AIRCRAFT, MISSILES, AND NAVAL VESSELS FOR THE ARMED FORCES [No. 10] HEARINGS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION PURSUANT TO H.R. 6151 TO AUTHORIZE APPROPRIATIONS FOR AIRCRAFT, MISSILES, AND NAVAL VESSELS FOR THE ARMED FORCES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES APRIL 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 19, 20, 21, 24, MAY 2, AND 3, 1961. COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES PAUL J. KILDAY, Texas 87TH CONGRESS, 1ST SESSION CARL VINSON, Georgia, Chairman L. MENDEL RIVERS, South Carolina PHILIP J. PHILBIN, Massachusetts F. EDWARD HÉBERT, Louisiana ARTHUR WINSTEAD, Mississippi MELVIN PRICE, Illinois O. C. FISHER, Texas PORTER HARDY, JR., Virginia A. FERNÓS-ISERN, Puerto Rico LESLIE C. ARENDS, Illinois JAMES E. VAN ZANDT, Pennsylvania ALVIN E. O'KONSKI, Wisconsin WILLIAM G. BRAY, Indiana BOB WILSON, California FRANK C. OSMERS, JR. New Jersey FRANK J. BECKER, New York CHARLES E. CHAMBERLAIN, Michigan ROBERT T. STAFFORD, Vermont ROBERT W. SMART, Chief Counsel UNITED STATES OF AMERICA [No. 10] H.R. 6151, TO AUTHORIZE APPROPRIATIONS FOR AIRCRAFT, MISSILES, AND NAVAL VESSELS FOR THE ARMED FORCES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES, Washington, D.C., Tuesday, April 11, 1961. The committe met at 10 a.m., Hon. Carl Vinson (chairman of the committee) presiding. The CHAIRMAN. Now let the committee come to order. Members of the committee, this is still an executive session. What we will discuss today is highly classified. Now this morning we will start a hearing on H.R. 6151, a bill which I introduced yesterday, authorizing the appropriation of $11,874,800,000 for aircraft, missiles, and naval vessels for the three military departments. Each member has a copy of the bill before him and can see how this sum is broken down for each of the three departments. In view of the very fine posture hearings which we recently concluded, I do not think that these hearings on procurement should take any great amount of time. However, we are going to look into each authorization most care fully. We all know the kinds of material and weapons which the military services are procuring or intend to procure. The only thing we have to do now is to see exactly how many of each of these items the departments want to acquire and how much they will cost. We may agree with them or we may disagree with respect to particular items and certain phases of the bill. am Now, we will hear the Secretary of Defense this morning. And I glad to say that I had the opportunity of reading this statement; I carefully read it last night, and I recommend the closest attention be paid to the Secretary's statement, which contains a wealth of information, and is clear, simple, and direct. I hope there will be full attendance in all these procurement hearings, since we must all remember that we have to write a bill at the conclusion of the hearing, get a rule on it, and then take it before the House. It is the largest authorization bill every submitted to the Congress. And it places a very great responsibility upon all members of the committee. We must pay close attention and do a good job. (The bill is as follows:) [H.R. 6151, 87th Cong., 1st sess.] A BILL To authorize appropriations for aircraft, missiles, and naval vessels for the Armed Forces, and for other purposes of America in Congress assembled, That funds are hereby authorized to be apBe it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States AIRCRAFT, MISSILES, AND NAVAL VESSELS [No. 10] HEARINGS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES EIGHTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION PURSUANT TO H.R. 6151 TO AUTHORIZE APPROPRIATIONS FOR AIRCRAFT, MISSILES, 57066 APRIL 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 19, 20, 21, 24, MAY 2, AND 3, 1961. U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON: 1961 |