HOME-TO-WORK TRANSPORTATION BILL (H.R. 3614): MEETING WITH NATIONAL SECURITY SUBCOMMITTEE STAFF OF HOUSE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90B01390R000300420049-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 21, 2010
• Sequence Number: 49
• Publication Date: January 13, 1986
• Content Type: MEMO

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OLL 86-0157
13 January 1986
SUBJECT: Home-to-work Transportation Bill (H.R. 3614):
Meeting with National Security Subcommittee
Staff of House Government Operations Committee
1. At about 11:00 AM, a meeting commenced in a conference
room of the Legislation & National Security Subcommittee of the
House Government Operations Committee between CIA
representatives and Subcommittee personnel. Representing the
Agency were (ALD/OGC) and me
OLL); for the Subcommittee were Richard Barnes, Staff Director
and Cynthia Meadow, Counsel to the Subcommittee, both had top
secret clearances.
?2. After introduction of the parties, I opened the meeting
with a brief statement on the GAO investigative report
concerning the abuse of home-to-work transportation by federal
officials. Specifically, the GAO found that more than 60% of
the persons using government vehicles for home-to-work
transportation were doing so unlawfully. Accordingly, the
Subcommittee's interest in the matter was well founded, and
indeed legislation may be required to correct the problem.
However, the CIA was not cited for any abuses, therefore we
were not quite sure as to why we were included in the bill.
3. Counsel, Cynthia Meadow re onded by observing that the
Administration supports the bill. hastened to point
out that the bill reported by the Committee was substantially
different from the one sent to Congress by OMB. For example,
the reported bill contained a provision striking section 8 of
the CIA Act--dealing with automotive transportation--was not in
the Administration/OPMB bill. Ms. Meadow said that the
Committee had "massaged" the bill a little. Next,
noted that the bill was so broadly drafted that a report to
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Congress would be required where, for example, the Agency sent
out a special vehicle to the home of a any key employee to take
him to work because the roads were snow bound. Every such
instance would have to be reported, including justification.
4. I Igot Barnes and Meadow to admit that: (1)
that the CIA was never cited for abuses in home-to-work
transportation, (2) that the bill was broadly drafted and its
reporting provisions were red tape driven, (3) that the
Committee had made significant changes compared to the
submission made by OMB, and (4) that they did not fully
understand the impact of striking the automotive provision in
section 8 of the CIA Act.
7. Since 1976, the Intelligence Committees of both the
House and Senate have regularly scrutinized the CIA budget.
Before that time such scrutiny was carried on by other
Committees. No abuses to which H.R. 3416 is directed have been
found.
8. Our appeal to the Committee staffers was then directed
to the need to maintain the status quo respecting a vehicle for
the DDCI. As the bill now read the DCI that has
unrestricted use of a vehicle. stressed the fact
that the DCI is the head of the intelligence community, and
that in his absence these considerable responsibilities fall
upon the DDCI's shoulders. In this a capacity alone, the DDCI
would merit unrestricted home-to-work transportation.
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10 Both Meadow and Barnes became sympathetic to our needs
but stated that the decision to remove CIA references in the
bill would be up to Chairman Brooks. Six other agencies had
appealed to the Chairman and he had refused all requests.
Barnes said that he would present our request favorably with
the Chairman, nevertheless. The staff director also suggested
that we contact the Senate Government Affairs Committee for
assistance because the Senate had not acted on a bill.
11. In discussing the method of solving this problem from
a statutory approach, all agreed it was better to remove all
references to the CIA, rather than use the cumbersome process
of providing a specialized provision to meet each of our needs.
12. At the end of the meeting Staff Director Barnes
confessed that at that moment Chairman Brooks was on the floor
of the House attempting to attach H.R. 3416 to any bill from
the Senate. Barnes urged us to contact the Government Affairs
Committee in the Senate to alert them to our problems. I
contacted Senate staff immediately and related our concerns.
Fortunately, the only remaining legislation was the budget
reconciliation bill, which was not open to amendments.
However, this does demonstrate that Chairman Brooks is
committed to this bill and will make it a high priority matter
for the second session.
13. As a protective measure I am arranging a briefing of
appropriate Senate staff.
DC/d.D OLL
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Distribution:
Original - Leg/Sub - Misc. Pers.
1 - D/OLL
1 - DD/OLL
1 C/PPS/DO (Mr. Gries)
1 -
1 - OLL Chrono (Ref #85-3571)
IPM Signer
LEG/OLIN (13 Jan 1986)
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