June 10, 1983
First, I want to take this occasion to again thank Members of both parties in the Congress for
their support of the Scowcroft commission's recommendations on modernization, deterrence, and
arms control. Their support for these crucial, interdependent recommendations gives us a genuine
chance to achieve balanced, verifiable arms reductions -- the goal we all seek. I am determined to
achieve effective deterrence and significant strategic arms reductions, and I am confident that they
can be achieved. But if we are to secure our common objectives, the consensus we now have
must be maintained.
I look forward to working with the Congress in the days ahead to maintain and strengthen this
bipartisan consensus. In this regard, I will submit an annual status report to the Congress. To
assist me in this effort, I am pleased to announce that I have asked the members of the Scowcroft
commission to continue to serve until January 3, 1984. The Commission will review, on a periodic
basis, the progress made in implementing the recommendations contained in its report of April
1983, with particular reference to the deployment of the Peacekeeper missile, development and
deployment of a small, single warhead intercontinental ballistic missile system, and developments
in strategic arms reductions. The Commission will consider carefully the views of the Congress
during the review. The value to the country of this bipartisan framework, both with the Congress
and through the Scowcroft commission, is evident to all. It must be and shall be sustained through
and beyond the work of the Commission. I pledge this to the Congress and ask their reciprocal
good faith.
In addition to consulting closely with the Members of Congress, I have directed Chairman
Scowcroft to seek out views and assistance from a wide variety of leading authorities in the
strategic and arms control field. As before, the Chairman has authority to appoint Senior
Counselors as he deems appropriate.
As we continue to move forward in this vital bipartisan effort, let us all keep in mind our
fundamental goal -- to conclude agreements that will enhance security and stability by reducing
overall strategic force levels, while permitting modernization of forces necessary for effective
deterrence.
Note: On the same day, the Office of the Press Secretary issued a list of individuals who agreed to
continue to serve on the Commission. They are Brent Scowcroft, former Assistant to the
President for National Security Affairs, to serve as Chairman; Nicholas Brady, former Senator
from New Jersey; William Clements, former Governor of Texas and Deputy Secretary of Defense;
Dr. John Deutch, dean of science at MIT and former Director of Research at the Department of
Energy; Alexander M. Haig, Jr., former Secretary of State and Supreme Allied Commander in
Europe; Richard Helms, former Director of Central Intelligence; John H. Lyons, vice president of
the AFL-CIO and chairman of the defense subcommittee of its executive council; William J.
Perry, former Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering; Vice Adm. Levering
Smith, former Director of Special Projects for the Navy; James Woolsey, former Under Secretary
of the Navy. Dr. Cyrus P. Knowles, Director of Offensive and Space Systems in the Office of the
Secretary of Defense, will serve as Executive Secretary of the Commission.