SENATOR LLOYD BENTSEN'S (D., TEXAS) REACTION TO PHILIP AGEE'S LATEST ENDEAVOR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81M00980R000600310060-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 29, 2006
• Sequence Number: 60
• Publication Date: August 8, 1978
• Content Type: MFR

Approved For Release 2006/1.1/30: CIA-RDP81.M00980R000600310060-6
25X1
OLC 78-2967
8 August 1978
M JORPNEW1 FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: Senator Lloyd Bentsen's (D., Texas) Reaction to Philip Agee's
Latest Endeavor
1. On Friday, 4 August, the undersigned received a call from
Liaision staff, Office of Legislative Counsel. said that he had
just received a call f om Steven Ward, Senator ens n s Foreign Affairs
Assistant who called o express an interest on the part of Senator
Bentsen in developing a legislative remedy to the latest endeavors by former
25X1 CIA employee, Philip Agee (see Washington Post 3 August 1978 article at Tab A)
2. According tol Senator Bentsen is interested in sponsoring
legislation aimed at criminalizing the unauthorized disclosure of identities of
CIA employees and agents (see Washington Post item at Tab B). I so
said that Mr. Ward queried whether any laws presently on the books have been
5X1 or would be broken by such disclosures.
3. I told that S. 2525, the intelligence charter 1 c"slation
contained a provision on point, e.g., paragraph 431(c)(1). I told
that we would contact Mr. Ward directly to discuss the matter. Before we ha.a chance to get to Mr. Ward on the phone, I Icalled back to say that
Mr. Hitz would be seeing Senator Bentsen today and would be discussing the
matter. It was decided to 'wait for the outcome of that meeting before con-
tacting Mr. Ward.
4. Other attachments include at Tab C, Senator Bentsen's statement with
regard to Agee endeavor and at Tab D a copy of Senator Bentsen's bill that
represents an effort to develop a legislative response to the problem. At
Tab E is the provision in S. 2525, the intelligence charter legislation,
directly on point.
Distribution:
1 - OGC
1 - FPH
I - LLM
1 -RJK
OLC:RJW:sm(8 August 78)
Assistant Legislative Counsel
Annrn\varl Fnr RAIaaca 2nnF/11/'In ? ('IA-RnPR1Mnn9RnPnnn,6n'i1nnrn-F