Arlen Specter: “Senator Gramm had made the comment in his earlier presentation that every President since President Carter has had the…”

“Senator Gramm had made the comment in his earlier presentation that every President since President Carter has had the power to make personnel decisions on national security grounds. We have just had a discussion with some of the people from the personnel department. We have been cited to no authority as to the personnel decisions under chapter 43, chapter 51, chapter 53, chapter 75 and chapter 77. These are all provisions of the Gramm bill. The only exception for national security is one on labor relations--labor-management relations in chapter 71. The question I have for the manager of the bill, the distinguished Senator from Tennessee, is whether he knows of any provision, statutory provision or other provision, which will give the President the authority to make personnel decisions on national security grounds?”