Office of the Historian

239. Letter From Director of Central Intelligence Hillenkoetter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives (Rayburn)0

Washington, February 11, 1949.

Dear Mr. Speaker: There is submitted herewith the draft1 of a proposed bill “To provide for the administration of the Central Intelligence Agency, established pursuant to Section 102, National Security Act of 1947, and for other purposes.”

This proposed legislation is substantially the same as H.R. 5871 which was introduced in the Eightieth Congress and unanimously reported out by the House Armed Services Committee. However, due to lack of time, the bill was not called up on the floor. It was also reported out unanimously by the Senate Armed Services Committee in the Eightieth Congress, and passed the Senate on 21 June 1948. The favorable action of the House Armed Services Committee is reported in House Report No. 1853, dated 4 May 1948.

The purpose of the bill is to grant to the Central Intelligence Agency the authorities necessary for its proper administration. The bill deals with procurement, travel, allowances and related expenses, general authorities, and methods of expenditures of appropriated funds. Further, [Page 611] it protects the confidential nature of the Agency’s functions and makes provisions for the internal administration of the Agency. In almost all instances, the powers and authorities contained in the bill already exist for some other branch of the Government, and the bill merely extends similar authorities to the Central Intelligence Agency.

This proposed bill has been resubmitted to the Bureau of the Budget, and we have been advised that they have no objection to its presentation to the Congress in its present form.

Sincerely yours,

R.H. Hillenkoetter 2

Rear Admiral, USN
  1. Source: Central Intelligence Agency Records, Job 90–00610R, Box 1, Folder 17. No classification marking. A similar letter was sent to Senator Millard Tydings, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, on the same date. (Ibid.) See the Supplement.↩
  2. Not printed. The bill was enacted as the Central Intelligence Agency Act of 1949, June 20, 1949, Public Law 110, 81st Congress, 1st Session (63 Stat. Ch. 227). A signed copy of the act is reproduced in CIA Cold War Records: The CIA under Harry Truman, pp. 287–294.↩
  3. Printed from a copy that indicates Hillenkoetter signed the original.↩