Page:Legislative History of the AAF and USAF.djvu/82

 �This Page Declassified lAW EO12958 Buztdng the Postwar Ar Force and its various accompanying documents are sent to the Ar Force Legislative Policy Board.* After approval by the Board the proposed legslatlon is then cootdonated with the De- partments of the Army and the Navy, and when these departments inform the Direc- torate of Legmlatmn and Liaison of their concurrence or non-concurrence, the ma- terrol is sent to the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) whose Legislative Divi- sion goes to work on it. If approved by OSD, the proposal is submitted to the Bureau of the Budget and, on approval by that agency, is sent to Congress for introduction and reference to the proper committee. After the bill passes both houses of Congress it is enrolled and sent to the President for his signature or veto, the Bureau of the Budget, as executive agency for the Presi- dent, sends the bfiI to the Department of Defense for its recommendation as to the appropriate Presidential action. Although the legislation was originally recommended by the Department of Defense xt s concmv- able that its substance may have been so modified during Cangresmonal deliberation that the Department of Defense may wish to recommend veto raher than signature by the President. The Department of De- fense sends the enrolled bill to the agency which made the original report on the legis- lation, in thLs case the Directorate of Legis- lation and Liaison, OSAF. Then Legislation and Liaison Writes a report on the bill which may be a favorable report or a veto message for the President. This is coordinated with the other service departments and the OSD as before.$ With the proper approvals the bill is sent to the President for his signa- ture.  It is evident, then, that the Drectorate of Legrelation and Lirason, OSAF, through its work in the formu]ation, coordination, and general superwsion of the legmlatave pro- gram of the Air Force, and the Legislative Dxvismn of the Office of the Judge Advocate merl the Directorate af Legislation and L) n ]onger refers ]egiatiye maters  the Air Force Lgtslative ol[cg Board It has been recommended at this board be abolhed to oly ees he  crd]nae lt legislative program ith he other to vice deprweatthey, in rn, coordt ate their legllafiw programs wlh the US  tntr- aepartmental coerintmn is unlcat]oa In practice General, USAF, through its function of drafting Ar Force legslatmn and gvmg legal adwce and recommendations in legis- lative matters, have played a wtal role in building up the postwar Air Force. The magnitude of this task is indicated to some degree by the fact that since the establish- ment of the Department of Defense an average of some 2,200 to 2,400 bills concern- ing the Air Force have been referred to the Office of the Secretary of Defense every Congrersmnal year (2 calendar years)  These bfils are eventually referred to the Directorate of Legislation and Lirason, OSAF for processing. Obwously the legislative functions per- formed by the Legislative Division, JAG, USAF, and the Directorate of Legislation and Lirason, OSAF, are of wtal importance to the Air Force. Under our system of gov- ernment in whmh Congress holds the purse srmgs and makes the laws which deter- mine the strength, cornpotation, equipment, and operations of the armed services, it is not too much to say that the success of the AAF in attaining its legislative objectives in the time of peace is second in importance only to xts success m attaining military ob- jectives in time of war. A well-conceived legislative program supported by Congress is necessary for the building up and main- tenance of a strong air arm adequate ior national defense. THE POSTWAR SLUMP IN AMERICAN AIR POWER In 1946 the administration and the American people in general were not yet aware of the extent to which the security of the United States and of the whole free world was endangered by the threat of a resurgent and formidable Russian imperi- ahsm which intended to use communism as its deological weapon for world conquest. Russia, victorious after a long and bitter struggle with the German invaders and firmly in control of Eastern and Central Europe, was determined to fill the power vacuum left by a totally defeated Germany and a seriously exhausted Great Britain. Following V-J Day the U.S. motto was THIS PAGE Declassflied lAW EO12958
 * Aa of November 1954 he Office of Legislative Liaison (for-