BRIEFINGS FOR HPSCI AND SSCI STAFF ON 25-YEAR DECLASSIFICATION REVIEW PROGRAM UNDER EXECUTIVE ORDER 12958

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06815943
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: March 8, 2023
• Document Release Date: August 29, 2019
• Case Number: F-2015-00354
• Publication Date: October 10, 1995

Approved for Release: 2019/08/28 C06815943
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OCA 95-2504
10 October 1995
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: Briefings for HPSCI and SSCI Staff on 25-Year
Declassification Review Program Under
Executive Order 12958
1. CIA representatives Rich Warshaw (C/RDP/OIT),
and and
I briefed HPSCI staffers Mark Lowenthal, Louis Dupart,
Susan Oulette, Chris Barton, Mike Sheehy, and Chris Healey
on 11 September 1995, and SSCI staffers Suzanne Spaulding,
Pat Hanback, Mark Heilbrun, Ed Levine, Don Mitchell, and
Mary Sturtevant on 21 September 1995, regarding plans to
implement Executive Order 12958's 25-year declassification
review program. EXDIR/ICA Keith Hall briefly addressed the
HPSCI staffers on the DCI's support for the program and his
desire to release as much historically significant material
as possible. Rich's briefing charts are attached.
2. The HPSCI briefing was difficult. Louis and Mark
were critical of the White House for imposing the 25-year
review requirement on agencies without indicating how it was
to be funded. Louis said that Chairman Combest is adamant
that the FY 1996 program be capped at per
agency until they have some cost experience with which to
make reprogramming decisions. He also chided agencies for
not having identified candidates for reprogramming.
Finally, he was particularly concerned that some agencies,
like NSA, had changed their cost estimates of the 25-year
program over time. Fortunately, CIA's estimates have
remained constant at over the five-year life of
the program. Louis asked the NSA representatives present to
provide him with more definitive cost estimates. Rich
stressed that the cap seriously underfunded the program such
that it would be very difficult to complete the required
review in the five-year period allocated by the Executive
Order. If the Order is not modified, any unreviewed
material 25 years old or older is automatically
declassified, thus potentially jeopardizing intelligence
sources and methods. Following the briefing, Chris Healey
said that any relief on the cap would have to come from the
SSCI.
3. The SSCI briefing went considerably better. Far
from wanting to curtail the program, the staffers supported
CIA's efforts and suggested creative ways to address the
HPSCI cap in conference. Mary suggested raising the cap to
0.5 percent of an agency's budget on the ground that it
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Approved for Release: 2019/08/28 C06815943
Approved for Release: 2019/08/28 C06815943
SUBJECT: Briefings for HPSCI and SSCI Staff on 25-Year
Declassification Review Program Under
Executive Order 12958
would be difficult to argue against such a small amount
being spent for potentially worthwhile gains in information
released. She also proposed that agencies identify their
reprogramming candidates prior to conference so that the
committees could act on them in the context of the
authorization bill. While agreeing with the 0.5 percent
cap, the Comptroller later decided not to identify
reprogramming candidates prior to conference for fear of
losing budgetary control over those programs. She and Mary
agreed that the SSCI would push for conference language
supporting early reprogramming consideration.
Legislation Group
Office of Congressional Affairs
Attachment
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Approved for Release: 2019/08/28 C06815943
Approved for Release: 2019/08/28 C06815943
SUBJECT: Briefings for HPSCI and SSCI Staff on 25-Year
Declassification Review Program Under-
Executive Order 12958
DCl/OCA/LEG/
/DECLASS6.DOC
ac/37909 (10 October 95) OCA 95-2504
Distribution:
Original - OCA Record
1 - D/OCA
1 - LEG Subjectv
1 - Signer
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Approved for Release: 2019/08/28 C06815943