LETTER TO ADMIRAL GEORGE W. ANDERSON, JR. FROM RICHARD HELMS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP74B00415R000500110047-0
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 21, 2000
• Sequence Number: 47
• Publication Date: April 26, 1972
• Content Type: LETTER

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Admiral George W. Anderson:, Jr.
Chairman
President's Foreign Intelligence
Advisory Board
Executive Office Building
Dear George:
" 41
You will recall that at the last meeting of the Board. we discussed
the Cooper bill (S. 2224) and the possibility you might wish to inform
the White House of your views as to its impact on intelligence. The
bill, you will remember, would impose a requirement on this Agency
to supply the Congress with intelligence information and analysis.
I aam attaching an analysis we have prepared of the provisions of the
bill. including comments on some of the serious problems its enactment
would pose, as well as the Administration's position on the bill, as
communicated to Chairman Fulbrigbt by the Department of State.
I also enclose a copy of the bill Itself.
Aside from the constitutional problems commented Upon in the
enclosures, our primary concerns involve;
(A) the possible "politicising" of intelligence analysis, and
(b) the protection of sensitive information.
There have been some indications that the bill's advocates may be
satisfied with lose than the most sensitive materials; but once the door
is opened with a statutory requirement, there is nothing to prevent an
escalation of demands and possible charges that the Agency is with-
holding information. It is difficult even under present circumstances
to maintain the security of our intelligence system. Any degradation
of our ability to protect information increases tho possibility that vital
sources of information will be irretrievably lost.
It is our opinion that Congress has not lacked the in
needs from CIA to fulfill its role in the formulation of foreign and
national security policy. As you know, we have consistently made
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ourselves available to a number of congressional committees to
provide them substantive intelligence briefings and to answer questions
that fall within their jurisdiction.
hope you will find this helpful.
Sincerely,
R(.6s ebn
Richard Helms
Enclosures (3)
IC:BT:dm (Drafted by LC)
Di str. ibution:
Original - Addressee
I - ExDir-Compt.
-LC
1-ER
I - IC/ subject
I- IC/chrono
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