Letter, Assistant Director for Legislative Reference to President Dwight D. Eisenhower

opposite Last Day EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT 213054 BUREAU OF THE BUDGET 9/1/54 WASHINGTON 25, D.C. AUG2 4 1954 My dear Mr. President: The Congress has enacted H. R. 9757, "To amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1946, as amended, and for other purposes." This legislation was passed in response to your message on atomic energy, dated February 17, recommending amendments to the Atomic Energy Act of 1946, as amended, to provide for (1) widened cooperation with our allies in certain atomic energy matters, (2) improved procedures for con- trol and dissemination of atomic energy information, and (3) broadened participation in the peacetime development of atomic energy in the United States. The specifics of your proposals were simultaneously transmitted by the Atomic Energy Commission to the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy in two pieces of legislation drafted within the executive branch. The Joint Committee did not introduce these bills, but rewrote entirely the existing Atomic Energy Act incorporating within their bill provisions intended to accomplish your recommendations as well as numerous other amendments. Although the bill in large measure accomplishes the purposes set forth in your recommendations, the specific provisions in many respects differ significantly from the draft legislation proposed by the executive branch. Attached to this letter is a brief summary of the significant pro- visions of the legislation compared with the existing Atomic Energy Act. Set forth below are comments on points of particular significance. International atomic cooperation The bill provides the substance of most of the authority requested by you. However, the authority is qualified (e.g., proposed agreements would have to be submitted to the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy for a period of 30 days while Congress is in session) and may limit your freedom of action in foreign relations and give rise to awkward adminis- tration. Although you did not request legislation to authorize an inter- national atomic agency, the bill contains a provision on this subject. However, when taken in the context of the qualifications referred to above, it is unclear as to whether the provision helps or hinders you. D. Widened participation in atomic power development 1 The bill authorizes the licensing of public and private groups to lease fissionable material from the Government, and to build and operate