LETTER TO HONORABLE HARLEY O. STRAGGERS FROM W.E. COLBY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP77M00144R000800170010-8
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 31, 2001
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: August 27, 1974
• Content Type: LETTER

Approved For Release 2001/08/25: CIA-RDP77M00144R0008q9L7(90jq-80808~a
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
WASHiNG','roNo D .C. 2.0505
Honorable Harley O. Staggers, Chairman
Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce
I-louse of Representatives
Washington, D. C.
20515
Letter submitted on
identical bill --
Dear Mr. Chairman:
93rd Congress
This is in reply to your request for our comments on H.R. 14135,
a bill "To establish a National Resource Information System., and for
other purposes.
It is not entirely clear whether information on both domestic
and foreign resources is to be subject to the proposed information system.
Resources are inherently international in character and since U. S.
resource availability or needs are affected by world supply and demand
and since the activities of foreign affiliates of U. S. firms must be reported,
foreign resources appear to be included. Clarifying language on the scoi5
of the bill would be helpful.
If the bill is to be limited to information on domestic resources,
we would have no substantive comment to offer since domestic matters are
not within our scope of authority. On the other hand, if foreign informal.bn
is to be included in the proposed National Resource, Information SyRtern,`this
Agency would be affected and we have the following comments to make:
a. Certain resources are not separable from the-
technology used in their extraction and are only recoverable
through sophisticated technological processes. An example
would be Uranium-235. If information on foreign natural
resource processing is to be included in the new information. !iUU
system, perhaps the authority and responsibility of the proposed;
Bureau of National Resource Information to collect and report
new foreign technological processes should be made clear.
b. In connection with information to be provided by this Agency, certain factors must be considered. The use 4 }
of foreign intelligence information car riess with it the burden of,. }
protecting the sensitive Intelligence Sources, and Methods utilize jl
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? I ~r~
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in its collection and analysis. Unless satisfactorily
protected, sources will dry up and methods may be
nullified, with resulting damage to our nation's security
interests. These considerations were recognized and
validated in the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U. S. C. 403),
which in part provides
"That the Director of Central Intelligence
shall be responsible for protecting
intelligence sources and methods from
unauthorized disclosure. 11
c. Of equal concern are the proposed grant of authority
to the Comptroller General to review claims that information
is entitled to be kept secret, and the proposed right of access
to agency files by the Director of the Bureau of National
Resource Information or his designees.
d. Section 208(f) of H. R. 14135 would require immediate
confirmation of any information which comes into the public
domain. This would force the confirmation of information
which is disclosed without authorization and could aggravate
the damage resulting from the initial disclosure. We would
urge that this section be struck from the bill.
e. It is noted that Section 209 of the bill establishes
criminal penalties for the unauthorized disclosure or theft
of national resource information by a Government employee
in the interest of deterring such conduct. I am proposing
similar legislation concerning Intelligence Sources and
Methods, which I believe are deserving of the same
protection.
Enclosed is a suggested amendment to the bill which would,
I believe, satisfactorily resolve the statutory conflict referred to above,
while preserving the intent and objectives of the legislation.
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The Office of Management and Budget advises there is no
objection to the submission of this report from the standpoint of the
Administration' a program.
Sincerely,
/s/ W. L.. Colby
W. E. Colby
Director
3
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Suggested Amendment to H. R. 14135
Add as new Section 704 to Title VII:
"INTELLIGENCE SOURCES AND METHODS
"Sec. 704. In the interests of the security of the foreign.
intelligence activities of the United States and in order further to
implement the proviso of section 102(d)(3) of the National Security
Act of 1947, as amended (50 U. S. C. 403(d)(3)), that the Director
of Central Intelligence shall be responsible for protecting
intelligence sources and methods from unauthorized disclosure,
nothing in this Act shall require the Central Intelligence Agency
to provide information when in the sole discretion of the Director
of Central Intelligence such provision would disclose information
relating to intelligence sources and methods which, in the judgment
of the Director of Central Intelligence, should not be disclosed."
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