Reproduced at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library
gEGU?IUI / /fu{ru
r
THE WHITE HOUSE
l*/
4{ qAtld't &"5
WASHINGTON
r,V '
I
January
21,
L9TA
}ltrUOHANDUl'{ TCR THE PRtrSIDM\IT
Meeting
SLEJECT:
of
vith Dr.
Thomas
Paine, Administrator
NASA
Thursd-ay, January 22, L9Ta 4:OO P.M.
f.
PI]RPOSE
requested" this meeting in o::d.er to expr-^ss his ccnr,"ictions regard-ing the importance of the Space Program as it relates to ycur Ad.ministration and his concern that the recent cuts may prevent the Adm:-nistration frcm maximizing the potential
Dr. Paine has
benefits of the
II.
Program.
BACKGF.OiTTID
A.
By the mid '5Os the NASA bud-get hail- reached a level of$5 ltLtion. Since that time its outlays have been on a d.eclining path r,;ith a prcjected" IY'7I outlay the l.otlest in eight yea::s" Dr. Paine had asked-
frr :utlays cf $l tifficn in Ia ''[j and- iva; init-ally cut back to a $:.8 liLticn level. Subsequently that rvas red-uced- to $3.5 l:.LLicn and in the final bud-get cut it was reduced to $3.4 liffion. B. Dr. Paine took in a spirit of
each of these cuts, up to the last, compLete cocperation. Whl*.1-e. he'
had d"ifferences of opinion as to rn,here-:the..cuts should be mad"e, he d"id- nct t'esist the red"uction. I^/ith rega::d" to the final cut, he d.id resist as he belleved. NASA was bearing a d-isproportionate share of the red.uction. NevertheLess, he continued to express clearly his support of the Administration.
Reproduced at the Richard Nixon presidential Libran,
THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON ?.-
G.
D.
TII.
I conveyed to Dr. Paine the President's personal enthusiasm for the Space Frcgram and his assurance that add-itional fund-s vor,:"ld be forthcoming ivhen available in future yea:i:s" Dr. Paine has been consistently loyal andcooperative and has evid.enced" his personal inte::est in the success of the Adrainistraticn" Peter Flanigan rvill be attend-ing the meeting
uith Dr.
Paine.
POINIS OF' DISCUSSION
fn reaching the $3.)+ liffion tevel, NASA pians to d.elay the ApoILo Applications Workshop laurrcii frcm ea'ly 172 Lc Late t72. lrr pctitical r:easons, I have told" Dr. Paine that this d-elay beyond. September v'ouLd be unacceptable. Dr. Paine und-erstands t,his and wi}l make every effort in the interim to make sure the Apollo is launched. ln the late Summer or early faLL of '72. RECOMMII\]DATION
I
d.c not suggest you bring this subject up but you should. be aware cf the implications should. Dr. Paine mention it. D
to assure D;'. Paine of your personal interest in and- suppo.r:t fcr: the Space Program in the long run. D.r. Paine uill ask vhen you propose to respond. to the Space fask No d-oubt you" r,vi}l wish
tr'orce Repo::t. P,ECOMME\TDATION
Your Space Message is read.y to be released.. I recommend- you teLl Dr. Paine that jt is cLlr:rently
being sched"uled. lvith other Messages and" ycu expect i+;s release within the next couple of veeks.
Reproduced at the Richard Nixon presidential Libran,
TH
E WH ITE HOUSE WASHING'I'ON
-J-
C.
to express tc Dr. Paine your conviction that the inte::national trips of the astronau.ts have been a ilipiomatic success. However, with most cf our foreign oppcrtunities gone: ycu may vish to oui;Iine your program fcr: a small cities tour for the ApoIIo IJ astronau-ts, lvhich prcgram I h.ave aLread"y You may r,rish
passed. on
to
NASA.