S.2308, A BILL TO AUTHORIZE AND DIRECT THE INVESTIGAITON BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR CERTAIN OFFENSES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-04718A001000250052-8
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 22, 2002
• Sequence Number: 52
• Publication Date: February 4, 1954
• Content Type: MFR

"66 For-Re
IA-RDP78-04718A001000250052-8
Coolatsifle
ChM Mewl To:
Autba H 73-2 21
Nov
titra
2306 A Bill to Auth
by the Attorney General
4 February 1'2/54
rect the Xnvetigat ion
Offenses
Jefferson D. Burma, Bureau of the Budget, notified
Pfortheimer that S. 2308 was on the calendar of the Judiciary
Committee of the Senate. We expressed interest in the Bill and
reservations as to its present wording, and Mr. Burrus invited us
to be present at an informal meeting with the Judiciary staff
to discuss the Bill. Mr. Collins, a Clerk of the Senate judiciary
Committee, called the meeting at 2 p.m. on 3 February. Present
were Mr. Burma, Bureau of the Budget; Mr. CarIock, representing
Treasury; Mr. Stevens, Chief Inspector of the Post Office;
Mr. Doyle Post Office Solicitor; Mr. Pforsheimer Mr. Houston.
Collins expressed the views of uenator Williams, who
L s the sponsor of this Bill, saying the Senator did not want to
disturb existing practices but did want justice to be able to step
into any matter in any agency and to be able to get any information
it desired from any agency. Mr. Collins informed us that the
Committee Chairman, Mr. Langer, intended to proceed with this Bill
and that be, Collins, would have no basis for recommending that
it be held Iv for further discussion. He knew that there were
6erious reservations about the Bill and said he was holding the
meeting so that those who had such reservations could plan to get
them before the Committee. I pointed out that we did not in any
vay contest the jurisdiction of the Department of justice in
investigating criminal offenses and that we were specifically
prohibited from anything in the nature of police or internal-security
functions. I stated, however, that the Director's responsibility
for protection of intelligence sources and methods raised certain practical
problems Which the proposed legislation if strictly construed would
make very serious. 1 outlined some of the problems, stressing
operational security and our present relations with the Department
of Justice. All agreed that no one intended to impair our operational
ecurity and the proposed Bill would pose a definite problem in that
respect,
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Approved For Release 2002/03/28 : CIA-RDP78-04718A001000250052-8
3. After discussion of various solutions* it was agreed that
mr. Burrus would notify other agencies concerned and that we could
present him with a statement of objections and proposed redraft8.
On 4 February Mr. Fforzheimer spoke to Mr. Burma, saying we had
a atatement and some amended language ready, and Mr. Burrus indicated
that be was in no position to conduct a coordination for the
Executive Branch on this legislation. Mr. Pforzheimer thereupon
called Mr. Roger Jones, Bureau of the Budget, who expressed serious
concern over the way this Bill had been handled and said be would
look into the matter immediately. He advised us to take no further
action until he bad sounded out other agencies concerned and bad
made a plan for coordination.
LAWRENCE R. HOUSTON
General Counsel
Approved For Release 2002/03/28 : CIA-RDP78-04718A001000250052-8