LETTER TO HONORABLE MELVIN PRICE, CHAIRMAN FROM STANSFIELD TURNER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80S01268A000200020003-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 11, 2006
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: November 23, 1977
• Content Type: LETTER

OLC 77-1521/b'
Approved'For Releasek(MftfentdalAnWS01268A000200020003-7
Washington. D. C. 20505
'd Ci'J 1977
Honorable Melvin Price, Chairman
Committee on Armed Services
House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Mr. Chairman:
This is in response to your letter of 14 April 1977 requesting
the views and recommendations of this Agency on H.R. 6234, a bill to
amend the National Security Act of 1947, as amended, to provide
criminal penalties for the unauthorized disclosure of intelligence
sources and methods.
As I indicated during my confirmation hearings before the Senate
Select Committee on Intelligence on 22 February 1977, and on occasions
since then, action must be taken to protect against the unauthorized
disclosure of information related to intelligence sources and methods.
It is essential to avoid continued serious damage to the Government's
foreign intelligence program. However, the sure and certain penalties,
such as those embodied in this legislation would be, in my view, only
one alternative method to protect the Government against those indi-
viduals who would breach their relationship of trust with the Government
by disclosing sensitive information related to intelligence sources
and methods. Other solutions might include:
Reducing the total amount of classified
material we have. In many ways, the
proliferation of material has caused
personnel to take high levels of classi-
fication for granted and become careless
in the procedures.
Restricting to a bare minimum access to
the highest levels of sensitive information
Developing a range of administrative and/or
civil sanctions to apply in cases of
unauthorized disclosure.
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All of these options relating to protection of intelligence
sources and methods, including possible legislation, are presently
under consideration in the Executive branch by a group under the
direction of the Attorney General. Concurrently, the Senate
Select Committee on Intelligence is studying legislation on this
subject. I will welcome the opportunity to meet with you at the
appropriate time in this process after recommendations have been
developed. Until that time, however, although I fully support
the objective reflected in this legislation, I would defer stating
this Agency's position on N.R. 6234.
The Office of Management and Budget has advised there is no
objection to the submission of this report from the standpoint of
the Administration's program.
Yours s i ncerel y_., Z// / -
STANSFIEEU TURNER
Distribution:
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 CI LE E. BENNETT,
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S JtMUEL.S. STRATTON, N.v. F"App _,_,_
WILLIAM L
DICKINS
RICHARD H. (CHORD, MO.
LUCIEN N. NEDZI, MICH.
CHARLES H. WILSON, CALIF.
ROBERT L. LEGGETT, CALIF.
RICHARD C. WHITE, TEX.
BILL NICHOLS, ALA.
JACK BRINKLEY, GA.
ROBERT H. (BOB) MOLLOHAN, W. VA.
DAN DANIEL, VA.
G. V. (SONNY) MONTGOMERY, MISS.
HAROLD RUNNELS, N. MEX.
LES ASPIN, WIS.
RONALD V. DELLUMS, CALIF.
MENDEL J. DAVIS, S.C.
PATRICIA SCHROEDER, COLO.
ABRAHAM KAZEN, JR., TEX,
ANTONIO B. WON PAT, GUAM
BOB CARR, MICH.
JIM LLOYD, CALIF.
LARRY MC DONALD, GA.
THOMAS J. DOWNEY, N.Y.
GOODLOE E. BYRON, MD.
CHARLES WHITLEY, N.C.
RICHARD A. TONRY, LA.
a 0ington, O.C. 20515
April 14, 1977
Honorable Stansfield Turner
Director
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, D. C. 20505
DONALD J. MITCHELL, N.Y.
MARJORIE S. HOLT, MD.
ROBERT W. DANIEL, JR., VA.
ELWOOD H. (BUD) HILLIS, IND.
DAVID F. EMERY, MAINE
PAUL S. TRIBLE, JR., VA.
ROBERT E. BADHAM, CALIF.
OLC #77- rj.~/RI
Dear Mr. Turner:
The views and recommendations of the Central Intelligence
Agency are requested on H.R. 6234, copies of which are enclosed.
Melvin Price
Chairman
MP: i k
Enclosures
LL' /c 30
.
ON, ALA.
G. WILLIAM WHITEHURST. VA.
FLOYD D. SPENCE, S.C.
DAVID C. TREEN, LA.
W.O. 3)ou .e of .e rt tntatibt ROBIN L. BEARD, TENN.
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