INTELLIGENCE BRIEFINGS OF CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82M00345R000700010077-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 21, 2005
• Sequence Number: 77
• Publication Date: March 12, 1977
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release 2005/12/05? -RDP82M00345R00070R00C0
CIFIDENTIA1 OLC 77-0931
12 March 1977
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence
SUBJECT: Intelligence Briefings of Congressional Committees
1. I expect to see Representative Thomas Foley (D. , Wash.),
who is Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture and Chairman
of the Democratic Caucus, early next week.
2. It is my intention to talk with him about the type of briefings
that you are going to give to the various committees on topics of
current interest to them. We have had a good relationship with
Representative Foley in recent years and have worked out arrangements
for br.'iertugs which would provide the Committee with useful information
but protect the sensitivity of some of the material involved. I also plan
to talk to Representative Foley (as I mentioned to you yesterday) about
the sub,joct of a joint or select committee on intelligence in the House.
He is in nit influential position as Chairman of the Democratic Caucus,
and I think we should :solicit his views and his support.
3. 1 had a preliminary discussion with Werner Brandt, Representative
Foley's Legislative Assistant. Mr. Brandt said he was sure that
Representative Foley would be willing to have his Committee used as
a pilot or sample project for this approach. Mr. Brandt made several
observations which I think are of interest:
a. He thinks the Committee would be interested in anything
we can provide on the subject of Chinese crop forecasting and
information on former areas of the world which have experienced
food shortages and which now have food surpluses.
b. He is concerned as to how, procedurally, this information
can be imparted to the Committee or to its Subcommittee in such
a way as to protect the sensitivity of our information where
necessary. He is edgy about the effects of House Rule XI and
also the increasing involvement of members' personal staff aides
in the affairs of Congressional committees. He said it is almost
impossible to impose any discipline from above.
c. He suggests informal sessions in the Chairman's office
with members, in whom the Chairman has confidence, over coffee
or a drink or visits to the Agency where these discussions could
take place in a similar informal environment.
C
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4. I told Mr. Brandt to think about this between now and the
time I meet with Representative Foley, so that we could get together
on a suitable forum for these sessions. These comments are merely
one man's reactions, but I think they are significant since he and
Representative Foley have had some exposure to our briefings, have
confidence in our product, yet are concerned that our offer of
cooperation not create difficulties for us in terms of leaks. As
I believe we have mentioned, Representative Olin E. Teague
(D., Texas) of the Committee on Science and Technology, has
expressed similar concern about classified briefings over the
years and, therefore, has not scheduled formal committee sessions
for such briefings.
George uary-W
Legislative Counsel
Distribution:
Original- addressee
1 - DCI
1-DDCI
1-ER
I - OLC Subject
oX- OLC Chrono
OLC:GLC; sf (12 March 1977)
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