PROTECTION OF IDENTITIES LEGISLATION: S. 191

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85-00988R000500020003-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 11, 2003
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: March 8, 1979
• Content Type: MF

Approv*or Release 2003/04/01 : C14
OLC 79-0890
8 March 1979
STAT FROM
ie , Legislation Division/OLC
SUBJECT "Protection of Identities Legislation:
S. 191"
1. Senator Lloyd Bentsen (D., Texas) has introduced
subject legislation which has been referred to the Senate
Judiciary Committee. This legislation has as its stated
purpose the protection of the confidentiality of the identities
of certain CIA employees and would establish a criminal
penalty for the disclosure of such information.
2. Senator Bentsen has evidenced a genuine concern over
the problem of the unauthorized disclosure of the identities
of CIA personnel functioning under cover. In an effort to
come to grips with the problem -?- via remedial legislation --
in the 95th Congress he introduced S. 1578 which in many
respects is similar to his current bill. Unfortunately S.
1578 received little legislative attention in the last
Congress. Continuing efforts by individuals -- such as
Phillip Agee and his cohorts -- bent on destroying the Agency
via disclosure of its covert personnel through publication
have served to convince the Senator that remedial legislation
is needed more than ever. Reacting to a recent Washington
Star article by Cord Meyer concerning the disclosure of the
identity of our personnel in the U.S. Embassy in Tehran,
Senator Bentsen took it upon himself to write to the DCI
directly soliciting the DCI's views concerning the "serious-
ness of the problem and the need for remedial action." In
his letter the Senator states that he is "extremely concerned
about the dangers posed to the lives, effectiveness, and
morale of our intelligence officers by these inexcusable and
potentially deadly disclosures" and goes on to underscore his
firm belief that "Congress should fully appreciate the dangers
and the implications..." of these disclosures (Tab A). This
STAT'
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office has been in close contact with Senator Bentsen's
staff who have told us that the Senator is looking for
ammunition with which to arm himself so that he can request
the SSCI Subcommittee on Secrecy and Disclosure -- chaired
by Senator Joseph R. Biden (D., Del.) -- to hold hearings on
the problem in the very near future. The Legislative
Counsel, in conjunction with the DDO, is preparing a response
to the Senator's letter, one that will give him all the
support he needs.
3. In requesting that hearings be held on the problem of
unauthorized disclosure of identities, the Senator is hopeful
that his bill will begin to move through the legislative
process. We are sending the Senator's proposed legislation
for review and comment. We are providing at Tab B an analysis
of S. 191 which we hope will be helpful to you in the review
process. The Senator -- through his staff -- has expressed a
keen desire to get the ball rolling at soon as possible. We
have in turn indicated our support for his efforts. Accordingly,
STAT 23 March 1979. Please address your response to
on my staff.
Attachments
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Distribution:
STAT
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