CONGRESSIONAL ACTIONS RELATING TO A JOINT COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP71B00364R000600070036-6
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 24, 2005
• Sequence Number: 36
• Content Type: SUMMARY

Approved For Release 2005/06/29 : CIA-RDP71 B00364R000600070036-6
Congressional Action Relating to a Joint Coemi ttee on
Foreign Intelligence
ql. M W. ^
1. The Senate Rules Committee reported favorably on gate Cot
Res. 2, proposing a Joint Committee,, with Senator Hayden filing a ' -rarity
view. The Committee report is Attachment No. 1. There yes considw --1 )le
debate on the Senate floor, Attachment No. 2, concerning the rasolut 1.- n
and ultimately it van defeated by a roll call, vote of 59 to 27. Al= i
the resolution hoed 35 co-sponsors, on the final vote ton of the ao.r rnaore
voted agalnot the creation of the Joint Committee. It is to be noel that
Senator i afield did not introduce similar meas urso in either the I .h or
the 86th Congress.
2. In the 85th Congress, 22 measures vere introduced (one in ti
Senate and 21 in the Rouse of Representatives) similar to Senate Cot. Res. 2
of the 8th Congaress. However,, none of thole measures was reported =i .tt of
Committee and, consequently, no floor debate was held. A listing o- these
line indicating the sponsors thereof is attached as Attachment 1k09 3.
3. In the 86th Congress, 21 measures were introduced similar z
Senate Con. Res. 2 of the 84th Congress, one in the Senate and 20 iT the
Rouse of Representatives. A listing in at'tadhed as Attachment No. L
Rarly in the first session of the 86th Congress, pressure
developed on the Rouse Rules Committee to report out favorably a
for a Joint Committee on Intelligence. Rventuslly a CIA. Subcc itte j of
House Armed Services was reconstituted. It was stated to be the pw are of
the subcommittee that it would undertake a detailed and thorough rep i.wv
of the Agency, This new subcommittee was put under the chairm$nshii )f
Paul Z. M day.
5. There was no formal action taken in the first session of tl 66th
Congress on any of the measures for a Joint Committee. However, In ;Le
second session, It was reported in the press on X ay 13, 1960 that ti .-i
Rouse Rules Committee had considered action on the numerous resolut ais
pending before it for a Joint CoeRttteee on Utelligence but deci led : -) take
no action "because the time to consider thams seemed impropitious. "
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 Approved For Release 2005/06/29 : CIA-RDP71 B00364R000600070036-6
There has been a marked increase over the years in the numbs= of
oneisraxwes that Agency representatives have made before congressiana
eowittees e The significant turning point arrears to ham been the a Eent
of Soutnik I in November 1957. In prior years, Agency *ppearance== be:,
run 8-10 per yew and for the Last three years, the number of aWearw_ces
are as indicated below:
1958 21.
1959 28
1960 18
The specific committees before which Agency representatives appes ed axing
these three years is attached as Attachment No. 5.
CIA
ere bee been little occasion for the Central. Zntelligenoe ..geen `#
to seek amendments to the iiatioual Security Act of 1947 to ch estebli t ed
and the enabling set, P. L. 120 of log. On several oeca -Ions
action vas requested through the Armed Services committee,
mating statutory provision for the position of Wit, Di - t-ctcr
e1ligenee and authorising the President to anoint the
rector from among the coaaissioned officers of the armed ear -tees.
a number of occasions legislation of Oovert nt vide applicabi-7.ity
has been ;guessed with the Agency making specific r ee utatLon ,--
reaspee t to its needs to the a pproprintee a tte rues. On other occtaeio *
legislative needs of the Agency have been net through proposed 1e,isl:t ion
handled in eowittees other than Armed Services l for a le, aenerdme = I r
to the Atonic Energy Act of 1954 to permit agencies other than AEC to
trait restricted data to foreign o as. 3h this tae, of tour: >e ,
the legislation vas referred to the Joint Committee on Atomic Ener,
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