SPEECH OF REPRESENTATIVE LESLIE C. ARENDS, (RI11) RANKING MINORITY MEMBER OF THE HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE, ON THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE, CONCERNING THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY.

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000100150031-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 7, 2000
• Sequence Number: 31
• Publication Date: March 26, 1964
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2001/08/01 : Cl tV 01
FROM THE OFFICE OF:
L. C. ARENDS, M.C. (R.Ill. )
1201 N. H. O. B.
Washington, D.C.
March 261964 - Thursday
12 Noon
SPEECH OF REPRESENTATIVE LESLIE C. ARENDS, (R.Ill.)
RANKING MINORITY MEMBER OF THE HOUSE ARMED SERVICES
COMMITTEE, ON THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE, CONCERNING THE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY.
Mr. Speaker, one of the most important., agencies of our
Government, particularly during,this period of international
uncertainties and anxieties, is our Central Intelligence Agency,
The time has long since arrived when someone should take
cognizance of the baseless criticism that has been and continues
to be heaped upon it. That is my purpose here today, as a member
of the CIA Subcommittee of the Committee on Armed Services since
its establishment. I do not purport to speak as an authority on
all the functions and activities of the CIA. But I do presume to
speak with some factual knowledge about the CIA as an organization
and how it functions.
I do not mean to imply that the CIA should be above
criticism. No agency og government should be above criticism.
Constructive criticism makes for improvement, and there is always
room for improvement.
But much of the criticism directed at the CIA is not
constructive. It cannot possibly be, as it is not based on facts.
It is based on half-truths and distortions. Indeed, some of it
constitutes complete untruths, with no foundation whatever in fact
or in reason. This is what concerns me. Something_once said,
Approved For Release 2001/08/01: CIA-RDP75-00149R000100150031-4