LETTER TO HONORABLE WALER MONDALE FROM STANSFIELD TURNER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81M00980R002300060054-2
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 27, 2006
• Sequence Number: 54
• Publication Date: July 21, 1978
• Content Type: LETTER

Honorable Walter Mondale
President of the Senate
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
OLC 78-1944/a
2,1 Jul_ li);j {
Dear Mr. President:
In view of my statutory responsibility to protect intelligence sources
and methods, I became greatly concerned by the proliferation of highly
sensitive intelligence collected and maintained within systems of
compartme.ntation. I initiated a review within the Executive Branch to
reassess the justification for existing clearances and to limit issuing
future clearances based on the strictest application of need-to-know.
This same concern extends to the Legislative Branch. As you know,
staff personnel of our Congressional oversight committees have been granted
access to highly sensitive compartmented intelligence information. However,
due to the broadening of interest in foreign intelligence within the Congress,
access has been extended to staffs of other committees. It is imperative
that a review, similar to that underway within the Executive Branch, be
undertaken within the Legislative Branch to assure that current and future
access to highly sensitive intelligence information is clearly justifiable.
Accordingly, I have designated my Legislative Counsel to serve as the
focal point to reviev= alLf,requests for such access for Congressional
staff personnel. His office will contact the chairmen and staff. directors
of those committees concerned to assess the justification of existing
clearances and to establish agreed upon guidelines to assess critically
the need-to--know for future clearances. I do not intend in any way to
impede or impair the work of any committee which requires access to
sensitive intelligence. It is my concern, however, that the need--to-know
be shown to be clearly warranted. In this regard, experience has shown
that most congressional requirements for substantive intelligence can
be satisfied without access to highly sensitive sources and methods
information .
'%N/here there is a clearly justifiable need, Members of Congress are
given access to sensitive intelligence information. Personal staff of
P embers, however, have been denied such access and I have reaffirmed
this policy. The only exception, which I am initiating at this t-i;me, is to
grant selected key staff members serving in the offices of the Leadership
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of the Congress access since their principals receive sensitive intelligence
on a regular basis and require staff assistance. This will include
designated personal staff members from the staffs of your offices,
the President Pro-Tempore of the Senate, and Majority and Minority
Leaders of both the Senate and the House. My Legislative Counsel
will be contacting your offices to determine which staff personnel you
have designated for such access. I recently received a letter signed
jointly by Senate Majority Leader Robert Byrd and Senate Minority
Leader Howard Baker submitting a request for staff access which will
be honored and handled directly with their offices.
It is my firm belief that these procedures will not interfere with
the proper flow of intelligence to the Congress, but will serve to enhance
the protection of highly sensitive intelligence sources and methods by
limiting access to an absolute need-to-know. I would welcome your
support to facilitate acceptance of these procedures by committee
chairmen in any way that you deem appropriate.
Yours sincerely,
p 1ff
STANSFIELD TURNER
Distribution:
Orig - Addressee
1 - DCI
1 - DDCI
E R
1 - D/OS
1 - Executive Secretary,
Security Committee
1 - OLC Subject
1 - OLC Chron
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