Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume II, Organization and Management of U.S. Foreign Policy, 1969–1972

79. National Security Decision Memorandum 26¹

Washington, October 11, 1969.

TO

• The Vice President
• The Secretary of State
• The Secretary of Defense
• The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
• The Director of Central Intelligence
• The Director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness
• The Chairman, Council of Economic Advisers
• The Director of the Bureau of the Budget

SUBJECT

• Defense Program Review Committee

To assist me in carrying out my responsibilities for the conduct of national security affairs, I hereby direct the formation of the Defense Program Review Committee.²

This Committee will review the diplomatic, military, political and economic consequences of issues requiring Presidential determination that result from

• —proposals to change defense strategy, programs and budgets,
• —proposals to change U.S. overseas force deployments and committed forces based in the U.S.,
• —major defense policy and program issues raised by studies prepared in response to National Security Study Memorandums.

The Committee will meet as necessary and supervise the preparation of issues papers for consideration by the National Security Council. Issues will be brought to the attention of this group at the initiation of the addressee agencies or of the Chairman. Studies of defense policy and program issues undertaken in response to National Security Study Memorandums will be submitted to the Defense Program Review Committee prior to NSC consideration rather than to the NSC Review Group.

The membership of the Defense Program Review Committee shall include:

The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (Chairman)

• The Under Secretary of State
• The Deputy Secretary of Defense
• The Director of Central Intelligence
• The Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
• The Chairman, Council of Economic Advisers
• The Director of the Bureau of the Budget
• Depending on the issue under consideration, other agencies shall be represented at the discretion of the Chairman.

Richard Nixon

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Agency Files, Box 235, DPRC & DEF Budget—Vol. I—1970. Secret. A copy was sent to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
2. Records of DPRC meetings are in the National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–098–H–106. Included are minutes for many meetings as well as talking points, other briefing material, and background memoranda and papers, 1969–1973.