Oral history transcript, Frank M. Wozencraft, interview 6 (VI), 2/24/1969, by T.H. Baker

Title:

Oral history transcript, Frank M. Wozencraft, interview 6 (VI), 2/24/1969, by T.H. Baker

Number of Pages:

24

Description:

a 1966 interdepartmental conference on proposed legislation to establish a fishery zone beyond the three-mile territorial seas limit; Bureau of the Budget's role in uniting the positions of various departments; the Department of the Navy, State Department, Interior Department Bureau of Fisheries, and the Attorney General's positions on the proposed fishery zone; Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach's opinion that the fishery zone did not violate international law and his decision to silently support the legislation; why it was important that the Attorney General not issue an official stance; resentment toward the Bureau of the Budget in their decision-making role; how differences of opinion were settled in the Justice Department; the twelve-mile territorial seas/fishery zone accepted as 1969 international law; the creation and role of COMSAT, the Communications Satellite Corporation; claims of authority over COMSAT from multiple departments; Department of Defense's proposal to contract with COMSAT rather than a record carrier to provide communications circuits to the Far East; conflicting provisions in the COMSAT Act; meetings Wozencraft attended to resolve the Department of Defense's and Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) conflicts with COMSAT and record carriers; a deal whereby the Department of Defense could contract with COMSAT until the record carriers and FCC reduced cable rates; the Common Carrier Bureau in the FCC; the settlement in the FCC/Department of Defense conflict; Office of Legal Counsel's role as negotiator on legal positions rather than the White House; FCC's authority over COMSAT; voting power in COMSAT; the importance of cooperation among departments to achieve the best outcome for U.S. interests.

Contributor:

Wozencraft, Frank M.

Collection:

LBJ Library Oral Histories

Collection Description:

Go to List of Holdings

Series:

Transcripts of LBJ Library Oral Histories

See Also:

See all online interviews with Frank M. Wozencraft

Relation:

Go to Interviewee bio page

Rights:

Possibly copyright restricted: see deed at end of transcript for details