Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume XXVIII, Southern Africa

183. Letter From Director of Central Intelligence Bush to the Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense (Mahon)¹

Washington, March 18, 1976.

Dear Mr. Chairman:

Pursuant to the Committee’s request of 16 March 1976, enclosed is a rundown on the expenditures of Agency funds on the Angola program dating from November to the present. There is also enclosed a paper relating to the effect of the Tunney Amendment on this matter.²

If we can be of further assistance to the Subcommittee, please let me know.

Sincerely,

George Bush ³

Enclosure

SUBJECT

• Termination of the Angolan Covert Action Program—Key Briefings, Decisions and Status of Funds

1. The total funds approved for the Angolan Covert Action Program are $31,700,000. The final increment of [dollar amount not declassified] was approved by two consecutive 40 Committee Meetings—14 and 21 November 1975—by the President on 28 November 1975 and released by the Office of Management and Budget on 4 December 1975. The CIA Comptroller allotted the additional [dollar amount not declassified] to the DDO on 10 December 1975.

2. Nine days later when the Tunney Amendment to the Defense Appropriations Act of 1976 was passed by the Senate on 19 December 1975, a total of an estimated [dollar amount not declassified] had been committed to specific planned purposes leaving an estimated balance of uncommitted funds (or funds for which no specific planned use had been as yet decided) of [dollar amount not declassified]

3. By 27 January 1976, the date the House concurred in the Senate Amendment, the estimated total of the committed funds was [dollar amount not declassified] leaving an estimated balance of [dollar amount not declassified] as uncommitted or not designated for a specific purpose.

4. On 9 February 1976, the President signed the Defense Appropriations Act for 1976 (Public Law 94–212) into law. The total committed funds (computed as of 3 February for the 40 Committee meeting of that date) were still [dollar amount not declassified]leaving an estimated balance of [dollar amount not declassified]

5. Subsequently, the CIA was directed to propose a course of action to the Operations Advisory Group, which was designed to terminate the operation with a minimum amount of human suffering.

6. This included cancelling all airlift of ordnance in the pipeline from the United States, terminating all third country national recruitment, cancelling plans under consideration for improved communications, discontinuing all requisitions for military equipment, and terminating all other planned logistical support facilities.

7. These funds have been redesignated to provide terminal financial support to UNITA and FNLA to include for example purchase of food, clothing, shelter and resettlement of their adherents. None of this involved further supply of U.S. arms to Angola. The funds required for direct termination purposes, total $3,849,964. This reformulation resulted in identifying [dollar amount not declassified] for return to the CIA Reserve Fund.

8. The CIA General Counsel and the CIA Comptroller found the proposed expenditure of the $3,849,964 contained in the OPAG Proposal for use in termination of the Angolan Covert Action Program in no way contravenes the Tunney Amendment. (See separate attachment for details.)⁴ The plan has been approved by the President.

1. Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box CL 104, Geopolitical File, Angola Chronological File. Secret; Sensitive.
2. Attached but not printed. The March 18 report on the impact of the Tunney Amendment on the Angolan operation by CIA General Counsel John Warner stated: “Under the Tunney Amendment (a) the Agency could not obligate any additional FY 76 funds for further covert action in or related to Angola without specific legislation appropriating funds for such an activity, and (b) the reprogramming of DOD funds for transfer to the Agency and subsequent obligation of these funds for covert action in Angola was prohibited.”
3. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.
4. Attached but not printed.