Executive Order 10952—Assigning Civil Defense Responsibilities to the Secretary of Defense and Others

WHEREAS the possibility of enemy attack upon the United States must be taken into account in developing our continental defense program, and WHEREAS following a thorough review and consideration of our military and nonmilitary defense activities, I have concluded that adequate protection of the civilian population requires a substantial strengthening of the Nation's civil defense capability; and WHEREAS the rapid acceleration of civil defense activities can be accomplished most effectively and efficiently through performance by the regular departments and agencies of Government of those civil defense functions related to their established roles and capabilities; and WHEREAS I have concluded that the undertaking of greatly accelerated civil defense activities, including the initiation of a substantial shelter program, requires new organizational arrangements: NOW, THEREEORE, by virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States and Commander in Chief of the armed forces of the United States, including the authority contained in the Federal Civil Defense Act of 1950, as amended, and other authorities of law vested in me pursuant to Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1958, it is hereby ordered as follows: SECTION 1. Delegation of Authority to the Secretary of Defense. (a) Except as hereinafter otherwise provided and as is reserved to the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization in section 2 of this order, the Secretary of Defense is delegated all functions (including as used in this order, powers, duties, and authority) contained in the Federal Civil Defense Act of 1950, as amended (hereinafter referred to as the Act), vested in me pursuant to Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1958 (72 Stat. 1799), subject to the direction and control of the President. Such functions to be performed by the Secretary of Defense, working as necessary or appropriate through other agencies by contractual or other agreements, as well as with State and local leaders, shall include but not be limited to the development and execution of: (i) a fallout shelter program; (ii) a chemical, biological and radiological warfare defense program; (iii) all steps necessary to warn or alert Federal military and civilian authorities, State officials and the civilian population, (iv) all functions pertaining to communications, including a warning network, reporting on monitoring, instructions to shelters and communications between authorities, (v) emergency assistance to State and local governments in a postattack period, including water, debris, fire, health, traffic police and evacuation capabilities; (vi) protection and emergency operational capability of State and local government agencies in keeping with plans for the continuity of government; and (vii) programs for making financial contributions to the States (including personnel and administrative expenses) for civil defense purposes. (b) In addition to the foregoing, the Secretary shall: (i) develop plans and operate systems to undertake a nationwide postattack assessment of the nature and extent of the damage resulting from enemy attack and the surviving resources, including systems to monitor and report specific hazards resulting from the detonation or use of special weapons; and (ii) make necessary arrangements for the donation of Federal surplus property in accordance with section 203 (i) (4) of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, as amended (40 U.S.C. 484 (j ) (4) ), subject to applicable limitations. SEC. 2. Civil Defense Responsibilities of the Office of Civil and Defense Moblization. The Director of the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization shall (a) advise and assist the President in: (i) determining policy for, planning, directing and coordinating, including the obtaining of information from all departments and agencies, the total civil defense program; (ii) reviewing and coordinating the civil defense activities of the Federal departments and agencies with each other and with the activities of the States and neighboring countries in accordance with section 201(b) of the Act: (iii) determining the appropriate civil defense roles of Federal departments and agencies, and enlisting State local and private participation, mobilizing national support, evaluating progress of programs, and preparing reports to the Congress relating to civil defense matters; (iv) helping and encouraging the States to negotiate and enter into interstate civil defense compacts and enact reciprocal civil defense legislation in accordance with section 201(g) of the Act; and (v) providing all practical assistance to States in arranging, through the Department of State, mutual civil defense aid between the States and neighboring countries in accordance with section 203 of the Act; (b) develop plans, conduct programs and coordinate preparations for the continuity of Federal governmental operations in the event of attack: and (c) develop plans, conduct programs and coordinate preparations for the continuity of State and local governments in the event of attack, which plans, programs and preparations shall be designed to assure the continued effective functioning of civilian political authority under any emergency condition. SEC. 3. Excluded Functions. The following functions of the President under the provisions of the Act are excluded from delegations to the Secretary of Defense made by this order and are reserved to the President: (a) Those under subsections (h) and (i) of section 201 of the Act (50 U.S.C. App. 2281 (h), (i)) to the extent that they pertain to medical stockpiles and food stockpiles (b) Those under the following provision of the Act: Sections 102 (a), 201 (b), and 402 and Title III. SEC. 4. Transfer of Property, Facilities, Personnel and Funds. Subject to applicable law, there shall be hereby transferred to the Secretary of Defense such portion of the property, facilities and personnel of the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization engaged in the performance of the civil defense responsibilities herein assigned to the Secretary of Defense as shall be agreed upon by the Secretary and the Director of the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization together with such portions of the funds currently available for those purposes as shall be approved by the Director of the Bureau of the Budget. SEC. 5. Reports. The Secretary of Defense shall annually submit to the President a written report covering expenditures, contributions, activities, and accomplishments of the Secretary of Defense pursuant to this order. SEC. 6. Redelegation. The Secretary of Defense is hereby authorized to redelegate within the Department of Defense the functions hereinabove delegated to him. SEC. 7. Amendment. The Director of the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization is hereby relieved of responsibilities under the Act except as otherwise provided herein, and the provisions of Executive Order No. 10773, as amended, are amended accordingly. SEC. 8. Prior actions. (a) Except to the extent that they may be inconsistent with the provisions of this order, and except as particular Executive orders or other orders are amended, modified, or superseded by the provisions of this order, all determinations, authorizations, regulations, rulings, certificates, orders (including emergency preparedness orders), directives, contracts, agreements, and other actions made, issued, or entered into with respect to any function affected by this order, and not revoked, superseded, or otherwise made inapplicable before the date of this order, shall continue in full force and effect until amended, modified, or terminated by the President or other appropriate authority; but, to the extent necessary to conform to the provisions of this order, any of the foregoing shall be deemed to refer to the Secretary of Defense or other appropriate officer or agency instead of, or in addition to, the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization or the Director thereof. (b) This order shall not terminate any delegation or assignment of any substantive (program) function to any delegate agency made by any emergency preparedness order heretofore issued by the Director of the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization (26 F.R. 651-662; 835-840) (which emergency preparedness order shall remain in effect until amended or revoked by or at the specific direction of the President). No such emergency preparedness order shall limit the delegation or assignment of any substantive (program) function to the Secretary of Defense made by the foregoing sections of this order. SEC. 9. Effective Date. This order shall become effective on the first day of August, 1961. JOHN F. KENNEDY THE WHITE HOUSE, July 20, 1961