ON AIDING AND RESPONDING TO CONGRESSIONAL REQUESTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82M00345R000700010064-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 21, 2005
• Sequence Number: 64
• Publication Date: April 26, 1977
• Content Type: FORM

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On Aiding and Responding to Congressional ~cc~uests
1977
THW and I recently debated the range and appropriate limits of
our assistance :znd responsiveness to Congressmen and their in-
quiries.
My instinct is to do and provide those thin,;s which are uniquely
CIAts to do and provide, but not to try to duplicate or do what
other government agencies or non-government agencies do. ~^/hen
an inquiry concerns something in the ambit of interest of the
State or Treasurey Departments, for example, I think we ~hou1_d
c~irec~, ~;he Corlgres~ional interest to them. If it is a Commerce
publication that gives the answer, we should not supply it, but
should suggest that the Congressman get it from Commerce, If
Congressional Research Service has the information or publication
we should not provide what it can provide. If it is a CIA
publication, we can ~ ovide it; bat we can also direct the Conk--
gressman to the Congressional Research Service if the publication
is in the DOCEX system -- it still carries the CIA imprimatuP.
TH{~V urges that, we be ST
as helpful as possible. T agree t at we olz a ways e help-
ful, but not to do the work that other agenciesshould do.
This will always be a matter of judgment, clearly but I think
we become busy enough in fulfilling requests for ~IA-generated
material and information;-~ hunting for in:Formation which comes
from other government agencies as a reflection of their functions
and responsibi~it~es seems unnecessary for us and unfair to them.
I think we sh ould make and base our reputation for service on
the efficient provision of CIA information, not of all infor-
mation.
Approved For Release 2005/12/05: CIA-RDP82M00345R000700010064-8