Letter from Edward P. Boland to the President on Handling of Classified Material

ir iepiive bse: citsienute Approved ENT J; ZABLOCKI, WIS. For Release 2002/08/21 : ae | syle ess ip. BURLISON SMO. - 7 ik SEV Morusicux, U.S, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, ILE Copnnitee =es {bh ee E FOWLER, IR GA | - PERMANENT SELECT COMMI TTEE - M:ASHBROOK OMI al, MOECLORY. ILL, : _ ON INTELLIGENCE (LL-FS 9 | eee . VA. : WASHINGTON, D.C. 20515 Vso,r) ft/s tae Bas ye ms 4 AS KK. LATIMER, STAFF DIRECTOR , AEL, J. O'NEJL, CHIEF COUNSEL ye July 27, 1979 The President The White House Washington, D.c. 20500 Dear Mr. President: From the very first day that the House Permanent Select Committee.on Intelligence began operating, steps were taken.at . my direction and with the unanimous agreement of the Members to - work cooperatively with the Director of Central Intelligence and other responsible Executive Branch officials to ensure that all classified material coming into the Committee's possession would be handled in a secure fashion. To that end, the Committee established a Regist which ry ~~) ~ receives all classified material, controls access to that material while it is-in the Committee's possession and ensures. that the material is either destroyed in accordance with the DCI's standards or is returned to the originating office. This system had worked well and, I believe, has helped develop confidence within the’ Executive Branch that this Committee is acting responsibly in protecting classified material. TI had ; thought that the Committee's procedures were understood and approved ‘by members of the Executive Branch with whom we deal. In recent months, however, several incidents have occurred where the Committee's procedures for handling classified materia l have been bypassed by elements of the Executive Branch who have delivered classified, and in some cases, compartmented intelligence documents to a Member's congressional office and turned them over to uncleared personnel. I have identified five separate occasions since May 22, 1979, on which classified documents were delivered to Members' offices instead of to the Committee's offices where they could have been properly controlled by cleared personnel. These documents came from the Defense Department, the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and the Attorney General's office, suggesting that this is a fairly widespread practice. I have no way, of course, of determining how many other members of the House and the Senate have had a as inte proved Kor ReleaseBOo2OB GIA HbPes-doe IZT St hoc8fdvd60%2-5 7 z | 7 05-9-SEES. eh Pe . ee. = - ie > . a, x pine 2 a: fe aa Hi es = wee pprowed | For Release 2002/08/21 : CIA-RDP85-00821R000100080012-5 It seems to me and to the}Members of cKe Beanene Select Committee on intelligence that the interests of the Executive Branch, the House of Representatives and the American people are best served if all classified material intended for the use of this Committee and its Members be delivered to the Committee : officesin Room H~405, the Capitol, where. the Committee's document control system provides appropriate protections for such materials. I have written to you rather than to Director Turner because the problem appears to extend to departments and agéncies beyond his area of authority. This Committee stands ready to assist you in any way to ensure the proper handling of classified intelligence which both branches of government need in order to panty out their respective responsibilities. With every good wish, I am Approved For Release 2002/08/21 : CIA-RDP85-00821R000100080012-5 STATINTL Approved For Release 2002/08/21 : CIA-RDP85-00821R000100080012-5 Next 1 Page(s) In Document Exempt Approved For Release 2002/08/21 : CIA-RDP85-00821R000100080012-5 | Approved For Release 2002/08/21 : aan 1 net. THES WHITE & OT WASHINGTON 150," S@curr ; » te Heo: Records 74 August 6, 1979 MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE THE DIRECTOR OF GENsbas _ INTELLIGENCE SUBJECT: Letter from Congressman Boland The President requested that you receive a copy of the attached letter on inadequate procedures for handling classified material. .We are preparing a draft for Frank Moore's response, and are considering furt,Aer action. 2bigniew Brzezinski Approved For Release 2002/08/21 : CIA-RDP85-00821R000100080012-5 j O5-9~ 1838 J MENT J. ZABLOCKL WIS, 0.0000 fo eee eee eas . Mais DG PREPRESS "Ra py | LO. ELASLISON, AUD, (2n2) 225-4121 SGAM F. MURGHHT, ILL Saal : AMAN Y. MINETA, CALI. CHE FOWLER, 4, GAL : PERMANENT SELECT COMMITTEE wm. ASHBROOK. O10 ON INTELLIGENCE... |. ia abeWHITEHURST, WILLIAM WRT eH ha VA WASHINGTON, D.C. 20515 ILE:dM ee « ~ BILL YOUNG, FLA, /b4A OMAS M, LATIMER. STAFF DIRECTOR THAEL, J. ONE, CHIEF COUNSEL . Ue tae Alsee, ig a a ae ov % . i? July 27, 1979 Lex Finilse- Mls , Ree Dt AN -hon. if wcsflad hae The President LIAIS oh The White House 2 Washington, D.c. AUG 3 1979 20500 CL: OMB | Dear Mr. President: ; eae an be ar ee ie a... aeenGT From the very first day that the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence began operating, steps were taken at my direction and with the unanimous agreement of the Members to work cooperatively with the Director of Central Intelligence and other responsible Executive Branch officials to ensure that all classified material coming into the Committee's possession would be handled in a secure-fashion. ‘To that end, the Committee established:a Registry which .~ receives!all classified ‘material, ‘controls: accéss to thatmaterialk “~tr = whileit is in the Committee's possession and ensures that the material is either destroyed in accordance with the DCI's standards or is returned to the originating office. This. system had worked well and, I believe, has helped develop confidence within the Executive Branch that this Committee is acting responsibly in protecting classified material. I had thought that the Committee's procedures were understood and approved by members of the Executive Branch with whom we deal. In recent months, however, several incidents have occurred “spwhere. the-Committeé*s. procédures for. Handling cia$sified material -/o-!) ;>have been bypassed by elements of the Executive Branch who have ‘Celivered classified, and in some cases, compartmented intelligence ;Gocuments to a Member's congressicnal office and turned them over Jto uncleared personnel. al I have identified five separate occasions since May 22, 1979, On which classified documents were delivered to Members' otitices instead of to the Committee's offices where they could have been properly controlled by cleared personnel. These documents came from the Defense Department, the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and the Attorney General's office, suggesting that this is a fairly widespread practice. I have no way,of course, of determining how many other members of the House and the Senate have had classified intelligence documents delivered to their offices. aod : aN Approved For Release 2002/08/21 : ciA-RDPSS-00821RO0010008001HLE  apd ; aos He — Tie : SE iz . pmcmeveaey ie Approved For Release 2002/08/21 :CIA-RDP85- 00821RR000100080012-5 It seems to me. and to the Members of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence that. the interests of the Executive Branch, the House of Representatives and*‘the American neoole are best served if all classified material intended for the use of this Committee and its Members be delivered to the Committee offices in Room H~405~ the Capitol, where the Committee's document control system provides appropriate protections for such materials. 4 I have written to you rather than to Director Turner because the problem appears to extend to departments and agencies beyond his area of authority. This Committee stands ready to assist you in any way to ensure the proper handling of classified intelligence which both branches of government aged in order to carry out their respective Schone or tees with” every “good wisn, I ‘am I ie Sincerely yours, ; oa a < a ee v es meee, : eer a ot =< Enkey B-7~“BOLAND e yon - Approved For Release 2002/08/21 : CIA-RDP85-00821R000100080012-5 STATINTL Approved For Release 2002/08/21 : CIA-RDP85-00821R000100080012-5 Approved For Release 2002/08/21 : CIA-RDP85-00821R000100080012-5