Memorandum, "Discussion of Points of Objections to Certain Provisions of S. 2550 Raised in the White House Memorandum"

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DISCUSSION OF POINTS OF DELECTIONS TO CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF S. 2550 RAISED IN THE WHITE HOUSE MEMORANDUM. POINT 1. Criticism of organizational provisions in the bill. (a) The provisions of Section 104 and 105 of the bill are criticized as being in violation of the recomendations of the Hoover Commission to the effect that the head of each Executive Department should have authority to organise his Department and control its adminis- tration. It is contended that the establishment of a Bureau of Security and Consular Affairs in the Department of State would place certain fune- tions in that Bureau and would vest certain authority in subordinates in the Department of State, particularly the granting of authority to con- sular officers over the issuance of visas. Since 1924, consular officers have had the exclusive authority with respect to the issuance of visas but as a matter of practice, the exercise of such authority has been sub- ject to administrative review by the Visa Division. In the report accompanying S. 2550, it is made perfectly clear that the Secretary of State is to control the organization of the Department of State and that the language in the bill creating the Bureau of Security and Consular Affairs does not tie the hands of the Secretary of State in constituting the functions of the Bureau of Security and Consular Affairs or in dele- gating authority to that Bureau or the Department, or in authorising redelegation of authority within the Bureau or the Department in the inter- est of efficiency and effectiveness. (b) With reference to the objection to increasing the salary of the Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization to $17,500, TRUMAN NARA