4 15 24 10 30 AM Foreign Relations of the United States 1977–1980 Volume IV National Security Policy - Office of the Historian FOREIGN RELATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES 1977–1980 VOLUME IV NATIONAL SECURITY POLICY 201 Presidential Directive NSC–581 Washington June 30 1980 TO The Vice President The Secretary of State The Secretary of Defense The Director Office of Management and Budget The Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff The Director of Central Intelligence The Director Federal Emergency Management Agency The Director White House Military Office SUBJECT Continuity of Government C3I U I have reviewed the recommendations of the Special Coordination Committee for improving our Continuity of Government system It is essential that we establish and maintain a capability for the Presidency under the most stressing conditions to be able to — survive a nuclear attack even one which involves repeated attacks over a long period of time — direct as Commander-in-Chief our strategic and theater nuclear forces and all other aspects of a general war — conduct as Head of State negotiations with adversaries and with our allies during the conflict — control as Chief Executive domestic affairs during the conflict and the national recovery after the war has ended S To support the development of a system to meet these requirements I direct that the following actions be taken 1 The concept put forth in the Special Coordination Committee paper on Continuity of Government Tab A is approved as the initial direction for program development 2 C 2 The responsibilities of the various agencies the development concepts and the public posture will conform to section VI of the Special Coordination Committee paper C 3 An interagency steering group chaired by the NSC staff and consisting of representatives of the White House Military Office the Secretaries of State and Defense and the Directors of Central Intelligence FEMA and OMB will https history state gov historicaldocuments frus1977-80v04 d201 Page 858 1 2 4 15 24 10 30 AM Foreign Relations of the United States 1977–1980 Volume IV National Security Policy - Office of the Historian oversee the development and validation of the recommended concepts C 4 A Joint Program Office will be established under the Secretary of Defense It will work in close cooperation with the Director of FEMA to refine develop validate and implement this concept responsive to the requirements of the Secretary of Defense and the Director of FEMA C The Joint Program Office will — define overall responsibilities for development management and operation of a deployed system — prepare a detailed program for use of FY 1981 and FY 1982 funds — develop and refine the operational requirements — supervise the development of a series of tests and exercises to validate the concept — plan for the program to be fully operational to support at least five successors by 1984 and at least ten by the late 1980s — submit alternate program plans and budgets a proposed exercise program and recommendations concerning the division of funding responsibilities between FEMA and DOD and the degree of program classification to the Special Coordination Committee for review within three months In the interim program details will continue to be classified C 5 Consistent with the above guidance and in close cooperation with the JPO FEMA will — continue to improve pending development of a new system the current capability less than 1 line not declassified to disperse and support less than 1 line not declassified successors in less than 1 line not declassified facilities — continue to develop procedures and capabilities in coordination with the Department of Defense for locating communicating with identifying and authenticating dispersed successors as a basis for determining legal succession to the Presidency — coordinate the efforts of other government agencies to insure that their specific survival plans are compatible with the system for the Presidency S Jimmy Carter 1 Source Carter Library National Security Council Institutional Files Box 2 PD NSC 33–63 2 Secret ↩ 2 Attached but not printed is the paper resulting from the June 12 SCC meeting see the attachment to Document 198 ↩ https history state gov historicaldocuments frus1977-80v04 d201 2 2