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS MANAGEMENT, EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT; ACCOMPANIED BY FRED W. MORRIS, JR., ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR (ADVANCED CONCEPTS AND TECHNOLOGY); WILLIAM E. PLUMMER, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS MANAGEMENT (FREQUENCY MANAGEMENT); COL. HAROLD R. JOHNSON (U.S. AIR FORCE), ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR PLANS AND PROGRAMS; VICTOR F. EVANS, DEPUTY ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR (NATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS); RALPH L. CLARK, SPECIAL ASSISTANT FOR INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS STUDY; CHARLES E. LATHEY, SPECIAL ASSISTANT FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS MOBILIZATION PLANNING; AND JOHN J. O'MALLEY, ASSISTANT LEGAL COUNSEL

Mr. O'CONNELL. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

As you know, of course, I have been asked to appear today to bring the committee up to date on activities and accomplishments of the Office of Telecommunications Management and, in particular, I have been asked to review, in addition to those matters which you just mentioned, the organization of the Office of Telecommunications Management and its relation to the Secretary of Defense, acting in his capacity as Executive Agent for the NCS.

The progress in developing the National Communications System.

The role of the Government as an "authorized user" of the commercial communications satellite service.

The problem of Government-owned versus Government-leased communications facilities.

This, too, touches on one of the points you made this morning. You have heard testimony from Assistant Secretary Horwitz for the Executive Agent and from the Manager of the National Communications System with respect to their specific responsibilities and activities concerning the National Communications System.

As you know, I have three hats which call for me to be three dif ferent characters. This chart (chart 1) indicates what those three roles are and from whence they are derived.

(The chart, above referred to, follows:)

RESPONSIBILITY & ASSIGNMENTS

CHART DTM-1.—Assignment of telecommunications responsibilities.

Mr. O'CONNELL. You will notice that, of course, the roles derive from the President of the United States in two categories, the August 21 memorandum; which is in respect to the Comsat Act, in the role of Special Assistant to the President, and in the role of the ODTM for coordination of executive branch communications and formulation of national policy, development of frequency requirements, and so forth Under the mobilization planning and frequency assignment cate gory, and the wartime control responsibility, responsibilities come t me through the Director, Office of Emergency Planning, as shown o the chart.

In presenting my testimony today, I am wearing my hat as th Director of Telecommunications Management only. In this capacity I am responsible for

Activities as outlined in Executive Order 11191, dated Januar 4, 1965, to advise and assist the President in connection with th responsibilities placed upon him by section 201(a) of the Com munications Satellite Act of 1962;

Coordination of telecommunications activities of the executive branch of the Government, and formulation of overall policy and standards in accordance with the provisions of Executive Order 10995, as amended;

Policy direction of the development and operation of the National Communications System in accordance with the Presidential memorandum of August 21, 1963, establishing the National Communications System;

Exercise of the President's authority contained in subsections 606 (a), (c), and (d) of the Communications Act of 1934 and as defined in Executive Order 10705.

With your permission, Mr. Chairman, I would like to insert certain of these basic documents in the record at this point.

Mr. HOLIFIELD. Without objection, it will be received.

Mr. O'CONNELL. These will indicate the complete designation and responsibility.

(The documents above referred to are printed in app. 2, p. 774.) Mr. O'CONNELL. During the course of my statement today, I will present facts, observations, opinions, and suggestions. I wish to make it completely clear that the observations, opinions, and suggestions are exclusively my own personal views. They are not necessarily the views of any other agency of Government, nor do they result from any guidance furnished to me by anyone. They are based entirely upon my own experience during the past 2 years.

In view of the interest which this committee has taken in my office and its progress which I very much appreciate-I thought it would be an act of courtesy in response to that interest to go rather extensively into the record of where the office was 2 years ago and where it is now.

THE INITIAL ACTIVITIES OF THE OFFICE

This may also serve to give perspective to the discussion which I will present later concerning progress achieved to date and the plans for further action. Thus, I think it is useful to establish the situation which existed when I took office as Director of Telecommunications Management on May 15, 1964.

At that time I could not help but recognize that the primary task was to construct an effective agency of the executive branch which could provide leadership in the generation of national telecommunications policy to guide the solution of the many problems which faced

us.

Both the President and the Congress have recognized the basic need to create a policy climate which could foster rapid growth in this field and provide maximum contribution to national goals.

This subcommittee and the Communications Subcommittees of both the Senate and the House have been of great assistance in emphasizing the lack of, and the need for, development of national telecomunications policy. I want to take this opportunity, Mr. Chairman, to personally thank you for this interest in, and support of, the activities of my office.

My most significant legacy upon assuming my duties was a large and growing backlog of important telecommunications problems with

which the office was almost completely unprepared to cope. I am speaking here of current demanding actions, rather than the requirements for generating policy to reduce the incidence of crisis. These latter requirements also have become more and more apparent. The situation at that time was characterized by the following: In policy environment, organizational structure, and budget support:

A basic statute, the Communications Act of 1934, conceived in the national security, foreign policy, and social climate of the 1920's and inadequate to deal with today's technical capabilities and growth patterns in the field of telecommunications. An organizational and budgeting structure for the office which submerged it to such an extent that it was difficult to clearly identify what resources the Congress had actually authorized. A complete void in the area of contractual studies to develop data and examine in detail the important policy needs and alternatives facing the Government in the introduction of new telecommunication technology. No authorizations and funds with which to launch the much needed detailed study and research program, and essentially no in-house capability.

No systematic program for the coordination of, or participation by, the executive departments and agencies in the formulation of overall national telecommunications policy.

No assistance in the office by experienced personnel from agencies with major responsibilities and capabilities in telecommuni

cations.

There was only one member of the office available to devote a fraction of his time to the important responsibility of policy formulation for the National Communications System.

There were no administrative personnel in the organization and all personnel, budget, purchasing, and other administrative details had necessarily to be handled by me personally or by my special assistant.

In overall national communications policy:

No planning attention to relate telecommunications policies directly to the national goals advanced by the President. Specifically, attention to the coordinated planning requirements in fields such as law enforcement, medicine, social security, and education, where there is a need to evolve effective coordination between the States and the Federal Government.

A complete absence of any policy study or trend analysis to detail the impact of new technology upon our national policies and problems, and the resulting management decisions expected to require attention in the immediate future.

An incomplete and uncertain rationale concerning the policy of the Government with respect to the provision of communications service via Government-leased or Government-owned facilities. This, too, is one of your important questions today. In guidance of the National Communications System:

The part-time effort of one professional staff member assigned to the important responsibility of policy formulation for the National Communications System and no organizational element of the office designated with this responsibility.

No funds whatever appropriated for the foregoing purpose. A completely inadequate information data base concerning the resources in terms of money, manpower, facilities, and radiofrequencies to support the National Communications System.

Policy guidance to the Executive Agent, to supplement the President's memorandum issued almost 1 year earlier, was meager and limited to initial guidance only. The one man available had many and varied other responsibilities, and could address only the most urgent and pressing problems of the moment on a part-time basis.

Uncertainty and lack of consensus within the executive branch of Government as to the division of service responsibilities between the military networks and those provided under the management of the General Services Administration.

One professional assigned to the field of emergency planning and mobilization activities. A totally unrealistic and unworkable concept for the exercise of the emergency powers of the President as specified in section 606 of the Communications Act. In satellite communications and other advanced technology:

A major controversy in process involving determination of a national policy as to whether or not the Department of Defense should continue development of an independent communications satellite system for unique and vital defense communication needs, or undertake a joint development program with the Communications Satellite Corporation.

A complete vacuum in the area of national policy with respect to the accomplishment of specific activities charged to the executive branch under the Communications Satellite Act of 1962.

No policy whatsoever to guide the executive departments in their response to requests from foreign nations to share and have access to communications satellite support.

The fractional part-time effort of the same man mentioned in previous areas devoted to the important and growing problems of the developing Communications Satellite Corporation.

A complete vacuum in the office on the status of national research and development in telecommunications, the areas in which inadequate effort was being made, the funds devoted to these programs, the priorities which had been assigned in respective areas. No personnel of any kind devoted even part time to this specific objective in the office.

In Federal-State communications coordination:

A complete lack of mutual coordination to assure compatibility of Federal-State Governments' emergency communication plans, policies, and systems. This refers to the status of the office, obviously.

Zero personnel to develop data and examine in detail the complex problems facing the Federal and State Governments in developing and procuring communications to meet the increased needs brought about by increasing Federal involvement in State

programs.

Zero funds for studies to assure the timely and efficient telecommunications support required for preservation of life and