LETTER TO EDWARD P. BOLAND FROM JIMMY CARTER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP97M00248R000400670006-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 1, 2008
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: June 30, 1978
• Content Type: LETTER

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Ul 4CIASSIfIED-
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Compt.::.
D/Pers
AO/DCI
_; C/IPSO--
- =::PD/NSC '19 relates to Electronics Surveillancf
Abroad, .: Phys cal_;Searches for ~ 'oreiiii ~i ix
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 ti
NATIONAL SECURITY CSUNCIL' Z y`7
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July 3, 1978
Admiral Turner,
I thought you should be aware
of the attached letter which
the President has sent to
Chairman Boland of the House
Permanent Select Committee on
Intelligence.
Attachment
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THE WHITE HOUSE
June 30, 1978
To Congressman Edward Boland
As you requested in your letter of June 14, I
have personally considered your request for PD/
NSC-19 and my memorandum to the Attorney General
dated February 3, 1977. My Legal Counsel and a
member of-the NSC Staff have also met with your
Staff Director, Chief Counsel, and Associate Counsel
to make sure we understand your views and that your
staff has the full benefit of our thinking on this
subject.
Let me first restate categorically my commitment
to provide the intelligence committees of Congress
the information they need to fulfill their over-
sight responsibilities. That is not at issue now
and will not be in the future.
At the same time, I am concerned about the precedent
that could be set by providing your committee with
actual retention copies of classified and sensitive
directives which I give to elements of the Executive
Branch.
While I certainly respect your right to know what I
have done in the intelligence area, I must have the
right to decide how such information should be con-
veyed to the Congress and :the American people. If
this were not the case, serious precedents would be
established. For instance, I could be compelled to
provide Congress with directives for sensitive
treaty negotiations even before they are conducted
and ready for ratification. Certairl_v this would
be incompatible with my Constitutional responsibili-
ties to conduct foreign policy.
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Fortunately these considerations need not be
a bar to your oversight responsibilities. The
NSC Staff has been and continues to be prepared
to make the documents in question available.for
the Committee's review either at the White House
or, if necessary, to take them up to the Hill for
your personal reading. We will also provide any
expert testimony you may desire. This is an
established practice in other areas and I hope
you will feel free to avail yourselves of this
opportunity.
Sincerely,
The Honorable
Edward P. Boland
House of Representatives
Washington, D. C. 20515
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