Foreign Relations of the United States, 1977–1980, Volume XXX, Public Diplomacy

56. Memorandum From Paul Henze of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)¹

Washington, May 24, 1977

SUBJECT

• Evening Report—24 May 1977

Daily Activities:

USIA–VOA: John Reinhardt called to give me rundown on developments re USIA/VOA on which he asked me to inform you. He said that Vance will shortly be sending to President a paper re reorganization of USIA and State CU structure.² It will apparently offer various options for President to choose from: Stanton recommendations; situation as is; or a reorganized, strengthened USIA, perhaps renamed something like Public Diplomacy Agency, which would combine present CU with all existing USIA functions.³ This latter option is one Reinhardt favors. This strengthened version of USIA could either remain completely autonomous as it now is, or it could be put in same relationship to State as AID or ACDA. It is not quite clear to me why proposals for reorganization should be submitted only at Vance’s initiative. In any event, I assume that you will want to have a look at them, and that President would want to have your views . . .⁴

Reinhardt tells me that Dante Fascell is going to hold hearings on US Government information organization and policies during second week of June.⁵ I will alert BIB/RFE/RL people to these. It happens that Gronouski will be in town that week, so it might be a useful time for him to get involved with Fascell.

Jerry Schecter, Jane Pisano and I, joined at end by Barry Jagoda, had useful meeting with Charlie Bray and Jim Thurber of USIA this afternoon and covered wide range of topics, most of which Jerry will be following up on.⁶

I had lunch with VOA news chief, Alan Heil, and learned a good deal about how VOA is operating these days. He says that new guidelines which John Reinhardt issued few weeks ago⁷ have had very positive influence and have cut down most of the minor hassling about what VOA should and should not say.

John Reinhardt tells me that Peter Strauss has been selected as new head of VOA and is being cleared for job.⁸ Sounds good.

1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Horn/Special (Henze), Box 5, Evening Reports File: 2–6/77. Secret.
2. See Document 64.
3. Brzezinski underlined the portion of the sentence beginning with “or” and ending with “functions.” He also placed a vertical line in the left-hand margin next to this and the previous sentence and wrote: “Pres. does not approve Stanton report.”
4. Brzezinski placed a vertical line in the left-hand margin next to this and the previous sentence and wrote: “yes prepare.”
5. See Documents 58 and 63.
6. A record of this meeting has not been found.
7. See Document 47.
8. Brzezinski underlined the portion of the sentence beginning with “Peter” and ending with “job.” He also placed a vertical line in the left-hand margin next to this paragraph and wrote: “I know him well.”