ORGANIZATION UNDER PRM-29

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91M00696R000100030016-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 3, 2004
• Sequence Number: 16
• Publication Date: June 9, 1977
• Content Type: MFR

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OGC 77-3700
9 June 1977
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
Associate General Counsel
SUBJECT : Organization under PRM-29
1. The first meeting of the PRM-29 group was held yesterday in the
Executive Office Building chaired by Rick Neustadt of the Domestic Council
Staff and Bob Gates of the National Security Council Staff. At Tab A is a
list of attendees with addresses and telephone numbers.
2. Mr. Neustadt opened, by way of background, that the President
is quite committed to this effort. It is intended as one of his actions to carry
out his campaign promise of openness in government.
3. Bob Gates then took over and outlined his plans. The plans are that
there will be two working groups, each of which would study issues and pro-
blems which PRM-29 and Executive Order 11652 present. At Tab B is his
paper outlining the two charters for the two groups. Note my penciled comment
on,page two transfering that item from the Implementation and Review working
group to the Classification and Declassification working group. Bob Gates
asked Art Van Cook of Defense to chair the latter group and of ICRC STAT
to chair the former. Each agency is to be represented on bot
4. Attached at Tab C is a proposed work schedule also distributed
by Bob Gates. The work schedule indicates that yesterday's ad hoc
committee would not meet again until 13 July, the working groups in the
meantime would be developing the options/issues/recommendations papers
based on their charter assignments. This schedule was changed and the
ad hoc committee is now to meet tomorrow primarily for the purpose of having
the two working groups chairmen outline their plans and programs.
5. Mr. Gates made particular point of the fact that he and Neustadt have
been in touch with staff members of the Senate Intelligence Committee and
they propose to contact also Jim Davidson, Irene Margolis, and Tim Ingram,
who are also staffers on the Hill with background and responsibilities in
these areas. They had done this by way of inviting the participation of
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significant Hill people and Gates urged that the working groups do the
same.
6. It was noted that the PRM is unclassified and it seemed probable
that most, if not all, documents produced in the course of the study would
be also. It was urged, however, that all concerned be discreet, the point
being to avoid over publication. It was suggested in this connection that in
the event of press inquiries, the inquirer be referred to Jerrold Schecter
of the White House Press Staff.
7. Gates referred to the report of the Attorney General's committee
under PRM-11, insofar as it applies in this area, and noted that a number
of issues were referred by that PRM group to the PRM-29 group.
8. He noted also that there are perhaps four major controversial issues:
(a) the intelligence community has abused the exemption
authority, in effect they classify so much as to exempt themselves
from the Order;
(b) the value, cost, etc. of compartmentation systems;
(c) there has been over classification and over exemption; and
(d) the relationship of classification problems and requirements
to sources and methods information and cryptographic information.
9. I am asking Ito be the CIA representative on the L_
subcommittee an our representative on the Art Van Cook
STAT
subcommittee. We will need to communicate with various components and
officials of the Agency on these subheadings as work develops and, in view
of the tight schedule outlined, there will not be time for formal coordination
throughout the Agency and at. varying levels on all points. What we will
attempt to do is get to the Agency people who have expertise and interests,
insofar as we know them, so that we can participate in the work of these
committees on that basis. It may be that we will take a position or make con-
tributions at the subcommittee or at the ad hoc committee level which the
Agency at a higher level may want to reject. I am sure the other agencies
participating will have to do this also.
10. I think we will have to work closely withi lso and
to some degree the IC and CIA memberships will merge and overlap.
STAT
STAT
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PRM 29 WORKING GROUP ASSIGNMENTS
Classification and Declassification Working_ Group
E.O. 11652
Section 1: Security Classification Categories
Section 2: Authority to Classify
Section 3: Authority to Downgrade and. Declassify
Section 4: Classification
Section 5: Declassification and Downgrading
Section 8: Material Covered by the Atomic Energy Act
Section 9: Special Departmental Arrangements
Section 10: Exceptional Cases
Section 11: Declassification of Presidential Papers
Section 12: Historical Research and Access by Former Govern-
ment Officials
PRM 29
-- How to promote increased public access to this information
through a more rapid and systematic declassification program;
-- Overlaps between the new Executive Order and the Freedom
of Information Act as amended and the Privacy Act;
-- Which information requires protection and for how long and
what criteria should be used mi making this judgment;
-- Which categories of classified material more than 20 years
old could be declassified in bulk under appropriate guidelines;
-- How the classification system can be simplified to make it
more understandable and easier to implement.
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Implementation and Review Working Group'-
E.O. 11652
Section 6: Policy Directives on Access, Marking, Safekeeping,
Accountability, Transmission, Disposition and
Destruction of Classified Information and Material
Section 7: Implementation and Review Responsibilities
Section 13: Administrative and Judicial Action
PRM 29
-- How unnecessary and duplicative practices and procedures can
be eliminated, reducing expenses;
-- Whether the Departments and Agencies should prepare classifi-
cation and declassification guidelines for their employees;
-- What kinds of disciplinary actions can be taken to prevent the
misuse of the security classification system by government
officials;
-- How best to implement the provisions of the new E. O.
-- Examine the role and effectiveness of the Interagency Classi-
fication Review Committee.
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PROPOSED WORK SCHEDULE
June 8 Initial meeting of ad hoc committee; organization
-June 9 Working Groups begin, work; organization
July 6 Working Group options/issues/ recommendations papers
due to NSC
July 8 Consolidated drafts to be sent to all agencies by NSC
July 13-15 Ad Hoc Committee meets to decide preferred options
to be recommended to principals; narrow and identify
issues for decision by principals
End of July SCC meeting on new classification system.recommended
by Ad Hoc Committee
August 15, Circulation to agencies of draft Executive Order
August 25 Final Agency comments due to NSC
September 1 Proposed Executive Order to the President
September 15- Preparation of implementing directive (if decided this is
November 1 the appropriate implementing instrument)
January 1 Effective date for Executive Order and implementing
directive
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jNCLASSIF)D C IDENTIAL SECRET
OFFICIAL ROUTING SLIP
TO
NAME AND ADDRESS
DATE
INITIALS
1
D DCI NIO
2
7E62
3
4
5
6
ACTION
DIRECT REPLY
PREPARE REPLY
APPROVAL
DISPATCH
RECOMMENDATION
COMMENT
FILE
RETURN
CONCURRENCE
INFORMATION
SIGNATURE
Remarks :
Attached is a copy of a National Security
Council memorandum launching a study
called for by the recently signed PRM-29.
Some addees did not receive this when it
was received by the Agency.
Also attached for some addees is a copy
of my memorandum of 6 June concerning
the same study.
FOLD HERE TO RETURN TO SENDER
FROM: NAME. ADDRESS AND PHONE NO.
DATE
6/8/77
I D I
0030016-6
FOIM N0. 9.17 Use previous editions IUSGPO: 1976 - 202.953