LETTER TO HONORABLE JOHN C. STENNIS, CHAIRMAN FROM W. E. COLBY

Document Type:

CREST [1]

Collection:

General CIA Records [2]

Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST):

CIA-RDP76M00527R000700070001-6

Release Decision:

RIPPUB

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Document Creation Date:

December 9, 2016

Document Release Date:

August 24, 2001

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Case Number:

Content Type:

LETTER

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CIA-RDP76M00527R000700070001-6.pdf [3]	59.03 KB

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Approved For Release 2001/08/30 : CIA-RDP76M00527R000700070001-6 CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY WASHINGTON, D.C. 20505 Honorable John C. Stennis, Chairman Committee on Armed Services United States Senate Washington, D. C. 20510 Dear Mr. Chairman: This is in response to your request for our comments on S. Res. 404, establishing a Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Policy. The Select Committee would be empowered to examine intelligence operations and policies of the United States Government, determine the role of such activities in the decision-making process, and measure the impact of intelligence operations on national security and foreign policy. I have consistently taken the position that the manner in which congressional oversight is exercised over this Agency is a matter for Congress itself to determine. Consistent with this policy, I also prefer not to comment on the merits of establishing the proposed Select Committee. I am confident, however, that in effecting any change the Senate will take whatever steps are necessary to assure the protection of Intelligence Sources and Methods from unauthorized disclosure, consistent with the responsibility imposed upon me by the National Security Act of 1947 and the Central Intelligence Agency Act of 1949. It is noted that the proposed field of inquiry for the Senate Select Committee is almost identical to one of the major areas currently being studied by the Commission on the Organization of the Government for the Conduct of Foreign Policy, which was created by P. L. 92-352. The Commission's findings are to be reported to the Congress and to the President by June 30, 1975, which is also the deadline for an interim Approved For Release 2001/08/30 : CIA-RDP76M00527R000700070001-6 Approved For Release 2001/08/30 : CIA-RDP76M00527R000700070001-6 report by the proposed Select Committee. Senator James B. Pearson is vice-chairman of the Commission, and Senator Mike Mansfield and Representatives Clement J. Zablocki and Peter H. B. Frelinghuysen are members. The Office of Management and Budget advises there is no objection to the submission of this report from the standpoint of the Administration's program. Sincerely, Approved For Release 2001/08/30 : CIA-RDP76M00527R000700070001-6